A newer new wave?

Seeking to build upon a sound that The Ritualists call “Gothic Art Rock,” the band released their third album Too Pure to Cure on April 22nd of this year. Produced by Mario McNulty, who also produced for David Bowie and Prince, the band emphasizes how they are testing the boundaries on this record compared to their past music.

The album opens with “The Wake,” which offers bright synths and vocals reminiscent of Duran Duran. It sets the scene for a new wave vibe throughout the album. “You Know Better” has a solid bass intro that leads to guitars and heavy synths, but the bass remains the star here. “King of Air” slows the album down a bit. The synths remain spacey, and the bass is once again prominent. They start to lean towards a psychedelic sound but bring it back to new wave on the chorus. “1000 Tears” is another slow track where the band incorporates piano and acoustic guitar, which have not been used on the album yet. The title track “Too Pure to Cure” once again allows the bass to stand out, but the lyrics remain lacking. “Every Little Thread” has an engaging introduction that plays around with the synths, and the drums finally start to get interesting here. The bass is once again thriving in “Sweet Despair.” The vocals on this track attempt to show Christian Dryden’s range, but he does not allow himself to push very hard on those vocals, leaving listeners hoping for a bit more. “Erotically Erratic” is the real standout on this album with its fascinating bass intro. The guitar solo on this one is quite fun, but other than that, the bass drives this track while everyone else just walks. “Plastic Crusade” contains a heavy guitar intro, and the track experiments with tempo. The drums finally get to have their moment, but unfortunately, the album is almost over at this point. It closes with “Play the Sparrow,” which focuses on the synths yet again. This is a good track to end the album, but it is more melancholic than the rest of the collection.

Overall, this is a pretty solid album. The Ritualists cling to a new wave sound, but it is hard to see how they are trying to lean towards a “Gothic Art Rock” sound, considering that the album is reminiscent of bands like Duran Duran and Tears for Fears. While the album does work as a whole, most tracks end up sounding similar, and the songs feel repetitive after a while. If the listener is of the older crowd, this album might make them reminisce about their youth. For a younger audience, the album could come off as dated because nothing new or complex is introduced throughout the work.