Upon the anticipation of their upcoming new album, which is due out on March 25th via London’s cult record label Rise Above Records, Toronto’s finest export item in the art of Occult, Blood Ceremony have released a first impression on what to conceive with “Lord Of Misrule”. The namesake of their fourth full-length attempt is to be found on “Coven Tree”, a most hypnotic tune of Blood Ceremony’s sophomore album “Living With The Ancients”.
The single track “Old Fires” displays an established band with vocals that stick out as a leading instrument much more than it’s been the case on previous releases. Please check out the video below to dive into this new magical journey.
Additionally, the band with their enchanting fronting witch, Alia O’Brien, the rhythm section consisting of bassplayer Lucas Gadke and sticksman Michael Carrillo as well as stringslayer Sean Kennedy, recently announced that Fresno, California’s Beastmaker will be joining them on their European tour. As chance has it, the doomy three-piece is not only on the same label, but will simultaneously unleash their debut “Lusus Naturae” through Rise Above Records.
With their European headlining Tour kicking off two weeks from today, Canadian occult revere Doom Rockers BLOOD CEREMONY have just announced to release of a new Single called “Let It Come Down”, following the success of last years globally acclaimed third album, “The Eldritch Dark”. The 7″ will be released on April 28 in Europe (North American release date to be announced soon!) via Rise Above Records and contains a cover version of “Loving You”, originally recorded by early 70s obscure Scottish proto-metal legends, IRON CLAW. “Let It Come Down” is already available at the Rise Above YouTube channel.
“Let It Come Down” was recorded by Ian Blurton, featuring a Cover drawing by Karmazid and design layout by Annick Giroux of CAUCHEMAR. Alongside BLOOD CEREMONY will we Swedish Rock outlet SPIDERS, who will be opening on most dates.
02 BRISTOL, UK – Temples Festival*
03 NOTTINGHAM, UK – Bodega
04 GLASGOW, UK – Stereo
05 MANCHESTER, UK – The Deaf Institute
06 LONDON, UK – Borderline
07 PARIS, FR – Batofar
09 MEZZAGO, IT – Bloom Club
10 RONCADE, IT – New Age
11 MÜNCHEN, DE – Strom
12 VIENNA, AT – Arena
13 WARSAW, PL – Progresja
14 PRAGUE, CZ – 007 Klub
15 BERLIN, DE – Magnet
16 COPENHAGEN, DK – Loppen
17 STOCKHOLM, SE – Debaser Strand
20 MOSCOW, RU – Volta*
21 HELSINKI, FI – Nosturi
23 OSLO, NO – BLÅ
24 GOTHENBURG, SE – Truckstop Alaska
25 HAMBURG, DE – St. Pauli Rock Café
26 FRANKFURT, DE – Nachtleben
27 ZÜRICH, CH – Hafenkneipe
29 GEISELWIND, DE – Out & Loud Festival*
30 NETPHEN, DE – Freak Valley Festival*
31 NIJMEGEN, NL – FortaRock Festival*
Canadian Doom Rockers BLOOD CEREMONY will finally return to the European Mainlands with a full tour schedule in May 2014. Alongside the Toronto-based foursome featuring Alia O’Brien (Vocals, Flute, Organ), Sean Kennedy (Guitars), Lucas Gadke (Bass) and Michael Carrillo (Drums) will be Swedish Classic Rockers SPIDERS!
Commented BLOOD CEREMONY on their Facebook page: “Attention all revelers, freaks & heads, we’ll be playing dates in the UK, EU and RUSSIA this May. Joining us will be Sweden’s SPIDERS. The confirmed club and festival dates are listed below. Shortly before the tour begins, some new material will see the light of day in the form of a 7″ release, details forthcoming. See you on the other side!!!”
02 BRISTOL, UK – Temples Festival*
03 NOTTINGHAM, UK – Bodega
04 GLASGOW, UK – Stereo
05 MANCHESTER, UK – The Deaf Institute
06 LONDON, UK – Borderline
07 PARIS, FR – Batofar
09 MEZZAGO, IT – Bloom Club
10 RONCADE, IT – New Age
11 MÜNCHEN, DE – Strom
12 VIENNA, AT – Arena
13 WARSAW, PL – Progresja
14 PRAGUE, CZ – 007 Klub
15 BERLIN, DE – Magnet
16 COPENHAGEN, DK – Loppen
17 STOCKHOLM, SE – Debaser Strand
20 MOSCOW, RU – Volta*
21 HELSINKI, FI – Nosturi
23 OSLO, NO – BLÅ
24 GOTHENBURG, SE – Truckstop Alaska
25 HAMBURG, DE – St. Pauli Rock Café
26 FRANKFURT, DE – Nachtleben
27 ZÜRICH, CH – Hafenkneipe
29 GEISELWIND, DE – Out & Loud Festival*
30 NETPHEN, DE – Freak Valley Festival*
31 NIJMEGEN, NL – FortaRock Festival*
Since the release of “Living With The Ancient”, BLOOD CEREMONY have performed at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Holland. In the fall of 2011, they completed their first headline tour of Europe culminating in a performance at the Hammer of Doom VI Festival in Würzburg, Germany. In 2012 they supported Sweden’s GHOST on the highly successful “13 Dates of Doom” North American tour. After performing at the celebrated NOCTIS V Festival in Calgary, the band enclosed themselves within a dank, tomb-like chamber to begin preparations for a third BLOOD CEREMONY album.
BC (left to right): Lucas Gadke – Bass, Michael Carrillo – Drums, Alia O’Brien – Vocals, Flute, Organ, Sean Kennedy – Guitars
After a short spell in the analogue womb of Toronto’s ProGold Studios, they are now ready to unveil their newest, and most accomplished, musical offering under the name of “The Eldritch Dark”.
Recorded and mixed by producer extraordinaire Ian Blurton (CAULDRON, CURSED) and mastered by Canadian recording legend Nick Blagona (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN), “The Eldritch Dark” is a full-length paean to the darker corners of folklore and legend. Containing eight tracks of black magic rock ‘n’ roll, the album crackles with the excitement of a nocturnal ritual.
Tales of witch-cult gatherings in wooded glens, pacts made in torch-lit abbeys and Victorian magic are accompanied by vintage-style hard rock riffs, snaking bass lines and killer flute melodies. “The Eldritch Dark” also sees the band exploring a folksier side of their sound; most evident in the hymn-like “Lord Summerisle” and the murderous folk-rock epic, “Ballad Of The Weird Sisters”. Nineteenth-century sorcerer Oliver Haddo makes a return appearance in the riff-hypnotic album closer “The Magician”.
“The Eldritch Dark” will be released via Rise Above Records in the UK/Europe on May 27 and by Metal Blade in North America on May 28, 2013.
BLOOD CEREMONY are currently on the road alongside KYLESA descending on North America throughout May and June.
20 Albuquerque NM @ Blackwater
21 Denver CO @ Marquis Theater
22 Salt Lake City UT @ Urban Lounge
24 Santa Cruz CA @ Catalyst
25 San Francisco CA @ Slim’s
27 Portland OR @ Star Theater
28 Seattle WA @ Chop Suey
29 Vancouver BC @ Electric Owl
31 Calgary AB @ Dickens
– JUNE –
01 Regina SK @ The Exchange
02 Winnipeg MB @ The Pyramid
03 Minneapolis MN @ Triple Rock
04 Iowa City IA @ Gabe’s Oasis
05 Chicago IL @ Bottom Lounge
06 Grand Rapids MI @ Pyramid Scheme
07 St Louis MO @ Firebird
08 Columbus OH @ Ace of Cups
09 Lexington KY @ Cosmic Charlies
11 Toronto ON @ Lee’s Palace
12 Ottawa ON @ Mavericks
13 Montreal QC @ Il Motore
14 Brooklyn NY @ Northside Fest / Music Hall of Williamsburg
15 Albany NY @ Bogie’s
16 Boston MA @ Middle East Downstairs
18 Philadelphia PA @ Underground Arts
19 Washington DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
20 Asheville NC @ Asheville Music Hall
21 Atlanta @ The Earl
22 Savannah GA @ Jinx
After the mandatory starting problems, the second day of this years’ Hammer Of Doom Festival on October 29th seems to be much of a promising event. The only downer for today has been CATHEDRAL‘s cancellation for their headline show, due to the fact that the band refuses to share stages with THE DEVIL’S BLOOD (who are known for using pig blood purchased at a local butcher…). Considering the fact that Lee Dorrian is a convinced vegetarian, one might be able to understand his decision. Still, with the band doing a farewell tour this does not make their absence any better…but here we go anyway.
Cathedral shirt backprint
At our arrival at about two in the afternoon DEVIL are in the midst of their set and the venue is crowed allready at this rather early time. The Posthalle in Wuerzburg appears quite dark and stuffed with records sellers, whose high prices at the end of the month make me wonder how they make profit at all. On the other hand it’s a nice opportunity to do something while waiting for “your” band to play and to stay awake despite the lack of light and oxygen.
Orchid’s charming singer Theo
Sometime between NOMAD SON and THE 11TH HOUR me and my pals leave the location and enjoy the autumn sun and finally some real food. At 5pm the first highlight of the day enters the stage: ORCHID have not only travelled all the way from the US to southern Germany, but it seems that they also travelled through time with their hippie like cloths, hooped cables and vocalist Theo Mindell acting like a very young OZZY OSBOURE. I am just delighted and the audience all around clearly agrees. Mark Thomas Baker (Guitar), Keith Nickel (Bass) and Carter Kennedy (Drums) keep up to Theo easily and their passion for occult 70’s Rock and Metal fill the entire place. The foursome presents a mixture of their current outputs (“Through The Devil’s Doorway” and “Carpicorn”) and also new material to be released on the upcoming album which is scheduled for April 2012. After just fourty minutes the show is over and I guess I’m not the only one who can’t wait for these guys to return to Europe!
Following is Malta’s FORSAKEN with a frontman being some sort of DIO version with a BLACK SABBATH shirt…THAT was weird! Unfortunatly his taste of music does not make the band sound good to my ears. But this being a matter of taste, contrary opinios appear to be plenty and we take another chance to get some fresh air.
Blood Ceremony favour ears and eyes
Finally the second highlight of the days enters the stage: BLOOD CEREMONY finish their European tour on this very evening. After seeing them in April, expectations are high and this show turns out to be overwhelming as well. Canada’s hottest Rock export truly enchants the international audience with retro sounds and their very talented female fronter Alia O’Brien. It’s a real pleasure to see how she and Sean Kennedy (Guitars), Lucas Gadke (Bass) and Andrew Haust (Drums) play together as a union. Especially the songs from their latest album “Living With The Ancient” are well recieved but also the Self Tiled debut certainly has it’s place in countless record collections. As sure as anyone watching, the band has a great time tonight. “I’ve never had an audience with so many people making out while we played“, bassplayer Lucas points out after the show. 45 minutes pass way to soon and the next act YET SO FAR with a special German Show can hardly keep my interest.
Another hour runs before tonights’ headliner THE DEVIL’S BLOOD fills the stage with musicians, equipment and backdrops. The highly awaited Pre-Release Show ends up as a stiff set with way too many new songs and everlasting red lights, that make it very hard to get good pictures if your camera does not cost a fortune. Especially after seeing this band in much smaller places and at the beginning of the hype they caused, I can say that I’ve seen much better performances than the one tonight. Disappointed visitors are leaving while the rest is totally into the ritual. I am somewhere between those views, but glad to be on the way back before the show ends…
Altogether a great day with some real peaks and just a few weak points!
Toronto-based Retro Rockers Blood Ceremony will start their “Black Magic Rites” – European Tour 2011 next week. After the Bands last visit earlier this year, some places will miss out the great atmosphere – but there will certainly be another time!
Psychorizon 
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