RITUAL SACRIFICE
When Hope Is Pain
(Vic Records)
40:29min

RITUAL SACRIFICE is a Death / Thrash Metal band from Rhode Island, USA. “When Hope Is Pain” is the only full length in their 30 year career. The Internet tells me that the band recorded the album “When Hope Is Pain” originally in 1995 at Triad Studios, Warwick, Rhode Island. However due to Massacre Records going out of business, it went unreleased until 2018, when the band made it available digitally. Now, if you’re reading this, I know that you know about Vic Records, what they’re doing is essentially public service. Like always, Vic Records this time around has for the service of the masses put out a fantastic slab of Death / Thrash Metal for consideration and RITUAL SACRIFICE slay it from start to end. “When Hope Is Pain” is excellent quality Metal, it isn’t overtly heavy or in your face from the get go. The band relies on the excellent 90s atmosphere and constructs an almost technical oriented approach, with one of the tightest rhythm sections I’ve heard in a while. Such is the precision that I actually went about checking if the rhythm section was managed by siblings! Well, what do you know? The band indeed seems to have had 2 siblings play in it, but from their timeline it seems they weren’t in the band by the time this killer album was recorded. Nevertheless, the rhythm section on this album is pure joy. This is perhaps the tightest it can get and is sonically perfect across the entire album. I do have to flag that the first interlude on the album has a sort of tribal feel to it, which was a rather interesting break for a minute. On the whole, the vocals are quick and sharp, sometimes slightly over the mix. Nothing to really bother frankly, they’re aggressive, loud and angry. The solos are melodic, peaking with each passing track and executed with a charming precision. The vocals employ a standard approach, but on the whole the delivery is very Kelly Shaefer’esque and it works beautifully on this record. I have nothing further to say about the rhythm section, it is the best part of the album. If you like Death Metal even remotely, you need to check this release out immediately. Recommended, do get a copy! I genuinely hope they play live as soon as possible, this record needs to be played in its entirety. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/ritual-sacrifice-100734342097105, www.facebook.com/vic-records-321130546025

Vamsi Kanagovi

Vamsi Kanagovi

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