Fredericton based band Cellarghost have just released their follow up to their 2016 album In The Whiteout. This EP, entitled Ritual explores patterns of intimacy, inner conflict, and anxiety using a sort of dark over-exaggeration. The five tracks on this EP take you through the struggles that occur in life and they do it in a melodic and soothing way.
The first track on the EP called “Ritual” opens with a bright guitar sound. The lyrics come in and it completely sets the scene for the rest of the EP. This song strongly deals with inner conflict. The chorus of the song speaks for itself. The song ends in a much darker way than it begins, and really prepares you for what’s to come. The following track “Hotel” deals with intimacy and and anxiety. My favourite part of the song is the repeated lyric “There’s so much more here”. The third track, “No Dawn,” is a beautiful song that deals with issues of intimacy and struggles of life. “Love after love, I sing rituals”.
The first single to be released was Mothic. All the preceding songs were just building up to this one. The eerie opening sounds followed by the dark guitar riff really pull you into the song. This song is very centered around inner conflicts and questioning life itself. The lead guitar on this track is a perfect contrast to the rhythm guitar, the lead playing a brighter progression with the rhythm still playing the dark chords. When you listen to this song you’ll feel something; right near the end a cello comes in and you think to yourself “This is what I’ve been needing”.
The final track, the second single to be released, is entitled “Burial.” After the dark overtones of “Mothic” this song is a perfect follow up. The song opens with just bass and drums before the guitars. This songs deals with the inner conflict of anxiety. The vocals begin softly and build as he feels stronger and more in control of what he is feeling. This track is a perfect close to the EP, finishing off with the contemplation of all of life with the lyrics “I need a tether to keep me here / In orbit / On this strange, strange rock.”
Cellarghost have done the unthinkable with this EP, bringing together intimacy, inner conflict, and anxiety.
Cellarghost shows that are coming up are:
February 28th in Saint John at Taco Pica
March 3rd in Sackville at Thunder & Lightning
March 4th in Fredericton at Read’s
