Album Premiere: The Rite – ‘Liturgy of the Black’

Formed in 2017, The Rite brings together three veteran Italians rippers and one Ustumullagam of Denmark, who you may recognized as the vocalist for Denial of God. Together these four musicians portray a kind of black metal long buried by time and trends.

Ustumullagam himself lists The Rite’s “inspirations as . . . Goatlord, (old) Samael, Celtic Frost, Death SS etc.” He goes on to say, “The intention is not to play fast or technical, but to trap the listener with[in] an atmosphere that radiates the dark and the occult. The music was written by A.th and stays very varied with both guitar solos and keyboards yet never leaves its path of slow and heavy black metal.

“The lyrics are written by me and for this album they are rather varied actually and deal with several intriguing things such as pure devil worship and devotion to the dark (“The Black Effigy,” “The Bornless One”), strange rituals (“Necromancy,” “Famadihana”), the afterlife (“Echoes of Past Lives”), etc. We also decided to include a cover of Ripper. I think it fits right in with our own material.”

Liturgy of the Black was recorded in Italy, at Toxic Basement studio, Fall 2019.

“The Rite is an ugly yet sophisticated entity that walks between worlds. It has never been a part of anything you know and it will never become so either,” Ustumullagam says. “Putting this album on your turntable will feel like walking into a damp, old crypt that has not been visited by a living soul in ages. The dust, mold and old bones will be the only company there.”

Liturgy of the Black

Out this Friday on Iron Bonehead, order Liturgy of the Black of the now.