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Unearthing the Metal Underground: Blackened doom maniacs The Rite

The international outfit The Rite, bridging musicians from Denmark and Italy, is an interesting band in that it isn’t exceptional at any given moment. Yet their captivating nature becomes obvious when analyzed and consumed holistically. While seemingly conventional on the surface, the depth of the band’s black/doom approach becomes apparent once one has listened to the entirety of any of its releases since its inception in 2017. Marching forward with determination, the prolific ensemble is set to release its second long player today.

“The Astral Gloom” boasts 10 songs that are just as well composed as they are eerie and demonic. The intro to a song like “Walpurgis Night,” unfolding like a seance with horror movie-like keyboards and deep melodic vocals that slither forth with a clear sense of unhinged misanthropy, dramatically leads toward classic blackened doom in a way that takes the song to incredibly dark heights that wouldn’t be reached if it wasn’t included. Proving that they aren’t uptight purists afraid of stepping outside of black metal’s traditional boundary lines, The Rite strikes gold with its cover of the psychedelic pop song "Naked When You Come” that originally saw the dark of night in 1966 from The Lollipops. The Rite’s worth and presence within the collective consciousness of the extreme metal public will be known in time. Hopefully they don’t fall through the cracks, because for those who take the time to venture into their unholy blackened doom, the rewards are plentiful.