California punk outfit Ceremony has spent the last decade mining the sounds of hardcore, garage, and post-punk to deliver an impressively diverse and hard-hitting collection of albums. The band's earliest days were marked by loud, fast, aggressive songs that barely hit the minute mark, but by 2012's Zoo they were probing more experimental territory in the vein of post-punk groups like The Fall and Joy Division. Throughout these stylistic shifts they've remained a seriously ferocious live act, delivering their breakneck sets with enough attitude and intensity to make their punk forebears cower in fear. Whether they're inciting riotous sing-alongs with modern-day punk anthem "Hysteria" or treating ticket buyers to cuts from 2015's The L-Shaped Man, Ceremony always brings an unbridled energy to the stage that makes their concerts electrifying and unforgettable experiences.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Ceremony formed in Rohnert Park, CA in the mid-'00s, originally performing as Violent World before changing their name and releasing their 2005 debut EP Ruined. They followed up in 2006 with their first full-length album Violence, Violence, an aptly titled collection of blistering hardcore punk tunes that clocked in at just 13 minutes. The band's 2008 sophomore album Still Nothing Moves You featured more no-punches-pulled hardcore, earning them critical acclaim and leading to extensive touring. In 2011 the band signed to Matador Records and released a covers album, and in 2012 the label released their third full-length album Zoo. The record featured a more experimental post-punk influenced sound, resulting in another round of critical praise and more touring. With their highly-anticipated album L-Shaped Man hitting shelves in 2015, Ceremony has fans dying to catch them at one of their upcoming shows.
