03 November 2023 - 0 Comments

Taranaki three-piece Infinity Ritual follow their Top 20 debut self-titled EP with the emphatic II, which is out today digitally, on CD, and vinyl. It's the first marble-patterned vinyl made by Stebbing since the founding of the Stebbing Recording Studios in 1970.

Listen Here and Here

Also released today via Three Sisters Brewery, just in time for the weekend, is a new Infinity Ritual beer, 'Stones', aptly named after the almost 19-minute long song which closes the EP.

The reviews of II are already rolling in, and to say they are positive is something of an understatement.

"The New Plymouth-based stoner groove metal group has put on quite the show for us here. Their new EP II is an experiment...a show of catchy 'metallised' Arctic Monkeys' riffs bootstrapped with addictive grooves and an ever-changing atmosphere, which is definitely at the pinnacle of underground music in NZ." - Liam Davis, Muzic.net.nz

"2022’s Infinity Ritual was such a strong EP. It came out of nowhere and really made a mark...Infinity Ritual continue to impress...it’s hideously enjoyable and engaging, and if this is merely an EP, I cannot wait to hear what they bring to an actual album of material. Very highly recommended." - Wonderbox Metal

"Listening to this EP has awakened something inside me (without sounding twee). It reminded me why I truly connected with heavy music in my mid-late teens even before I started writing about it online. There aren’t many bands that can genuinely do that! Infinity Ritual haven’t just released another record destined for the ether, they’ve released something special." - This Noise Is Ours

Infinity Ritual II features the lead single Earthdriver, which began as two different riff-heavy songs which eventually merged to create one monster. Starting with drums alone, with no click track or guide instruments, Rhythm Ace's studio maestro Sam Johnson had to wait for the layers to be added over subsequent sessions to discover what the song was going to become.

'II' showcases Adam Colless' distinctive voice at the forefront on Earthdriver and Deceivers, with Jason Karam's vocal growl bursting through on Succession and Stones.

The whole second side of the vinyl EP is taken up with the epic 18 minute 50 second track Stones, a work the band are particularly proud of. It's a journey in itself, so when you get the chance, put your headphones on in a dark room and enjoy the ride.

As Liam Davis of Muzic.net.nz says, "The closer track 'Stones' definitely embodies the EP as a whole. While it is over 18 minutes long with several sections, plus key and time signature changes - I could not bring myself to stop listening."

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