Twilight Ritual – 1982-2021 (Album – Wave Records)
Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Minimal-Electro.
Format: Digital, 2CD.
Background/Info: Belgian MatesGeert Coppens and Peter Bonne (aka ‘Chrismar Chayell) started off as Autumn and one year later, in 1982, moved on with Twilight Ritual. The band released several noticeable productions. Chrismar Chayell later became a member of the legendary A Split Second. This album is a retrospective featuring some early songs, and also revealing previously unreleased tracks.
Content: From the very first notes and songs you clearly notice the typical 80s influence. This is ‘pure’ Electro-Wave mixing melodic parts together with darker, atmospheric passages. Harder cuts are carried by solid EBM bass lines. The work also features a few relaxing and somewhat Cinematic parts, which are even evoking Tangerine Dream. The vocals are rather clear.
+ + + : This work is an opportunity to (re)discover an ‘old’ and somewhat forgotten Belgian formation from the 80s. I like the magic of the analogue sound treatments, which are bringing the 80s alive. My favorite song is one originally released on the album “The Factory Scream” (2002). “Black Track” is a solid piece carried by a great EBM-minded bass line. The fans will be also pleased with the box of this album featuring next to both CDs a DVD with 15 songs. And there’s more good news as Twilight Ritual seems to be busy releasing completely new stuff.
– – – : I’ve never been a huge fan of the vocals’ production, which is missing passion and conviction.
Conclusion: Twilight Ritual was an interesting formation, but operating in the shadow of the Belgian great names from the 80s.
Best songs: “Black Track”, “Ums”, “Ups & Downs”, “Surrounded”, “Ever Changes”, “Tears On The Wall”.
Rate: 7.
Listen to “1982-2021”:
Artist: www.micrart.com / www.facebook.com/twilightritual
Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / www.facebook.com/waverecords Read the news on ‘1982-2021’.
About Twilight Ritual
Twilight Ritual is a Belgian electronic duo of Geert Coppens and Peter Bonne. The two had played together since 1977 and co-founded the non-profit organisation The Micrart Group. They ran the early electronic band Autumn from 1980 and started Twilight Ritual as a side project in 1982.
The Spanish label Auxilio De Cientos released their first album in 1985. The duo stopped at the end of that year when both members moved to different cities. Peter Bonne, who also records as Chrismar Chayell, had begun producing music for A Split – Second in 1985 and was part of that band until 1991.
The pair reunited in 1992 and released further albums through the Micrart label, among them “Organic” (1996), “Full Moon” (2000), “Nocturnal Transmissions” (2000), “Painted Wall” (2001), “The Factory Scream” (2002), “Distant Fires” (2009) and “Relectromagnetism” (2012). Frigio Records issued the limited white 10” “Fear For Loosing You” in 2012, and part of their early work was reissued on vinyl in the second half of the 2010s.
The retrospective “1982-2021” was compiled by Wave Records in 2021.
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