It's the end of a year (there's another one coming!)

2010 was (and still is) a very pleasant year for us as a band. In March we played in Greece for the first time and then went on a European tour with ILLS from Finland. In summer and autumn we played a whole bunch of single shows. But most important we spent a lot of time working on new songs. This year ends with two killer shows, so make sure you're going to be there:

04.12. Burning Ice Fest, Mönchengladbach
18.12. Pazzo Shows Fest, Hannover

We're still busy finishing the songwriting for our new album. The studio is booked for the end of December and from then on we'll just see how long it's gonna take. We are totally excited about where these new songs are taking us to. It differs a lot from everything we've done before.
The two songs from Kissing Pavement were written during the songwriting process for the album, but they were chosen to be put on that 7", so they'd be deleted from the album. They just wouldn't fit on the album.
It's not that easy to say how this is going to end up, but it's going to be a hardcore record, that's for sure. Nevertheless, there are weird references we've been throwing at each other's heads such as The Doors, Quicksand, Blumfeld, Neu! or Nirvana. There aren't many rock riffs though. The new songs seem like an exploration of the question: Can beauty exist on a hardcore record next to the anger and nihilism? I'm not sure, if we'll be able to answer this question, but then again the unsolved questions are always the most interesting ones.

Meanwhile, I'd like to recommend this fabulous tune:

MySpace keeps digging its own grave

Everytime I log into our band account on myspace.com I get the impression something is even worse than the time before. Now they have launched a new version and it's just getting more awful. So once more here's our demand to follow us on Facebook rather than on MySpace, as we won't log in to that shithole that often anymore.
For urgent cases contact us through philippjwulf@googlemail.com

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Thank you!

Reflections Records on the road

Here's our first tour announcement for 2011: From March 17 till March 27 we'll be hitting the road with the REFLECTIONS RECORDS package. The line-up features NO TURNING BACK, RITUAL, DEAL WITH IT, NEW MORALITY and MIDNIGHT SOULS (on selected dates). Most dates are either already set or comfirmed but if you're interested in booking this package, please get in touch with STRONGER BOOKINGS (strongerbookings@gmail.com).

On another note, we are working really hard on the new album. I'll get back to this in another blog entry very soon.

Between the weekends

Our birthday was a massive blast. Thanks to everyone who came out and made this a special evening. Special thanks go out to our friends in JUST WENT BLACK, SEED OF PAIN and LIGHTHOUSE and even more special thanks to ANCHOR who came all the way from Sweden and fuckin' Norway (true story!) only to play this show. That's what the word "dedicated" was made for, I guess. We love these dudes!

We're happy to finally be able to offer our new 7" at our shows (the limited edition was gone in the blink of an eye, thanks!). Tomorrow we're heading to the East for three shows together with REASON TO CARE and WAY DOWN. We're really excited about it. So come out, see us, say hi, pick up the new 7":

10-29 DE, Braunschweig @ Nexus
10-30 DE, Forst @ Buntes Haus
10-31 DE, Dresden @ Chemiefabrik

LOVE.

This Saturday: Our 5-Year-Anniversary-show

In general we believe that birthdays are quite overrated, but this specific one is very close to our hearts. Our band is now 5 years old. We celebrate this cause with a show in our hometown Recklinghausen on this Saturday. Luckily, our new 7" has arrived at the Reflections Records headquarter today with a massive delay. The pressing plant, for some reason, sent the records to the UK. No one knows what they were supposed to do there. Anyways, they're finally here. So at the show we'll have it for the very first time and we will sell a limited edition of it with an extra cover (limited to 55 pieces). So grab one while stocks last. No reservations or orders at this point.
ANCHOR, JUST WENT BLACK, LIGHTHOUSE and SEED OF PAIN are celebrating with us. It's taking place at AKZ Recklinghausen, König-Ludwig-Straße 50. Entrance is at 18.30. First band starts at 19.15 and it's all done at 23.00. Vegan food is also available, served by the infamous Tofuclub.
Party with us!

Unbroken show this Saturday

We have waited for this day for a long time now: This Saturday we will be supporting UNBROKEN on their only European show in London. UNBROKEN was one of the bands that got us into hardcore and therefore has a special significance in our musical socialisation. Needless to say, we feel privileged to be invited to play this show.

If everything works as planned, we'll be able to pick up our new 7" "Kissing Pavement" at the Reflections headquarter in Tilburg on our way to Calais, so we might be able to sell this piece of vinyl in London for the very first time.

Having played circa 250 shows in the last five years we don't get nervous before shows that easily. This show is different. So if you're there, please support us and make us feel that everything's going to be fine.

Greenest Meadows b/w Kissing Pavement

Today Reflections Records has begun to take preorders for our forthcoming 7" entitled "Kissing Pavement". To save yourself a limited piece of clear vinyl, visit this link to the Reflections e-store.
We have just uploaded both A- and B-side of the single. You can listen to it either on myspace.com/ritualeurope or on soundcloud.com/ritualeurope. The first track is called "Greenest Meadows", that's really nothing but a primitive punk rock song. The second track is called "Kissing Pavement" and it includes some samples that we recorded in the sunny streets of Oldenburg, but probably it's not going to be difficult to find out that this idyllic scene is not real.
We'd appreciate you spreading the word about this and/or telling us your opinion.

This weekend we are heading to Paris for one show and then to Belgium to play at Ziggypop Fest (alongside great bands such as MIDNIGHT SOULS, RISE AND FALL and MILLIONS OF THEM). Go there, if you can. Our two new songs will be presented live for the very first time.

L-U-V,
the Ritual 4

"KISSING PAVEMENT" vinyl-single to be recorded this week

With this post we are happy to reveal the title of our upcoming 7"-single: It's gonna be called "KISSING PAVEMENT" after one of the tracks that we're just about to record. We're going to hit our favourite studio "Tonmeisterei" in Oldenburg this Thursday but with a different producer this time: Robin (of The Now-Denial- & Dean Dirg-fame). We're really excited about the outcome. This 7" is to be released in early August (we hope). We'll keep you posted about this. A new track will be online very soon!

„… geistern wir durch neue Formen“

As you might know we are currently writing songs for another full length record. From the beginning it was self-evident to us to make this new record a document of our development as a band and as persons. At the same time we found that it's really hard to leave behind the musical structures that hardcore has taught us since we're playing together. We already wrote some new tunes that really satisfy us, but getting the album together is still gonna take us some time.
At this point our label Reflections Records asked us to put out a 7" to shorten the wait for the new LP. So with this blog entry I am happy to announce the release of a new 7" this summer. We will record two new songs that are supposed to connect the music from our latest record with the new one. These songs won't appear on the upcoming LP.
We're gonna hit the studio in the beginning of July and hope to have the 7" released in early August just in time for our festival appearances. More news on the title and the artwork of the 7" very soon.

This is where you meet us this summer:

25.06.2010 Germany, Montabaur @ Mach1-Festival w/ SICK OF IT ALL, WIZO, SOULFLY, DEATH BY STEREO, ...
26.06.2010 Germany, Durmersheim @ New Noise Festival w/ NO TURNING BACK, GLASSES, CELESTE, ...
24.07.2010 Germany, Köln @ Essigfabrik w/ CARPATHIAN, MILES AWAY, CRUEL HAND, RUINER, ...
31.07.2010 Belgium, Mol @ Break Out Fest w/ RUINER, CARPATHIAN, NO TURNING BACK, AYS, ...
05.08.2010 Germany, Kiel @ Schaubude w/ ADORNO
06.08.2010 Denmark, Fredericia @ Fredericia Hardcore Festival w/ RUINER, CARPATHIAN, KICKBACK, BITTER END, ...
07.08.2010 Germany, Hannover @ The Rise Fest w/ RUINER, CARPATHIAN, JUST WENT BLACK, GOLDUST, ...
18.09.2010 Belgium, Merksplas @ Ziggypop Fest w/ RISE AND FALL, MIDNIGHT SOULS, MILLIONS OF THEM, ...

Love,
RITUAL

Athens aftermath / Tour prelude

We just came back from a superamazing weekend in Athens. On Friday we played a show there, which was really good. A lot of people, good bands, good energy, good feedback. Thanks to everyone who came. That was a nice welcome!
The rest of the weekend was all about great hangouts and sightseeing. Athens is an impressive city. You should go there, if you've never been there and if you get the chance. We hung out with the guys from RIVALS, who organised the show and also played there. On Saturday Julian recorded some guest vocals for them. The result can be listened to on their myspace.

Anyways, our next tour kicks off this Friday with the Belgium shows. We are really excited about it all. You should definitely check out our tour-buddies ILLS, which is a real good band. Here are the tourdates. Hopefully see you at one of these shows, beloved reader.

26.03.2010 Belgium, Turnhout @ JC Schorvoort
27.03.2010 Belgium, Mechelen @ JC Metteko
28.03.2010 France, Dunkerque @ La Kalvaire
29.03.2010 France, Paris @ Le Klub
30.03.2010 France, Bordeaux @ Heretic Club
31.03.2010 France, Montpellier @ Mojomatic
01.04.2010 Italy, Milano @ SGA
02.04.2010 Switzerland, Schaffhausen @ Fasskeller
03.04.2010 Austria, Salzburg @ Denkmal
04.04.2010 Austria, Wien @ Escape
05.04.2010 Germany, München @ Kafe Kult
06.04.2010 Czech Republic, Prague @ Klub 007
07.04.2010 Germany, Siegen @ Vortex
08.04.2010 Germany, Göttingen @ Juzi
09.04.2010 Germany, Berlin @ Subversiv
10.04.2010 Germany, Bremen @ G18