REVIEW: Ceremony - Tell Me Your Dream
- Julia Stark
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
There are three things about CEREMONY we can say for certain: they like to keep everyone guessing as they adapt their sound between releases; no matter the changes, they know how to play punk that makes you want to tear a room apart; and finally, after seven long years they’ve returned with blistering new album Tell Me Your Dream, a ten track labour of love and rage that’s full to the brim with solid beats, hulking riffs, and a twenty one year evolution of their political morals and beliefs that continues to point the finger at those in charge whilst giving a rallying cry and demanding more bands use their voice for change.
Reuniting with producer John Reis, eleven years on from their album The L-Shaped Man, CEREMONY’s collective approach to their sound and production has altered slightly over the years, but their unshakable, headfirst assault on the world order around them is how they’ve maintained their reputation as an unflinching punk band and a respected name in their original underground hardcore scene in California.
Prograde makes a grand entrance to the album with Jake Casarotti’s steady drumbeat and Justin Davis pounding bass line teasing us, Andy Nelson and Anthony Anzaldo gradually building the anticipation with their guitars until it hits its peak with vocalist Ross Farrar delivering a vocal uppercut. Other Hells descends into a frantic punk rhythm you can happily lose all sense to, Farrar’s scorching shouts consuming the track as Anzaldo’s synths cut though and give it an elevated feel. Madness doesn’t hold back on its assault against other artists not using their platform more, yells about the Palestine genocide, class wars, and the lure of fame and celebrity met with a cynical response of “you couldn’t care less”.
Dark Summer has an early FOO FIGHTERS quality to its riff and tempo, a mournful air permeating Farrar’s vocals to match the title theme, as synths accentuate Davis and Nelson’s unrushed riffs and backing vocals and make you homesick for a place you’re not even sure exists. Deep Down Where I Belong spins a 180 and comes in hot with a punk core that throws out a medley of other genres, hardcore and indie elements making their mark unexpectedly under shouts of “I believe in all your gods, now are you gonna believe in me?”. Antenna beats its way in with a synth and bass accompanied intro and a singalong of “la-di-dah-dah-dah”, a head-in-the-sand response to everything going wrong in another cutting finger point at everyone choosing their comfort over speaking up.
Justify goes heavy on the bass throughout as it takes on a cinematically dramatic feel, some elements feeling vaguely similar to THE BLACK KEYS in its tone and rhythm as the guitars and vocals pitch up, demonstrating the fluidity of the band’s sound in one album. Death Destruction Mayhem has a filthy punk sound full of Casarotti’s searing drumrolls joined by meaty riffs and bass, Farrar delivering more eviscerating lyrics at the world around them, the sneer on “fighting makes you feel strong, killing really turns you on” practically audible through the recording.
10 Planets again swerves from the unexpected in sound and calls to mind SOFTPLAY, the vocals still bringing hard punk vibes against contrasting stripped back instrumentals that build to a softer breakdown. Paradise takes an initially laid-back approach as it closes out the album, a dreamlike quality to its instrumentals as Farrar laments he has “so much to tell you, but it’ll have to wait until the next life”, a brief pause in the middle a red herring to its ending before it continues with the plead of “take me to paradise” growing in volume and earnestness before the album abruptly stops to a running tape sound and leaves us wanting more.
Tell Me Your Dream isn’t an album hastily written and rolled out before the red-mist clears, it’s a project that’s taken real thought and feeling over nearly a decade of societal uncertainty, a way for CEREMONY to declare they didn’t disappear but were waiting for the moment to strike the political and industry jugulars.
Score: 8/10
Tell Me Your Dream will be released on 7th August 2026 via Relapse Records.
Words: Julia Stark
Photos: Martin Sorrondeguy
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