Have you ever desired to submerge yourself in an unsettling world of discordant noise completely, one that evokes the haunting vibes of NIN, Ministry, and the eerie whispers of ghosts emanating from an old, static-filled radio? In that case, you are in for a treat.
From the very beginning, The Pop Ritual has been a band unafraid to push the boundaries of music and explore the complexities of the human condition. Their unique blend of industrial, psyche, and punk has captured the attention of listeners, and their latest project promises to take their exploration to a whole new level. The Columns is a concept album trilogy featuring textural soundscapes with deep valleys and high peaks filled with sonic lusts, aural fascinations, and dreams of vast wastelands; delving into the idea of an ancient metaphysical structure that is holding up a decaying temple that can no longer provide shelter for humanity.
Included in the first chapter of The Columns trilogy, “Pandemic Dance” shows The Pop Ritual clinging tighter to the genre of “industrial psyche-punk.” Songwriter/vocalist Colin Wilson states, “‘Pandemic Dance’ drops our audio acolytes into the middle of a future media war fought in cyberspace; where social influencers and giant media corps wage war against the minds of humanity with nonstop info streams wirelessly broadcasting into their victims’ cerebral micro-antennae. Like puppets on strings, humanity is forced to dance to the hypnotic rhythm of Absolute Death—a death of the infinite mind where there is no longer Will-of-the-Self and the flesh becomes an anchor to accession.”
The self-produced video for “Pandemic Dance” depicts a Through the Looking-Glass narrative—a psychedelic nightmare involving feral beings and dark unknowns. When outlining the video, guitarist Scott Nivens says, “It was impossible to ignore the track’s lyrics regarding political panic and humanity’s naturally aggressive tendencies. It demanded a story of ‘Fear & Fantasy’ inspired by highly saturated horror films and the lores of ancient fables.” The Pandora’s box is pried open, unleashing a montage of unsettling images, paranoia, fear and blood-red lighting.
Watch the video for “Pandemic Dance” below:
The Pop Ritual is a cataclysmic band whose current form is Colin Wilson, Scott Nivens, and Michelle Karl. Formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 2014, the band creates a unique blend of industrial and psyche-pop sounds. Their first demo, Weak Species, released in 2015, was a bold statement of intent that showcased the band’s ability to craft dark, moody music that was both visceral and emotionally charged.
In 2017, they released their first full-length album, Perinde ac Cadaver. The album was a 50-minute journey that explored the themes of industrial aggression and ambient dynamics, demonstrating the band’s ability to weave together disparate sounds and textures into a cohesive whole.
In tandem with the staggered release of The Columns, The Pop Ritual will be playing the following shows:
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