Today, Ceremony reveal their new video and album title track, “In the Spirit World Now.” Frontman and lyricist Ross Farrar explains, “The spirit world came about through the reading of Saul Bellow’s ‘Humboldt’s Gift.’ The novel’s fictitious character, Von Humboldt Fleisher, writes a long letter to the protagonist, Charlie Citrine, which announces, ‘We are not natural beings, but supernatural beings.’ I understood it as a moment of praise and ran away with it.”
In the Spirit World Now marks a milestone for the legendary Californian punk outfit who have stayed true to themselves as songwriters throughout massive sonic growth throughout their long, storied career. It’s a collection of their most driving, intelligent songs to date and sees Ceremony take another step into a space they can truly call their own, as one of punk’s most unique and forward-thinking bands.
Produced by Will Yip (Title Fight, Circa Survive, Turnover) and mixed by engineer Ben Greenberg (The Men, Pharmakon, Hank Wood And The Hammerheads), In the Spirit World Now grows with each listen, balancing Yip’s pop sensibilities with Greenberg’s noise-punk influence through dramatic, shining synthesizer hooks and a mature vocal strategy. Drummer Jake Casarotti and bassist Justin Davis power through the 11-tracks as a strong yet sparse backbone that interlocks with guitarists Andy Nelson and Anzaldo to create a pop-centric, post-punk canvas for frontman Ross Farrar to expel the most vulnerable parts of himself.
In the Spirit World Now, out August 23 on Relapse, sees Ceremony at the height of their creative output, as the always-evolving Rohnert Park quintet take various influences from post punk and rock to create one of the summer’s most compelling and infectious records.
