Ritual Mess - Vile Art (Clean Plate) (2014)

Listen to Vile Art via Bandcamp.

Orchid was an incredible American hardcore band. They were equally as intense as they were engaging. They sounded like Crossed Out covering "O Fortuna." Going back and listening to hardcore from the late 90's/early 00's can be an embarrassment inducing exercise in regrettable nostalgia. The same cannot be said in regards to Orchid. Not only do they standup but they still sound better than everything else. In 2014 we have Ritual Mess, who are the next best thing.

Ritual Mess has the singer, guitarist and bassist from Orchid. Instead of just rehashing their successful sound they have taken a step back, revisiting the early 90's sound of San Diego/Gravity Records. With Vile Art it's very obvious that these guys listened to Swing Kids and Antioch Arrow. Fast, frantic fervor. It's all there. And it's fucking great. Gone are the pretentious lyrics. There's no "...And The Cat Turned To Smoke." The record cover doesn't have a skeleton or a flying cat on it. That was then, but Ritual Mess is now. They haven't slowed down, they haven't given up.

While there are no plans to tour, a show is only one night. Vile Art is an album that we'll be listening to days and nights on end. Band reunions suck and Ritual Mess shows us how to properly return to a past sound.

-Z