ALBUM REVIEW: Dial In The Ghost – Ritual Error
London-based RITUAL ERROR refuse to have their voice unheard on debut album Dial In The Ghost.Channelling both the sound and the confrontational ethos of 90s post-hardcore and noise rock, RITUAL ERROR pay homage to what has come before them, whilst firmly planting their feet in the present scene. Dial In The Ghost brings a frustrated and ferocious outlook on current society, and leaves nothing unsaid.
On opening track Good Conscience In Three Stages, RITUAL ERROR ensure that you enter the album at full force. Brash drum beats and thunderous guitar patterns hit immediately, and only let up to make way for a gritty breakdown. The album feels tense, and each track is bottled full of frustration. This is a frustration at the state of the country, at the state of the music industry, and at more personal hauntings. This fraught tone propels you through the album, making Dial In The Ghost an unsettlingly hypnotising listen from the offset.
Life As A Contact Sport continues this frustrated frenzy, exploding with discordant guitars and punchy vocals. However, underlying the track are basslines that offer a distinct groove to the track. This is a string that RITUAL ERROR pick up throughout the album, weaving in catchy guitar hooks in tracks like Twin, and a groove filled rhythm in Artist At Work. Amidst the cacophony of discord, there are brief moments of unity that keep the album from bursting at the seams.
The forceful nature of Dial In The Ghost can at times feel unrelenting to listen to. Amidst this ferocity however, RITUAL ERROR find moments to play around with their dynamism. Small moments like the more melodic breakdowns on Haldeman and Return To Lagos stand out as high points on the album. Haldeman moves through different paces, fluctuating between louder more aggressive moments and brief moments of quiet. Return To Lagos similarly takes you through various paces and features a particularly memorable breakdown. These moments of exploration outside of their established formula offer a counterpoint that ensures the overall force of the album still packs a punch.
Closing the album, Making An End turns the direction fully into the melodic. An instrumental track is a jarring end to such a confrontational album and seems slightly out of place. Yet, thematically it appears to serve as a potent bookend to the album’s narrative. With everything expressed, RITUAL ERROR present this final track as a haunting epilogue to the tumultuous journey that Dial In The Ghost undergoes.
Dial In The Ghost sees RITUAL ERROR planting their feet as a band, and doing so with bold authority. The album is a frenzied and frustrated outburst of paranoia and distain, encapsulated within captivating hooks and rhythms. At times, Dial In The Ghost can feel unrelenting. Yet, in other moments, that is exactly what works for it. RITUAL ERROR have a captivating ability on Dial In The Ghost to keep you intrigued just enough to ensure you’re listening to what they have to say next.
Rating: 7/10
Dial In The Ghost is set for release on November 8th via TNS Records.
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