Dead Rituals is an alternative rock band founded by Andrea Caccese. He has been traveling and writing music with various bands and collaborators over the last fifteen years. His first work was recorded solely by Andrea on a laptop between trips to the US, Australia and around Europe. His second EP comes from a more collaborative experience utilising many instruments, analogue effects, and musician friends.
This extended play opens with `Broken Memories` and it`s a wonderful slice of indie pop. It had elements of drumming that could have come from Joy Division`s `She`s Lost Control` and guitar tinges reminiscent of the Edge from U2. It takes a sideroad two thirds of the way through and closes out with an occasional beating drum and plucked guitar chord. Strange but really compelling. We have a quite mesmerising tranquil offering with `Slow Down` which I felt was almost abstract at times with some surreal sounds. I was reminded of Adam Young`s electronic music project Owl City.
`When the Lights Are Out` is another pop oriented evocative dreamy piece with a reflective spirit and tone. A contribution that was very hypnotic and ethereal. We close out with an alternative take of `Slow Down (Acoustic)` with drum machine, guitar, and synths. A stripped back version that gives a slightly different slant on this spellbinding song.
Again, there was much to enjoy with the tracks tendered on Dead Rituals II.
Andrea seems to have grown in confidence and lyrical ability and these songs have a more electronic edge to last years EP. It`ll be interesting to discover where he will go next.
Rating 9/10
