Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve into CEREMONY. That’s right, the quintet band that was formed in 2004 in Rohnert Park, a small city about 50 miles north of San Francisco, California. Fans will recognize that the band’s name is often, but not always, stylized in all caps, as it is also displayed with a capital C, e.g., Ceremony. In this review, you may see both. CEREMONY were named after the New Order song of the same name. If this is your first time hearing about New Order and/or Joy Division, take the time to delve into both influential bands after you finish this review. But first, take a listen to that excellent song here.
CEREMONY has had nearly the same lineup throughout its over two decades of existence. The current line-up features Ross Farrar (vocals), Anthony Anzaldo (guitar), Justin Davis (bass), Andy Nelson (guitar), and Jake Casarotti (drums).
The band is known for retaining its punk ethos at its core, as its sound was blistering, brutal hardcore at its beginning. CEREMONY is also known for evolving and experimenting with their sound throughout the decades, showcasing the band’s skill at not sounding the same on two albums. A few subgenres used to describe the band’s various sounds include but are not limited to garage rock (on the Zoo album), grindcore, some gorgeous 80s-inspired hardcore punk (on the Still Nothing Moves You album), new wave (on the In the Spirit World Now album), post-hardcore (on the Rohnert Park album), post-punk (on The L-Shaped Man album), powerviolence, and punk rock.
Looking further into their discography, CEREMONY has released six full-length studio albums: Violence Violence (2006), Still Nothing Moves You (2008), Rohnert Park (2010), Zoo (2012), The L-Shaped Man (2015), In the Spirit World Now (2019), and Ruined EP (2005), Scared People EP (2007), and Ceremony 6 Cover Songs EP (2011).
And now comes their seventh, Tell Me Your Dream, out via Relapse Records on Friday, August 8th for your listening pleasure.
A little more about the album from lead vocalist Farrar via the album’s press release: “We’re living in an era of mass uncertainty. In punk, I don’t see how you can’t respond. It’s taken over our lives in so many different ways — economically, politically, spiritually. We want people to wake up and get into what’s happening.”
Guitarist Andy Nelson said the following: “Why aren’t punk bands actually saying the word ‘Palestine’ on their records? We didn’t want to make anything that felt light, or empty, or apolitical. Our intent is to not waste anyone’s time, and to encourage people to think about what they settle for.” Amen. Some of mine, and probably yours if you’re at SWT in general but also reading this review, favorite music and bands fall in the protopunk and hardcore punk (70s and 80s) scene. Looking deeper, some anarcho-punk bands. I’ll leave it there for today in a state of reflection and focus without waxing poetic any further.
Leaving us with a final bit of hype, the press release for Tell Me Your Dream summed up what the listener is about to hear, noting, “Ferociously alert, Tell Me Your Dream reunites CEREMONY — Farrar, guitarist-keyboardist Anthony Anzaldo, guitarist Andy Nelson, bassist Justin Davis and drummer Jake Casarotti — with producer John Reis for ten songs of searing breadth. That means everything from bristling hardcore to moody post-punk — all while taking fundamental inspiration from Discharge, Crass, and other anarcho-punk troupes that first helped certain members of CEREMONY find their own political voices back when they were teenagers. The result is a culmination of the band’s 21 years together, if not some kind of riddle: CEREMONY knows how to make a return-to-form sound like evolution — and vice versa.”
And now for some hype for your ears and eyes via the Relapse Records YouTube channel, the song “Other Hells”:
(All credits and rights to Relapse Records and CEREMONY)
So many frames. All the frames and cuts and quick-moving images within the video for the song “Dark Summer”:
(All credits and rights to Relapse Records and CEREMONY)
Live. On stage. It’s a fantastic video for the song “Death Destruction Mayhem”:
(All credits and rights to Relapse Records and CEREMONY)
Overall, the Tell Me Your Dream album has a lot going for it. There are a lot of good songs, and truly something for everyone. CEREMONY showcases once again why they are one of the best at crafting melodies across different subgenres and sounds, and at including them amongst different-sounding melodies on an album, putting them in this club sandwich of sorts that works well together. Kudos, as most bands cannot accomplish this, much less with the longevity CEREMONY has had. And even more, they retain their own style, sounds, and vibe. Within songs on this album, the band also provides some outstanding melodic shifts on more than a handful of occasions, resulting in some beautiful listening experiences and earworm-worthy moments. Kudos to the musicians and others who helped make this album sound as great as it does.
Let’s delve even deeper by talking about each track in the order they were made. The opening track, “Prograde,” kicks off the album with a gorgeous bass groove that lays the foundation of the melody, soon joined by jangly guitar and rock-steady drumming to fill out the rhythm section. Farrar’s vocal delivery varies in intensity throughout the song, as the lyrics and melody call for it. The next track, “Other Hells,” has a different vibe, with a more experimental, or more accurately, an alternative melody paired with barked-out, punk-style vocals. It’ll transport the listener to punk music of decades past in a good way. Switching gears another time, the third track on the album, “Madness,” opens with synth and a funky bass groove and a guitar lick before Farrar’s charged, passionate vocals reflect the political lyrics. The harmonies are a nice touch, adding a layer to the song.
The next track, “Dark Summer,” is another banger. Propulsive drums from the start and an 80s alternative vibe and feel to the melody. Again, CEREMONY does their own thing in songcraft, but while listening, you may be reminded of songs from years past. The track after that, “Deep Down Where I Belong,” takes the BPM up several notches. It’s a fast-paced rhythm that feels like you’re speeding in a car on a pleasant adventure. The guitar strings, organ, solo, and choral vocals really shine. This is followed by “Antenna,” a lovely combo platter of synth beats, bass, and vocals. At times I was reminded of Britpop. Or at least elements of it. The vocal delivery and vocal pacing for sure. The melody itself slowed down a bit more with elements of genres past. New wave perhaps? Listener, what’d you think while listening to this track?
We’re now at the seventh song out of ten on the album. “Justify” picks up the vibes. It is rollicking, punching forward in terms of melody. It is another great use of harmonies, creating more earworms atop the bouncy guitars and drums. “Death Destruction Mayhem” is a ball of energy in the best ways. And it is so punk in its melody, vocal tone, delivery, and pacing in general. And lyrics too. It’s a song that stood out and hooked me from the start. The energy when multiple vocalists are in lockstep, shouting their lyrics is a beautiful moment. This is the song that gets the mosh pit fired up. I wouldn’t mind more of those songs in future albums from the band. The penultimate song slows down the pacing, breaking out some funky vibes and guitar work. Especially the bass, but there are a few great solos as well. The album closes out with the final song, “Paradise,” which begins with ethereal vibes that are unlike other vibes so far on this album. The mood is soon changed with the addition of Farrar’s somberly delivered vocals that are somewhat relaxing. Like 80s new wave or alternative meets beach vibes. The result is a not-so-common sound that listeners may find that they love.
All that being said, Tell Me Your Dream gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. This is relative to all new releases this year, as SWT followers know. There’s something, or most likely at least a few songs, on this album for everyone. The music style is varied and seems to encompass the band’s different eras very well. Arguably their best album in a few releases. Slides well within their discography, probably in the middle. I recommend adding this album to your collection on the format(s) of your choosing.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Tell Me Your Dream will take just over half an hour from start to finish and an hour if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs highlighted in green below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for Tell Me Your Dream (song length)
- Prograde (2:52)
- Other Hells (2:06)
- Madness (3:12)
- Dark Summer (3:55)
- Deep Down Where I Belong (2:30)
- Antenna (2:42)
- Justify (2:46)
- Death Destruction Mayhem (2:59)
- 10 Planets (2:56)
- Paradise (4:56)
Total runtime: 30:54
Want to find out more? Check out merch, tour dates, and more on Ceremony’s website and Bandsintown page; listen to more of their music on Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL, and their Bandcamp page. Connect with them on Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
