Summer Tour 2009

Dear Italy

On Saturday we're playing Feel Their Pain Fest in La Spezia. The promoters Riccardo and Andrea asked us to play one specific coversong... So this will be a rare occasion to hear this one live.

You won't be my guiding light in this world gone mad. I don't need any fairy tales to lean on. You manipulate the mind that still has to learn, replace thoughts with bullshit. Deception burns. You present yourself as caring but I can see right through. Slavery and mind control is all you quest for. I won't fall. You won't be my guiding light in this world gone mad. I don't need any fairy tales to lean on. You manipulate the mind that still has to learn, replace their thoughts with bullshit. Deception burns. I won't fall. I won't fall into your group in need of something to hold, I've got my mind and its thoughts are only mine. I need no religion to prove I exist, only room for my mind to learn what's right. Not no factitious male being, not no sexist book of lies. Not no factitious male being, not no sexist book of lies. I never needed a crutch to make me strong or to hold on to my own beliefs. And I'd never turn to suck a fucking lie, I'd never be that weak. Never. I won't fall.

May/June 2009 = Regeneration

It seems I'm beginning to neglect this blog. So what's going on with us? May and June are two lazy months it seems. Well, not really since everyone has to deal with his studies or work and since we are using this time for some other musical activities. Here's what's coming next:

The beginning of July will see us doing a short trip through Europe with our friends in LIGHTHOUSE from Augsburg. If you're not familiar with these lads, check them out at myspace.com/lighthousepunk. We'll be playing Prague together with PARKWAY DRIVE, then we're in Graz to play with KID POETRY and REWRITTEN and then we're in La Spezia, Italy to play at Feel Their Pain Fest. We are very happy to be able to support this animal rights benefit festival, since this is a matter that all of us attach a great importance to. Apart from that, there are a lot of other cool bands playing there, in particular GRAF ORLOCK and GHOSTLIMB.

At the end of July our tour with CARPATHIAN and ANCHOR kicks off.
Here are all the dates:

02.07.09 Czech Republic, Prague @ Futurum †
03.07.09 Austria, Graz @ Café Prost †
04.07.09 Italy, La Spezia @ Feel Their Pain Fest †
05.07.09 Germany, Wangen @ Juze Tonne †
24.07.09 Belgium, Maasmechelen @ Moshvalley Fest ♥
25.07.09 Germany, Köln @ Allschools Birthday Bash ♥
26.07.09 Netherlands, Arnhein @ The Stage ♥
27.07.09 France, Toulouse @ Le Saint des Seins ♥
28.07.09 Italy, Bologna @ Lazzaretto ♥
29.07.09 Italy, Lucinico (Gorizia) @ Pieffe Factory ♥
30.07.09 Austria, Salzburg @ Rockhouse Bar ♥
31.07.09 Germany, Braunschweig @ B58 ♥
01.08.09 Sweden, Stockholm @ Antifest ♥
02.08.09 Germany, Bielefeld @ AJZ ♥
03.08.09 Germany, Gotha @ The Londoner ♥
04.08.09 Germany, Berlin @ Cassiopeia ♥
05.08.09 Germany, Sulzbach-Rosenberg @ Juz Hängematte ♥
06.08.09 Germany, Wiesbaden @ Schlachthof ♥
07.08.09 Belgium, Knokke-Heist @ Sunrock ♥
08.08.09 Germany, Leisnig @ Sucks'n'Summer ♥
09.08.09 Germany, Kassel @ K19 ♥
10.08.09 UK, Southampton @ Hamptons *
11.08.09 UK, Birmingham @ The Swinging Sporran *
12.08.09 UK, Leeds @ Joseph's Well *
13.08.09 UK, Glasgow @ Ivory Blacks *
14.08.09 UK, Reading @ Face Bar *
15.08.09 UK, Peterborough @ The Park *
16.08.09 UK, London @ Underworld *

† w/ LIGHTHOUSE
♥ w/ CARPATHIAN & ANCHOR
* only CARPATHIAN

After this tour we will slow down a bit. An Ireland trip is planned for some time in autumn and a few weekend shows, as well. But most booking requests will not be accepted, because we slowly want to start writing new songs then. But now is not the time to think about those things.

Have a good time and take care of yourself.

Post-tour depression falls off.

Tour was amazing. We are doing fine.

This weekend we will play at the Rockfest in Schaffen, Belgium and then the weekend after that we play in Jena, Germany. Bang your heads!

European Tour 2009 pt. I

Are we gonna meet?

27.03. Germany, Recklinghausen @ AKZ – Record-Release-Party!
28.03. Denmark, Fredericia @ Ungdommens Hus
29.03. Germany, Neubrandenburg @ AJZ
30.03. Germany, Berlin @ Cassiopeia
31.03. Germany, Leipzig @ Schuppen
01.04. Austria, Wien @ Arena
02.04. Germany, Berchtesgaden @ Kuckucksnest
03.04. Italy, Vicenza @ Sabotage Bar
04.04. Austria, Höchst @ Juz Chillout
05.04. Switzerland, Luzern @ Gewerbehalle
06.04. Germany, Mannheim @ Juz
07.04. Belgium, Kortrijk @ JH De Slekke
08.04. UK, Norwich @ The Marquee
09.04. UK, Leeds @ Joseph's Well
10.04. UK, Birmingham @ Eddie's Rock Club
11.04. UK, Chatham @ RAFA
12.04. Germany, Ibbenbüren @ Scheune

Can't wait to go!

Record-Release-Party!

All right, our record-release-party is getting closer and closer. Time to write some words on that. To us, this is a very special show! For longer than two years we toured through Europe only with our Wolves 7". On March 27th we will finally have our full length album and play our new songs for the very first time. Needless to say, we are excited about the reactions on our new songs.
Now that I am living with our new record for quite a while, I guess I can say I am truly happy with it and I think we produced that specific record that we wanted to produce. Of course, this doesn't mean we couldn't have done any better, but I guess imperfections have always been a part of this band.
For those who collect vinyl we will have a record-release-show-edition of our new LP with silver spray-paint on the cover limited to – well, I don't know, yet. I've also found a box with a handful of our Precious Times LP. So for those who don't own this historical document of Ritual in early 2006, be quick and get this record on March 27th for only 5 Euros. And if that wasn't enough, I've found even less LPs of the sampler Hardcore Breakout BRD, which contains a previously unreleased remastered version of our smash-hit Saints. We will sell these last pieces for 5 Euros, as well.
Right after the release-show we'll be touring through Europe with our new album. This is also the first tour with our new line-up. Can't wait for that. Maybe I'll post some tour impressions on this blog.

See you soon.

Preorders are up now!

You can preorder our new record on both formats gatefold-LP and digipak-CD at the Reflections e-store. Be aware that this is a preorder. It will ship in the first week of March, so you'll be the first to hold the record in your hands.

Preorder BENEATH AGING FLESH AND BONE gatefold LP on limited coloured vinyl – click here!
Preorder BENEATH AGING FLESH AND BONE as a deluxe digipack CD – click here!

Two new songs online

We've just uploaded two new songs from our forthcoming full length record entitled "Beneath Aging Flesh and Bone": "Somewhere in the Rain" and "The City Lies in Quiet Sleep". Go and listen to these songs on our myspace-page:

myspace.com/ritualeurope

Preorders start tomorrow! We'll keep you updated.

New band member

For personal reasons we are parting ways with our bass player Kevin Scharf, a longtime friend and founding member of Ritual. We want to thank him for the incredibly good times we shared. We sincerely hope to remain friends and wish him all the best for his future from the bottom of our hearts.

Pascal Wagner, who has played with us since October 2008 as a fill-in bass player, is now a fulltime member of Ritual. We are friends with him since forever and have already had some other musical projects with him, so it was just a logical step to make him a member of this band. He's not only a very talented musician, but also a lovely person with an appropriate attitude. Meet him & love him!

2009 will be a very busy year for Ritual. I heard someone say that this will be the best year in our lives (I guess that someone was me). We have a new record and some tours coming up. No doubt, we are maximum siked. And most important: Ritual is still based on the deepest of friendships.

Ritual 2009

Julian, Deni, Pascal & Philipp.

The current state of things

We've just been added to the Reflections Records homepage, including the cover of our new record and the tracklist. From now on our upcoming shows will also be posted there. Take a look at it: reflectionsrecords.com

Two new songs will be posted on our myspace in the first week of February. At the very same time preorders will start at the Reflections online shop: shop.reflectionsrecords.com

Tourdates of our tour in March/April will be posted in the coming days. We're waiting for the last confirmations of the UK shows and then we're ready to go!

The last shows before the tour are these:
01/09 - Oschersleben, DE @ Alge
01/10 - Lichtenstein, DE @ JZ Riot
01/17 - Wunstorf, DE @ Empty Vision Farewell-Show

Recognize: Our smash hits "Where the Snakes Hide" and "Take Heart, Stay Punk" will be played for the very last times on these shows. Sing along.