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Sep 03, 2019 Web Exclusive By Dom Gourlay

Californian punks Ceremony have always prided themselves as being distinctive and standing out from the crowd. Not in an outlandish or boorish way, but more by the diverse nature of their influences.

Not that Ceremony aren’t averse to reinventing the wheel every now and then. Indeed, ever since breakthrough album Still Nothing Moves You introduced them to a wider audience just over a decade ago, they’ve continued to venture into new territories. Adding more ideas and styles to their already overflowing melting pot.

So, while a new Ceremony album will always be welcomed with open arms, In the Spirit World Now feels more like business as usual rather than another giant leap for mankind. A concept record of sorts in that its 13 pieces—split between 10 traditional songs punctuated by three spoken word interludes—follows a narrative which makes it easy to digest either by part or as a whole.

Fusing elementary post-punk with a radio friendly pop sheen, In the Spirit World Now represents Ceremony’s most accessible collection of songs to date. Which, depending where you sit on the Richter scale of hardcore to post-punk will undoubtedly divide segments of the band’s fanbase.

Nevertheless, what isn’t in dispute are Ross Farrar’s distinguished vocals, which rise to the fore on standout moments “Further I Was” and “Calming Water.” (www.ceremonyhc.com)

Author rating: 6.5/10