Ceremony

In the Spirit World Now

Relapse

Former hardcore band Ceremony are one of the most polarizing bands in the genre — they know it and they don’t care.

The bio for their latest offering mentions “massive sonic growth throughout their long, storied career” and “one of punk’s most unique and forward-thinking bands” but it doesn’t mention that a lot of this record could just as easily be at home on the Stranger Things 3 soundtrack.

In the Spirit World Now is a polished, pop-centric piece of retro synth-punk nostalgia; think New York Dolls glam, 80s New Romantics panache and trashy Sunset Strip rock and roll.

Interspersed with Ginsberg-esque poetic interludes, the album is nothing if not ambitious. Catchy at times, confusing at others — at least it’s not boring.

If 2015’s Joy Division-influenced The L-Shaped Man pushed the post-punk envelope, In The Spirit World Now absolutely demolishes it.

And while there are no shortage of contemporaries, from the energetic B-Boys to Bodega, to the Devo-esque Uranium Club, Ceremony occupy a space all their own.

Sean Orr

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