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Ritual — The Story of Mr. Bogd - Part 1
(Karisma KAR280, 2024, CD / LP / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2024-11-08

The Story of Mr. Bogd - Part 1 Cover art

Seventeen years after their last full length album, Swedish prog rockers Ritual released their fifth studio album The Story of Mr. Bogd - Part 1 August 16, 2024. This album is a true progressive rock opera. Each of the ten tracks is a part of the journey that takes the mysterious Mr. Bogd and his coachman Parkhurst through an increasingly wild and dangerous imaginary land and era reminiscent of late 19th Century Europe. A string quartet introduces the listener to the story as “Hasty Departure” opens the album, which then continues with Ritual kicking in with heavy organ, pipes, guitars, bass, and percussion, even at six and a half mintues is just over too soon. The Story of Mr. Bogd is quite an undertaking with intense and powerful progressive rock, musically elaborate and intricate tracks, some odd and even quirky moments, and of course some acoustic folky themes. The album, at its heart, is a story about maintaining your innocence, finding sanity and self esteem, and what one is ready to sacrifice in order to do so. Using electric and electronic instruments, along with acoustic instruments like bouzouki, mandola, whistles, and the Swedish nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle), Ritual forges their unique brand of rock, which at times is reminiscent of Yes. Having said that, I am not certain what I think about the album. The Story of Mr. Bogd is a great listening experience, but nothing really grabs my attention. And I imagine that after multiple listenings there still won’t be any tunes that make me want to sing along, the music is just too complex. So I don’t know where I stand. You should judge this album for yourself.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Ritual

 

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