“Once a solo studio project of Sean Ragan, Ritual Aesthetic expanded into a multi faceted live band and began carving its place out of Denver’s ever growing underground. Riding out a detailed summer of live shows, performing co-headlining shows alongside the likes of The Revolting Cocks, 3Teeth, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Frontline Assembly & more – Ritual Aesthetic set out to create an album that mirrors the intensity found within live performances.” Writes the band’s record label, Cleopatra.
RockRevolt’s very own senior journalist Anabel DFlux had the pleasure to catch up with the band’s front man Sean Ragan, shortly after their major performance at Los Angeles’s premiere goth club Bar Sinister. The two chatted about the band’s upcoming release “Wound Garden”, their California performance, and what’s coming next for this epic industrial metal act.
RockRevolt Magazine: Hey! Thanks so much for chatting with me today. How are you?
I am as right as rain madam.
RR: Let’s jump right into it. How was your show at Bar Sinister? How do you enjoy playing in the Goth club circuit?
Bar Sin was a trip. There’s something unique about how the Los Angeles Industrial crowd brings the heat in its own unique way. Plus it was killer to be reunited with old friends I hadn’t seen for years. Nearly blew my ears and throat out though!
RR: What is your favorite aspect about performing live?
110% the high & the chaos. It is unlike any other thrill. Healthy or not.
RR: Any upcoming shows?
August 27th at the Marquis Theater
August 29th with Psyclon 9 at 3 Kings Denver
October 20th w/ Hocico at 3 Kings Denver
RR: Tell me about your newest endeavor, Ritual Aesthetics’ upcoming album “Wound Garden”. What was the concept behind this album? How was it written?
“Wound Garden” as a title is a concept to ones rage(s), pain, rage, losses and pleasures as a collection or “garden” per say, and they’re ability to evolve into something new whilst remaining in the same body, vessel or “garden”. The album was written in the aftermath of my best friends suicide. I had already been writing music and planning an album before this event occurred, but in it’s aftermath it shifted into something completely different. An outlet of grief, disgust and searching for meaning.
RR: What was the recording and production process like?
Since right at the start the band had evolved from a solo project until a full fledged group, I wrote all of the songs in a skeletal format and had the rest of the personnel apply their own spirit and fire into the songs.
RR: I know this tends to be a difficult question to answer, but I have to ask it! Favorite or most sentimental song off of the new record?
1000000% Track 4 “ Divided “. It was a song I had written entirely as a conversation to my friend who had fallen victim to suicide.
RR: Any music video plans?
Yes! A video to the song The Analog Flesh has been shot. It was directed by Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films in Los Angeles California and is available to watch now via Cleopatra Records Official Youtube channel.
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RR: What makes you gravitate toward the industrial metal genre?
Quite simply because it fuses my two favorite genres of music together. All types of extreme Metal & all branches and facets of Electronic Music.
RR: How did you first start playing music?
My father is a musician and was always doing music projects of his own. I gravitated naturally. I joined high school band at 14 playing percussion and it’s been a questionable habit ever since.
RR: How do you feel the music scene differs between Denver, Colorado, and other states?
Denver is the king of metal scenes now in all of America & Kazakhstan. Fight me kids!
RR: What are your long-term goals with this project?
To leave a mark that stays behind me when i’m gone, touch someone emotionally in any way and to spend as little time as possible focusing on the drags of “The Real World”
RR: Any last words for your fans before we conclude this interview?
Yes. Don’t be smug about your morality until you’ve had it tested.
Wound Garden available worldwide on July 27th via Cleopatra Records.
Written & Produced by Sean Ragan. Mixed & Mastered by Alex Crescioni at Stygian Sound in Los Angeles, California.
