Release Date: July 25th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Rituals of the Collapse - Tracklisting
1.The Inevitability of the Unknown
2.Drifting
3.Ego Depletion
4.Unmarked Grave
5.The Gaping Maw of the Void
6.Season of the Warlock
7.Call the Crows
8.The Blinding Light of Apathy
9.Of Flesh to Faux
10.Mother Scarlet
Members
Vocals: Riki MJ Adams
Drums: Tim Coghlan
Guitar: Karl Grzeszczak
Bass: James Jankovec
Review
Ritual Of The Collapse is the debut album from Progressive Sludge Metallers What We Owe The Dead is heavy and harsh fusion of Doom, Stoner Metal, Grunge, Post-Metal and Psych Metal that has a slight excursion into Avant-Garde territory. The Avant-Garde aspect comes through the different vocal styles and musical interplay the band blend with gritty realism that’s offset against a raw sounding aesthetic that allows their music to be considered highly influenced by the early years of Post-Metal.
There’s moments of bands such as NEUROSIS, MASTODON, HIGH ON FIRE, INDIAN, CAVE IN and GOJIRA that can be felt throughout the album. The sound is quite dirty, seedy and grimy though What We Owe The Dead keeps up with the Post-Metallic landscapes and harsh vocal passages that are the true creative DNA and backdrop of the whole album. The production values are quite stripped back and lack a certain sense of studio polish which gives this record a more thrilling, exciting and vital sound.
What We Owe The Dead have written ten tracks that are quite bone-crushing and devastatingly bleak when the THRASHY guitars fully takes over which is played to intense devastation on the stunning opening tracks of The Inevitability Of The Unknown, Drifting and Ego Depletion. The gloomy and grimy surroundings becomes quite GRUNGE and DOOM based with What We Owe The Dead chewing the 1990’s Rock/Metal scenery they have at their disposal. There’s some added layers of Noise, Drone and Distorted paranoia running amok within the background instrumental sounds and grooves that once again allows the record to be quite left-field at times.
What We Owe The Dead really start to find their true form and grow greater in confidence on tracks such as Unmarked Grave, The Gaping Maw Of The World and Season Of The Warlock with the bombastic vocals of Riki MJ Adams being quite theatrical and allowing him to revel in that sacred role of Lead Singer and frontman of a top-notch Prog Metal band.
The band deserves actual credit and praise for thinking outside of the box with this record as they try different creative themes and musical ideas for an album that never plays it’s safe. The mood can be eccentric, wild and quite vivid but the music is constantly refreshing and holds the listener’s attention throughout.
Rituals Of The Collapse becomes dominated by a Progressive Sludge Metal landscape on the final parts of the record with Of Flesh To Faux and Mother Scarlet that once again leaves a destructive atmosphere within its wake.
I will admit this album did take me a few listens to fully appreciate as What We Owe The Dead never play it safe where they have a fearless attitude especially for their debut album. If you want an outstanding Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal album that’s quite offbeat but always delivers where it matters especially within the RIFFS and GROOVES department then Rituals Of The Collapse is seriously deranged and downright dangerous entertainment from beginning to end.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Links
