Ritual Cross Ritual Cross cassette
This tape absolutely smokes. I’ve been jamming this sucker non-stop since it appeared in my review stack. Off-kilter weirdo punk that will keep you guessing, but doesn’t stab too far out and lose the thread. Something about this band feels unsettling and dangerous like VOID, but a little more angular and studious. The fourth cut, “Simulations,” takes a brief melodic turn that reminds me of Give Thanks-era ARTICLES OF FAITH, but don’t let these references to the classics trick you into thinking RITUAL CROSS is on some kind of a nostalgia trip. To me, this picks up where the CICADA EP from last year left off. An explosive debut from a band to keep an eye out for.