Ceremony - Solitary Bleed [2025]

Artist: Ceremony

Album: Solitary Bleed
Year: 2025
Genre: Death Metal
Web: https://youtu.be/GQz0oDcSx6U / https://www.facebook.com/ceremonynetherlands#
Country: Netherlands
Quality: 320 Kbps

Tracklist:
1. Via Dolorosa  

2. Only Our Blood  

3. Bull of Phalaris  

4. Solitary Bleed  

5. Embrace Inferno  

6. Rites of Sacrifice  

7. The Poison Cup 

8. Pestis Bacteria  

9. Ludicium Mortis  

10. Stoning Commenced  

11. Bull of Phalaris (Orchestral Version)

Witness: -[*]-
Solitary Bleed is the new album from the Dutch band Ceremony, and I really like it. This is a departure from the straightforward death metal of their previous work, and I'm sure death metal purists would not like all of the un-death metal accoutrements they have incorporated here, such as clean female vocals, synth & piano, and orchestral arrangements. However, in my opinion, they are well placed and only add to make the dominant traditional death metal parts that much heavier. Another cool aspect of the album is the concept, with each song delving into an infamous method of execution used throughout the history of our kind. 

Ceremony - Retribution [2019]

Artist: Ceremony

Album: Retribution
Year: 2019
Genre: Death Metal
Web: https://youtu.be/o7rrgL6hs5A / https://ceremonythenetherlands.bandcamp.com/
Country: Netherlands
Quality: 320 Kbps

Tracklist:
1. Retribution  

2. Influential  

3. In a Dark Time  

4. Erilaz  

5. Divinatory Rites  

6. Imperfect Perfection  

7. Mystery of Mysteries  

8. Tortured Souls

Witness: -[*]-
Ceremony is a somewhat obscure band, at least to me, because they formed in 1989 and their total output from '89 to 2018 was 2 demos, 1 EP, and a full-length in 1993. I didn't become aware of them until 2019 with this release, and I have to admit that I haven't listened to this a lot over the past 6 years but it is a good album and worthy of attention.