Words by: Meaghan MacDonald

NYC-based alt-rock glam band The Ritualists has released their sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding. Like most recent music, the record was born during quarantine, with lead vocalist and songwriter Christian Dryden using his free time to write. At ten tracks, Baroque & Bleeding flows nicely, with each track blending into the other. 

Baroque & Bleeding opens with its title track, setting the tone for the rest of the record. Effortlessly combining multiple genres, they fuse together to create an futuristic sound. Dryden’s vocals come through powerfully in a way that keeps you hungry for more. “Baroque & Bleeding” meshes modern sounds with a vintage feel. Dryden spoke on the song saying, “Musically, I like to think of it as the glittery love child of Black Sabbath and Duran Duran.”

Released as a single, “Baroque & Bleeding“ was accompanied by visuals. The video opens with a group of people in a club, panning to Dryden who sits alone, attempting to write in a journal. The mood dims to red as a woman draped in the same color enters the club. The band then appears performing in the club as a figure in all black appears on the screen. The video pans between the performance and the woman, before showing the woman approaching a figure in black, who is revealed to be Dryden. The visuals for the single echo the theme that radiates through the track — a tale of the struggles artists face are only emphasized by the video. 

“Baroque and Bleeding“ fades into the rock-heavy song “Queen of Dolls“ — but a true highlight of the record comes right after that rock break, “Forbidden Love.“ Something straight out of a different decade, the breakdown is noteworthy, with Dryden’s vocals being the true showcase moment. The catchy, 80’s influence is accompanied by deep cutting lyrics, “Laying unafraid of fire and brimstone/A slave to their empty demands.” 

“Everybody is on the Radio,“ holds the same cynicism that “Forbidden Love“’s lyrics have. On the song, Dryden sings “What is a pound of flesh weighed against a pile of gold.” Musically, the song has a similar feel to Tears for Fears, keeping up with the 80’s feeling. 

While classic rock and 80’s influence is heavily felt throughout the record, “Dead Eyes“ pops in as a lighter moment that meets somewhere in the middle of acid rock and The Dave Matthews Band. With Baroque & Bleeding being fueled with such brilliance as a sophomore release, it was almost impossible to pick a true standout track — yet, “Of Anonymity” seems to have made its mark with its intense opening. The chorus is catchy and harmonious, with Dryden’s vocals sounding reminiscent of Bowie — easily making “Dead Eyes” *the* moment of Baroque & Bleeding. 

“Monsters“ meets us nearly in the middle of the record — a lighter, introspective song with a more modern sound. Lined with a dash of Lumineers towards its finish, “Monsters“ ends with a breathtaking string arrangement, showing off the versatility of the band’s sound. Baroque & Bleeding closes out with “Mothman,“ an electronica-laden song with a magnetic chorus. “Mothman” being the final track on the record becomes a bold choice. A choice that ends high with Dryden’s powerful vocals and a smooth guitar solo. 

The Ritualists managed to combine the best parts of 80’s music with modern day sounds to create an enticing, exciting listen. Experimental in all the right ways, Baroque and Bleeding is rewarding with each and every listen.

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