(FFO: While She Sleeps, Northlane)
UK metalcore band Rituals return with their furious new single/video ‘Breathless’. This track is taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Hope In Hatred’ due for release on November 7th.
Speaking on the latest single, the band says…
“Breathless is a unique song for us as it does not feature our typical anthemic chorus. Instead it is based around a rhythmic vocal hook. It is a straight up riff fest, I was listening to a lot of Slipknot and Machine Head around this time and I can hear that listening back to it”
The band goes on to say that the new EP was “recorded during personal hardships, illnesses and health scares, equipment nightmares and overall musical issues”. This frustration is 100% felt throughout the records five explosive tracks. Along side this anger there are plenty of killer riffs and hooks that are bound to get stuck in your head for days.
Upcoming shows:
Sunday 19th October @ New Cross Inn, London (supporting Siamese)
Saturday 15th November @ Garage Attic, Glasgow (EP release show)
Saturday 29th November @ Domain, Newcastle: (EP release show)
Rising swiftly through the ranks of modern metal, RITUALS made a commanding debut in 2021 with their EP, Awake. Fusing visceral emotional depth with infectious hooks and unrelenting, riff-heavy power, they’ve crafted a signature sound that is both gripping and intense. Balancing raw power with a contemporary edge, the band quickly established a style that hits hard, captivates, and leaves a lasting impact.
RITUALS’ momentum has been undeniable. Handpicked by industry heavyweights like Daniel P Carter, Ryan Richards, Johnny Doom, and Alyx Holcombe, the band made an electrifying appearance at the 20th Anniversary of Download Festival, where they shared the lineup with legendary acts like Metallica, Slipknot, Parkway Drive, Architects, and Bring Me The Horizon. With this high-profile festival appearance, a record deal with Marshall Records, and a relentless touring schedule, by the end of the 2023, RITUALS had already firmly established themselves as one of UK metal’s most exciting up-and-coming bands.
In their short but dynamic career, they’ve shared the stage with heavyweights like Wage War, Skindred, Cane Hill, Thrown, Graphic Nature, Heriot, Higher Power and As Everything Unfolds, leaving a lasting impression everywhere they go. RITUALS are unstoppable, hitting the road nonstop and expanding their devoted fanbase with every release.
Their latest EP titled, Hope In Hatred, boasts the Newcastle quartet’s most aggressive and cohesive release to date. Armed with a feature from the singer of UK mainstays, Bury Tomorrow’s own Tom Prendergast. The five track record is an onslaught of riffs, monolithic vocals and pure Northern rage.
The band explains the background of how their latest EP came into existence…
“The record has a collaborative mix of themes and messages running throughout. However one main recurring theme was the general complexity of creation. The record was recorded during personal hardships, illnesses and health scares, equipment nightmares and overall musical issues. The main body of music was written by our guitarist Ewan Lee who says the EP was written August 2024 with the intent of diversifying our sound, but maintaining the heaviness and groove of our previous work, to create something that sounded unique to us.”
Rituals will launch this new chapter with the unrelenting and raging new single ‘Breathless’ on September 12th.
“Breathless is a unique song for us as it does not feature our typical anthemic chorus. Instead it is based around a rhythmic vocal hook. It is a straight up riff fest, I was listening to a lot of Slipknot and Machine Head around this time and I can hear that listening back to it” – Rituals
Track listing:
1. Breathless
2. Hope In Hatred (Feat. Tom Prendergast)
3. Pray For Me
4. Broken Spirit
5. Deathwish
Band Members:
Vocals – Lewis MacRae
Guitar – Ewan Lee
Drums – Matt Dix
Bass – Dom James
