CEREMONY's seventh album compresses a lot into 30 minutes. The Rohnert Park band, active since 1991, moves from anarcho-punk scorchers to moody post-punk without sanding down the hardcore attack. “Other Hells” comes in hard, while “Madness” turns toward a heavy, bouncing groove and names Palestine over a sharp critique of war and the money behind it. “Dark Summer” brings jet-black guitar jangle and a darker, more reflective mood. The songs keep building on one another, so the album feels less like a collection of separate eras than a quick tour through the band’s history.
Ross Farrar handles the vocals, with Anthony Anzaldo on guitar and keyboards, Andy Nelson on guitar, Justin Davis on bass and Jake Casarotti behind the drums. John Reis produces, and the result connects CEREMONY’s punk roots, their interest in post-punk, and the anarcho-punk influence of Discharge and Crass. The political material is direct, but Farrar also turns inward, linking public violence to personal struggle. Fans of hardcore punk who followed the band’s changes will find plenty to argue with and plenty to grab onto here. Newcomers should start with “Madness” or “Other Hells,” then see if the gloomier turns hold them.
