Sin and J started the band with a predominantly metal focus. Over time they found that some of the slower songs they threw into sets during longer shows were taking hold within certain segments of the fan base. There was enough demand for their more melodic works that they began to get booked regionally for acoustic sets. Eventually, Ceremony of Darkness was able to find its balance and could play its melodic works, basic rock songs, and its heaviest metal tracks together in a way that honestly displayed the band's identity and appealed to all corners of their diverse fan base.

When asked about the approach of Ceremony of Darkness, Sin explains, "Look, I may personally love metal, but even the heaviest fans like to slow it down or lighten it up now and then, just so long as they don't feel like they 'sold out' along the way. It is all about identity and balance. If you lose who you are by not writing in the same exact key or style every time, you are probably not being yourself anyway. Our music is intense for the most part, but it isn't as if we sit around mad or sad all day either. At shows we will party and joke with our fans as much as they will let us. I just don't think you can take yourself too seriously, no one else does."

Though they may not take themselves too seriously, they do take their music seriously. Tempo changes, intricate guitars, and varied vocal styles are utilized to create just the right effect for each individual song Ceremony of Darkness writes. Their premiere album "13" showcases 13 of the over 100 songs Ceremony of Darkness has worked to perfect. "13" forms a unique expression of dark rock appealing to mainstream listeners as well as fans of metal, and those within the darker subcultures of music. Ceremony of Darkness does not fear displaying the varied nature of their influences, as anyone attending a show will clearly see by the diversity of their fan base. Vocalist Sin explains, "We [the band members] come from different backgrounds and have different musical tastes. Some of us have our roots in metal, while others come from a jazz background or are into mainstream rock. Rather than fight it, we embrace the elements involved and believe that just like an individual has different aspects to their personality, if they are being honest, so will their music. Being one-dimensional as a band would be disingenuous and essentially amount to calling our fans one-dimensional too, and we don't want to do that." In fact, "13" features songs ranging from slow and melodic (Breathless), to straight forward rock (Freedom), to songs one might consider throwback death metal (The Surgeon of New Orleans).

When listening to "13" a return to intricate guitar musicianship will be noted as well as vocal styles that change to suit each song rather than making the music conform to the vocals. One dominant theme in the music of Ceremony of Darkness that will become evident to listener however is the dark, emotional, and haunting imagery that brings a mood of intensity to each song. "I have always been a fan of Poe," recalls Sin, "and what I took from his style is that no piece of your work should detract from your overall purpose. In the case of songwriting, we try to remove anything that is not in some way essential to the song's design. Our music is about emotion, so we describe each emotion in the greatest detail that we are able."

The Band Members -
Sin - vocals and rhythm guitar
J - Rhythm and lead guitars
Ryan Basch - Bass
Brandon Zeisler - Drums
Jason Dix - Drums (alternate)
Brian Mantia - Guitars
George Kiser - Additional live guitars (alternate)
Alex Lopez - Additional live keys

Ceremony of Darkness have WON Best Metal/Hardcore Album of 2010, by the Independent Music Awards.

Their song "The Surgeon of New Orleans" has also been nominated in the Metal genre for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

For more on the band please visit their website or MySpace page.

Flesh of the Witch

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