PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT

It’s been 17 long years since RITUAL released their last album, but finally  there’s a new one on the way.  It will be here on the 16 August 2024 to be precise, which is when Karisma Records will release “The Story of Mr. Bogd – Part 1”, the long-awaited sixth full-length album from the legendary Swedish Prog Rockers.  

And fans need wait no longer to find out what the album has in store for them because Karisma Records have released  the track “Chichikov Bogd”.

Here is what the band had to say about it:

What is Chichikov Bogd? Well, that’s the name of the protagonist in Ritual’s upcoming musical epic “The Story of Mr. Bogd, part 1”. It is also the name of one of the songs on the album, and tells a bit about the main character’s background. The song was previously released on the 2020 EP “Glimpses”  but here it comes in a thunderous, remixed and remastered single version. Mr. Bogd has arrived!

” Chichikov Bogd” can be streamed or downloaded from a number of services at

https://orcd.co/chichikovbogd

With  “The Story of Mr. Bogd – Part 1” RITUAL has created a blissful blend of road movie, classic fairytale, buddy movie and adventure epic, set in an imaginary land and era reminiscent of late 19th century Europe. All delivered with music that covers a large amount of stylistic ground, ranging from intense and powerful rock, to musically elaborate and intricate tracks, along with some odd and even quirky moments, and of course some acoustic, folky songs.

Tracklisting on “The Story of Mr. Bogd – Part 1”, which features artwork by Javier “Canelita” Herbozo,  is as follows:

01. A Hasty Departure
02. The Inn of the Haunted Owl
03. Dreams in a Brougham
04. Chichikov Bogd
05. Mr. Tilly and his Gang
06. Through a Rural Landscape
07. The Feline Companion
08. Read all about it!
09. Forgotten Qualities
10. The Three Heads of the Well

No strangers to the art of the “concept” album, indeed they have often been inspired by Tove Jansson’s novels about the Moomins,  RITUAL’s new album forms the first part of the story of Mr Bogd, the oddly named protagonist who, as an established member of society and an affluent individual, realises that the life he is living is deeply unsatisfactory.   The result of this revelation is that our Mr. Bogd suffers a mid-life crisis so deep that he sees no other alternative than to leave his job and his comfortable urban lifestyle. 

It is an act of pure desperation – a decision taken without having any clear idea of what it is he is actually looking for. He therefore frequently falls prey to moments of doubt, yet, deep inside of him, there are insistent memories and strong sensations that constantly drive him forward on a journey that, together with coachman Parkhurst, leads Mr. Bogd through an increasingly wild, imaginative and dangerous environment.

In short, it’s a story about forsaking what we know, what is safe, and what is all mapped out, in favour of an ideal of what constitutes the natural world. That distant, unlit, unknown, destination, whilst at the same time exploring why anyone would want to do such a thing. At its  heart it is a story about maintaining your innocence, and finding sanity and self- esteem, and what one is ready to give up in order to do so.

“The Story of Mr. Bogd – Part 1” will be released in CD, Digital and Limited Edition Transparent Violet Vinyl LP formats, and is now available to pre-order from:

Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no/shop
US Webshop: https://karismarecords.indiemerch.com/pre-orders
Bandcamp: https://ritualsweden.bandcamp.com/album/the-story-of-mr-bogd-part-1

When they formed in 1993, RITUAL immediately established a distinct progressive style that is very much their own.  Influenced by the progressive rock and hardrock of the ‘70s, as well as contemporary bands, RITUAL’s sound has always been song-based, melodic and intense, with a great stylistic variation, and plenty of folk music influences seeping in. The latter feature is not least due to the band’s frequent use of acoustic instruments like bouzouki, mandola, whistles and the Swedish nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle).

With a  lineup composed of Patrik Lundström on lead vocals and guitar, Fredrik Lindqvist on bass, mandola, dulcimer, recorder and vocals, Jon Gamble on keyboards and  vocals, and Johan Nordgren on drums, nyckelharpa and vocals, RITUAL have established themselves as a confident and powerful live band through numerous tours around Europe and appearances at international festivals such as Rites Of Spring Fest in the USA and Baja Prog in Mexico.

RITUAL’s next live appearance will be on the 20th July at the Night of the Prog Festival, at the Loreley Amphitheater, in Bornich, Germany.

More information about RITUAL can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ritual.se or on the band’s website at https://ritual.se

A short, tongue-in cheek documentary about RITUAL finally rehearsing together after a prolonged absence apart can be seen below and at  https://youtu.be/xLTXwEuFkNo?si=nbR13I-akJ798w6A

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
RITUAL
Ritual on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ritual.se
Ritual Website:  https://ritual.se
Band Contact:  ritual.se@gmail.com
KARISMA RECORDS
Promo and other information: post@karismarecords.no
Karisma Records contact: post@karismarecords.no 
Karisma Records: http://www.karismarecords.no/
Karisma Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karismarecords
Karisma Records Bandcamp: https://karismarecords.bandcamp.com
Karisma Records on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/KarismarecordsNor
Karisma Records Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarismaRecords
Karisma on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/karisma-records
Karisma Records Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no
Karisma Records US Webshop:  https://karismarecords.indiemerch.com