Perfection is rare. I would go so far as to say that perfection, in the very truest sense of the word, is impossible. Not just impossible, but also completely subjective on like 17.5 different levels. And it’s not even regular I-can’t-wrap-my-mind-around-it impossible. It’s also mathematically and scientifically impossible. However, because I’ve never really trusted math, science, or other people’s opinions, I’m not bound by their stupid laws of nature, or whatever. I can say, with conviction, that Ceremony’s Disappear is as close to perfect as I would ever dare call a record.

Seriously. It’s kind of a big deal.

I mentioned Ceremony briefly in my recent review of A Place to Bury Strangers, since the combined members of APTBS and Ceremony were once a band called Skywave, who were un-fucking-believable. When the members split and formed the two new bands, I was understandably excited because, you know, that would double my pleasure. Always a good thing.

And I was right. I was very pleased with APTBS’s recent self-titled release, which was incredibly solid. A few weeks later, the Ceremony record was released and also lived up to the high expectations I had for it, then exceeded said heighth by trekking into remote parts of outer space and orbiting distant moons and shit. It was light years past my already super high expectations, is what I’m saying.

The band is typically considered “shoegaze,” and certainly those elements are there, but the many other styles and atmospheres this band weaves into one cohesive album pretty much defy classification for me. Ceremony picks up where all of my old idols left off, somewhere in the mess of dark noise and electro; it’s music that could make you sulk or dance, or both simultaneously (a preferable combination). With the band’s unapologetically gloomy lyrics set to super amplified drum machines, black synth lines, and guitars turned up to 10, it’s the most fun you’ll ever have feeling sorry for yourself.

It’s impossible not to point out the band’s obvious influences, somewhere in the range of bands like the Cure, New Order, Love and Rockets, Sisters of Mercy, Chameleons, Gene Loves Jezebel and other similar mopey groups from a bygone era. You know, the bands that had the sense to turn up the synth AND the guitar and let the drum machine do it’s dark, dirty work. Those bands. Mix these elements with both Paul Baker’s and John Fedowitz’s (Ceremony has only two members; they share vocal duties) detached, my-heart-has been-broken-27-times vocals and you’ve got yourself one hell of a dark pop group.

Skywave’s residue is scant; perhaps the track “Heard You Call My Name” is the closest Ceremony gets to referencing them at all. Ceremony take a decidedly more electro route, but even still, they never truly leave their fuzzed out shoegaze sound behind either. “Never Love Again” has plenty of that warm My Bloody Valentine fuzz, but Baker’s and Fedowitz’s cold vocals take the song to a very different place. “Nothing Inside” is a straight up electropop track, but again, the song is anchored into a dark place with the band members’ voices and lyrics. The excellent “Cold Cold Night” is so reminiscent of Power, Corruption and Lies-era New Order that it makes me want to pull out that timeless record and spin it right now. I could go on, but do I really need to say more?

Ceremony’s music is a superb hybrid of dark noisy pop, shoegaze, and electro; the result is a sound both unique and nostalgic. The year isn’t quite over yet, but I can say without a doubt that this is my top release of the year.

Release date: October 15th, 2007
Label: Safranin Sound And Design Records

Rating: 9.6/10

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