Formed in late 2013 in Helsinki, the four-piece post-punk outfit Ceremonials may still be a name better known in their native Finland, but with the release of their three-track 'Arabia' EP, that could change.
Although the EP, the group's first recorded output, first appeared in 2014, they now seem to be going for a re-release as of March 13 this year. Spanning a fairly lengthy 14 minutes-plus - which for just three songs indicates they are not ones for brevity - their instrumentation and vocal delivery, as well as the dark quality of their material, recalls most notably elements of Joy Division, amidst a post-punk/shoegaze fusion.
Reverb-filled opener 'Drop Dead' starts with echoey guitar notes before building its pace on a fierce drum beat, relentless rhythm and the punkish, somewhat detached vocals of frontman Niklas.
The character of Joy Division is a prominent feature on 'Run', also perhaps the most engaging of the three tracks, with a smooth flowing guitar and heavy bass punctuation and the repeated "it could be the last time" repeated coda.
The title track is the rather unsettling closer, offering a more psych touch, slowly building with propulsive bass and edgy drums and the spoken style of vocal.
Although Ceremonials have to date played only in Finland, they are planning to venture further afield during 2015, so maybe worth the effort to keep watch for the name.
Ceremonials are: Niklas (vocals/guitar), Santtu (lead guitar), Juuso (bass), Evgeniy (drums).
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