Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Ritual
Label: Inside Out Records
Released: 2007
Sweden’s Ritual started out as a progressive folk rock band. In that time they put out three solid albums, which most orthodox prog rock fans would probably find a touch too folky, or even poppy. One of the band’s undeniable strengths is that the lineup has stayed the same over the years, led by singer/guitarist Patrik Lundström (who’s also a member of Kaipe, the old guard of the Swedish prog rock scene), and this album is no exception. They’ve also kept the same set of traditional acoustic instruments (acoustic guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, flute, harmonica and so on) with which they carry on their antique-flavored folk rock heritage.
“The Hemulic Voluntary Band” brings a welcome change of style to their sound. The band keeps weaving melodic, complex structures that are more accessible “at first listen” than ever. Their sound has generally become even more ear-friendly without sacrificing the complexity of most of the arrangements. This time around they’ve gone a step further in blending the melodic subtlety of symphonic arrangements with the complex nature of the individual rhythm sections. The influence of legendary bands like Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and Yes is present in their sound the whole time, and any ear that’s already well-seasoned in prog rock will pick it up quickly. But Ritual never step outside their own recognizable framework and don’t go in for copying motifs we’ve already heard, the kind of thing that could quickly get them written off as copycats. When it comes to friendly melodies and a relaxed, positive vibe, the last Kaipe album “Angling Feelings” comes to mind, which Lundström also played on, and whom most modern prog fans praise as one of the best singers on the current Scandinavian prog scene. Personally, I’ve always found the timbre of his voice slightly annoying, although technically he’s undoubtedly a good singer with a fairly wide range, one who’d do well in other genres too, say progressive metal or hard rock. Generally speaking, the band members are excellent instrumentalists, which has always been one of the trademarks of the vast majority of modern Scandinavian prog rock bands, led by The Flower Kings.
On “The Hemulic Voluntery Band” Ritual took on one of prog rock’s signature moves and built this record as a concept album based on the fantasy story “Dangerous Journey”, written by the Finnish novelist Toye Jansson. I don’t know the details of the story, but apparently it’s reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, since it’s about a little girl whose cat runs off into some surreal fantasy world. When she sets off to find it, she meets all sorts of strange creatures on her journey, among them the Hemulens that the album is named after (despite persistent digging around online, I still don’t know what the word means, probably another made-up word), creatures that, judging by the album cover, look like a cross between moles and whales and seem pretty comical at first glance. Of the songs on the album, only the first and the last have lyrics directly tied to that concept.
The title track “The Hemulic Voluntary Band” introduces the band members in the role of those Hemulens, not-too-bright creatures who’ve started their own outfit in the style of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It’s a pretty energetic opener with plenty of tasty clavinet passages and dramatic, sometimes slightly annoying vocal melodies in the chorus. Despite the complex rhythmic approach, where the Gentle Giant influences really come through, the melodic side is kept up throughout the song. Solid, but nothing special. “In The Wild” is a much more direct track without any big rhythmic adventures. Dramatic, fairly sharp guitar lines and gorgeous piano melodies flow nicely into one another while an energetic vocal tells the central concept. The progressive metal guitar licks blend well with tasteful symphonic arrangements. “Late In November” is a lovely acoustic ballad with great baroque arrangements on flute and clavinet. Lundström’s expressive vocal performance deserves praise, and the extra vocal harmonies are good too, creating a mystical atmosphere when combined with the acoustic melodies. “The Groke” has a somewhat darker mood that echoes a kind of winter depression. The string arrangements sit very nicely within the subtle symphonic melodies, where the piano takes the lion’s share. “Waiting By The Bridge” is a lighter, almost-pop creation with plenty of funk elements. Apart from a very good instrumental section on bass and piano in the second half, it’s by far the least interesting piece on the album in my view. It’s meant to be comical, but when it comes to being funny, Ritual crash and burn across the board (like most Scandinavian bands).
That Ritual are ambitious lads, despite the almost childlike playfulness and naivety that runs through most of their music, is proven by “A Dangerous Journey”, the first longer EP of their career, which surprisingly manages to keep an unbroken thread going, so that the composition doesn’t come across as monotonous for even a moment over its entire 26 minutes and is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Gentle, melancholic folky melodies successfully merge mysticism and drama. The first section has a gentle acoustic melody with a hint of ballad. The clavinet sits very nicely within the main acoustic guitar melodies while the harmonica gives it most of that mystical-rural flavor that’s typical of good folk rock. You have to admire how sensitively they manage to combine unusual polyrhythms in the vein of Gentle Giant with melodic, almost pop melodies. Toward the end of the piece they serve up a surprisingly brutal progressive metal section, where my theory that Patrik’s voice would fit well in prog metal too is fully confirmed. And so they don’t betray their positive-minded heritage, the closing mystical section takes care of that with lovely symphonic folk rock arrangements. This composition, which directly refers to the name of that fantasy novel, pushes the album’s quality up at least one level and will win over even the most doubtful skeptics to the great creative potential of this relatively obscure band.
“The Hemulic Voluntary Band” has lovely symphonic arrangements, complex variations, unusual use of instruments, a variety of rhythmic approaches and a naive, almost childlike touch that can easily conjure up the atmosphere of Jansson’s fantasy novel for the listener. Those who prefer the darker, more obscure symphonic side of Scandinavian prog, think Anglagard or Anekdoten, will most likely turn up their noses at Ritual and this album, while fans of the eternal optimists and makers of beautiful melodies like Kaipa and the current champions of Swedish symphonic prog, The Flower Kings, will almost certainly be thrilled with it. For those of you worried that the production has that typical “ironed-out”, almost sterile sound of Scandinavian (prog) rock bands, I can reassure you there’s no reason to panic, since Ritual made an effort to give the album the charm of the golden 70s. Even though I wouldn’t put it on the shortlist of this year’s best prog albums, and it’s far from flawless, “The Hemulic Voluntary Band” is without a doubt a pleasant surprise in a drought of decent prog releases that also carry a folk rock component. So Ritual invite all lovers of Scandinavian fairy tales who aren’t ashamed of the inner child within to a magical journey and a hangout with creatures who, despite their unusual looks, play music that reaches the average human ear pretty quickly.
Line-up
Patrik Lundström – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
Fredrik Lindqvist – bass guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, flute, backing vocals
Jon Gamble – keyboards, harmonium, harmonica, backing vocals
Johan Nordgren – drums, percussion, nyckelharpa, backing vocals
Production
Ritual, Hans Fredriksson
Track list
1. The Hemulic Voluntary Band (4:53)
2. In The Wild (5:53)
3. Late In November (4:56)
4. The Groke (6:05)
5. Waiting By The Bridge (4:36)
6. A Dangerous Journey (26:33)
Album length: 52:56
