Rise of the Fallen

Here we have the band Ritual Torture, from California (San Diego, I believe...) and their debut demo. Originally released on CDr by the band themselves, the copy that I have was purchased from Dark Descent Records, and is the cassette tape released by Blood Harvest's tape imprint, Zombie Ritual.

The tape comes with a full J-card, with only 2 extra panels besides the cover and spine parts. I'm a little disappointed by this, because the reverse side is completely blank... its just white. Everything is printed in black and white, so you'd think they could have at least done some more artwork, or printed the lyrics on the reverse side. Also frustrating is the lack of a band contact; it gives you their website, but that URL doesn't exist anymore. The only other contact is the Zombie Ritual address. Anyway, on to the music...

This demo begins with an exceptionally awesome intro track, with orchestration setting up an insidiously ominous anticipatory vibe that flows perfectly into the drum-roll intro to the first track proper, "Black Blood of the Earth". This intro is sick, though.... with the china cymbal hits over the sustained guitar chords. Its so EVIL!!!

"Black Blood of the Earth" comes in with full blasting, after a quick snare drum roll intro fill. The music is quick, and the drummer is all over the kit, before the band downshifts into a double bass groove with a deep growl. The music kicks up a notch for the first verse in a very well-thought-out arrangement. From here on, the verses wind their way back up into the intro blast beat riff. Some classic '88-'92 era death metal riffing orchestration comes in, sounding exactly like what you would expect to hear from something Earache released in 1989 or 1990. Lots of sick riffs that remind of "The Ultimate Incantation" and "Altars of Madness" ensue, something that I welcome whole-heartedly. Throughout the song, the band moves seamlessly through thrashy, So-Cal riffs and deep Floridian swamp death metal; fucking awesome. I love it when the first solo comes in, because the guitar riff underneith it is just so chugging and groovingly awesome. This is headbang heaven!!!

The guitar solos on this song are very very melodic, though, but with a uniquely individual vibe. I tried coming up with a comparison, but nothing comes to mind.... unless maybe you can imagine like, Chuck Shuldiner or Erik Rutan's soloing style, but played in the context of the first Vader or Malevolent Creation albums. Either way, they fit the music perfectly and just propel the songs up into the stratosphere, giving the music a palpable vibe and atmosphere, which is so crucial and important to achieving success as a band. Anybody can make music and put out a record, but to be able to write songs that have feeling and vibe and an organic atmosphere is something else. Ritual Torture is able to actually make you FEEL stuff when you listen to them.


"Necromancer" kicks up next, in a somewhat more straight ahead thrashy style, sorta Slayer-ish. A very long scream initiates the beginning of the meat of the song, which sets up a VERY cool section with some expertly crafted and executed stop/start song-writing. This is fucking cool. Very catchy and clever. The first verse comes in, and the vocals make me think of a cross between SBG-era Chuck and Peter on Vader's debut. Blastbeats are abundant on this song, but its cool because the guitar riffs are more traditional thrash-based, so it gives the music a very unique open-ness and breadth, sort of like the blastbeat parts on stuff from Morbid Angel's "Blessed Are The Sick" where the guitars are playing riffs that you wouldn't normally put a blastbeat over.


"Spawned From Pestilence" opens with a melodically clever little intro fill before blasting into melodic, harmonized territory, somewhat akin to Necrophobic perhaps? I love the first verse break, where the band stops, and the lyrics "On black.... wings I ride!!!" come in. Very cool, and very crafty song-writing. This song showcases the drummer's double-bass abilities very clearly, as the break between verses is totally freaked out with fast feet underneith some simpler sticking patterns. The guitar solos in this song are very melodic also, with a big Gothenburg tint, but then come back later with some VERY fucking cool, twisted Azagthothian whammy bar shriekings. More blastbeats over thrash riffs work their way into the end of the song, and I'm noticing now how much this band really does blast-beat. You don't notice it, or immediately think of it, because the guitar riffs are very thrash-based, and it gives the music a very open feeling; you aren't bludgeoned over the head with Suffocation riffs that are MEANT for blastbeats.

Vader's "Viscious Circle" is up next, and this could possibly the hallmark of Ritual Torture's sound. Vader's debut album "The Ultimate Incantation" is the best approximation for the band's material, and this song fits in PERFECTLY. Whoever did vocals on this track is awesome, as they have a deeper, darker death growl than the other vocalist, who has a more mid-range thrashy, almost hardcore-ish accent. This track, though, is performed fucking perfectly; the guitar solos are spot-on, and I fucking love it. The whammy bar techniques are fucking nailed, and it really is impressive and enjoyable to listen to. I wish I could see them doing this!!!

Lastly, we have the title track, "Rise of the Fallen". This song starts with a clever little melodic riff over a 6/8 ride cymbal pattern, cleverly disguising the triplet phrasing of the time signature. This song features more of the deep death growls that showed up in the Vader cover, and it really fits the band well, I think. It allows for a more sinister vibe, and somehow it makes the crazy guitar solo antics of this song more effective and ominous. Especially when they come in for the tapping guitar solo late in this song (I wish I had timings...). This shit is just fucking awesome.


All in all, this demo is fucking fantastic, and worth your investment ten-fold. I'm actually listening to the whole thing again right now... its just so catchy and memorable, it makes you want to listen to it again. The riffs are evil and twisted, the song-writing is incredibly mature and evolved for being a demo, and the sound of the tape is fantastic.

The mix is perfect, exactly what this music needs. If you imagine sort of like a slightly lower fidelity version of "Altars of Madness" then you'll have a perfect idea of the production of this demo. The instruments are are very clear and audible, and all fit together perfectly. The only flaw would be the kick drum, which, as a result of being NOT triggered, is somewhat harder to hear. It's there, but you have to strain a little bit to pick it out. But really, that minor detriment does nothing to hinder the power of this music. Even the bass guitar is present! Its buried under the cacophony of the music most of the time, but during the opening of "Rise of the Fallen" it is clearly heard without extra effort.

Seriously, this may be one of the best cassette demos released since Vader's historic "Morbid Reich" and "Necrolust" demos, which is ironic, because this band is hugely influenced by Vader's early material. I find it refreshing though, because although the influences are clearly noticed, Ritual Torture is able to create a musical identity that is wholly their own. There is no other band who they actually sound like or who sounds like them.

I can't wait to hear their next release. These guys play live A LOT, so if you live in California, or near there, I suggest you go see them, because if their videos are anything to go by, these guys must be a powerhouse live.

I hope this review has been helpful; this material is truly awesome. For $5 from many different distros, this is an investment that pays for itself after the first listen.