Rituals of the Oak news

[FerretallicA]

Since the lads have been pretty quiet since Transcending Mortality's swansong performance I figured it couldn't hurt (much ) to pool together info anyone has about what they're doing with Rituals of the Oak these days.

Such information is pretty fucking hard to come by. Even the mighty Google was only able to provide the following rather useless passage:

Their temples were simple affairs, usually a table stone, pile of stones, or sacred wood supported by stone, located in open spaces in forests, sacred groves, mounds, caves, lakes, rivers, or even the Eldritch stone circles left behind by the mystical "Stone-Followers" of the distant past. Then, there was the Oak Cult.


The rituals of the Oak Cult were many and varied. They usually began with a human sacrifice, utilizing a sword, spear, a sickle-like knife, ritual hanging, impaling, dismembering, disemboweling, drowning, burning, burial alive, and a partridge in a pear tree. The method was generally related to the deity summoned, such as fire elementals (burnings), water elementals (drownings), air elementals (impalement on a high stake), earth elementals (burial alive); tree gods were appeased with hangings. For growth and fertility, dismemberment was utilized, with the blood of the victim spilled liberally on the ground. For divination, disembowelment was the rage, using a sickle-like knife, or later, the sword. The entrails were then removed from the victim, and "read."



Various methods were used to cure diseases, the belief being that a life must be given for a life to be saved. And while this did not always result in a healing, it did, quite effectively, control the population.

Not very helpful. So... any news? Rumoured details about their first gig and album? Sightings of Nevermore members such as John Arch in ROTO shirts? Rumours in general? Please feel free to contribute.

 

[The Apparition]

Yeah one of the reasons we liked the name was that information on this ritual is incredibly obscure. Matt knows more about it than me and the name was his idea so if he could be bothered it would be better if he explained the meaning behind it.

At the moment we are just trying to finish the final TM EP which in typical TM style is taking forever. So much for playing it live hey! I've had so many issues with my gear since starting this thing it's been absolutely ridiculous. From terrible guitar set ups by supposed "professionals" that left my guitar sounding and playing like absolute arse and not staying in tune for 5 seconds, to buzzing amps and almost everything that could possibly go wrong with equipment has. Even bought a new guitar which has spent almost 90% of it's time back in the shop after having the same ridiculous issues with staying in tune, buzzing everywhere etc. It's also been hard to book time in the studio as our engineer is pretty booked with other things a lot of the time.

So recording or playing live with Rituals is pretty much on hold until we get this damn EP finished. At least it's given us the time to write an album and a half worth of material.

Fun.

Anyone know of any decent luthiers in Sydney? I've taken my guitars to at least 10 different people over the years and not one has ever done a decent job. Basic set up stuff i can do myself but fret shaving and tricky things like that i'm not really confident trying.

 

[whoneedstherapy]

I've had a bass done by these guys and it was quite good.

http://www.sydneyguitarsetups.com/

Other than that apparently there is a very good bloke that works out of or near the back of the vintage record store in annandale on parramatta road, just near Sydney guitar setups.

 

[StephenSLR]

fret shaving and tricky things like that i'm not really confident trying.

Fret shaving should only be done once the frets are worn. It is not good practice to replace frets often either, once or twice in a guitar necks lifetime.

I've also heard about that Sydney guitar setup joint, they have some new fangled machine that analyses the neck and supposedly sets up the frets to eliminate buzz, etc.

I've met the guy that works upstairs of Jacksons (I think) - Parra Rd Annandale, he seems to know what he is talking when I went in there to ask about a pick-up I had but but I haven't seen his work.

s

 

[The Apparition]

Fret shaving should only be done once the frets are worn. It is not good practice to replace frets often either, once or twice in a guitar necks lifetime.

I've also heard about that Sydney guitar setup joint, they have some new fangled machine that analyses the neck and supposedly sets up the frets to eliminate buzz, etc.

I've met the guy that works upstairs of Jacksons (I think) - Parra Rd Annandale, he seems to know what he is talking when I went in there to ask about a pick-up I had but but I haven't seen his work.

s

Thanks for that man. Didn't know about the fret shaving thing. Yeah i've heard of that machine. Sounds like something to try out.

 

[FerretallicA]

If you're talking about that Plek thing, let me know how it turns out... I've been curious how good it goes but reluctant to shell out that kind of money on a guitar setup.

 

[StephenSLR]

Didn't know about the fret shaving thing.

Yeah, you can only shave frets so far before you hit wood, if you get jumbo frets you may get more out of them.

Also I guess if you have a rosewood neck you can replace the rosewood layer after a few fret changes

It was just something I heard, too many fret changes are no good.

s

 

[whoneedstherapy]

Yeah, you can only shave frets so far before you hit wood, if you get jumbo frets you may get more out of them.

Also I guess if you have a rosewood neck you can replace the rosewood layer after a few fret changes

It was just something I heard, too many fret changes are no good.

s

I personally would only look at shaving frets after all setup options have been exhausted. If the fretwork is un-even and sharp all the way down the neck then fair enough however even my cheaper basses haven't been bad enough to need a fret job at this early stage of their life.

Just to shed some light on sydney guitar setups check out their website for details on the plek system. Essentially it provides measurements for them to adjust to. Coated strings do not produce a measurement so if you are using/changing to coated strings i would advise borrowing/stealing an old set of non coated strings for the setup. I paid about $180 for my bass to get done which took about 3 weeks. I think the rate for urgent setup jobs was about $250.

When i got my bass back it did play like butter. As you specify the action, if their idea of medium and your idea of medium differ's they will adjust it free of cost.

From my point of view i'd rather pay the premium every few months, depending on how often you play, to get it done right. I would seriously reccomend them. If your keen let me know, i need to put my warwick in so we might as well do it together and get on the turps!

 

[The Apparition]

From my point of view i'd rather pay the premium every few months, depending on how often you play, to get it done right. I would seriously reccomend them.

Oh yeah. I definitely wouldn't have a problem paying that sort of money to get a guitar set up right. I don't think i've really ever had a decent set up on my guitars. I am extremely picky about my set up and probably never be happy with it but there sure are a lot of incompetent guitar repairers around.

 

[whoneedstherapy]

well mate give them a go. They can't be banked up with so much work all the time because they are rubbish.

 

[StephenSLR]

From my point of view i'd rather pay the premium every few months to get it done right.

You have to get it done every few months?

s

 

[whoneedstherapy]

im lazy i get them to re string, intonate, oil the neck and check the setup.

that way i can only blame rubbish technique for sounding aweful.

 

[FerretallicA]

i need to put my warwick in so we might as well do it together and get on the turps!

Guitar aside, that sounds like a good plan

 

[The Apparition]

Some pretty bad news for Rituals this week. Mike Zoias has decided to leave the band to pursue a different musical path. There's nothing personal involved as he still best of friends with everyone in the band. We wish him the best of luck.

We are on the lookout for a new singer who can sing in the clean doom style and is a fan of bands such as Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Solstice, Pagan Altar, Reverend Bizarre, Warning, Black Sabbath, Pentagram etc.
Email shanelinfoot@yahoo.com.au if interested.

 

[FerretallicA]

"a different musical path"

Translation: "prog/power"

I seem to recall you had some pretty decent pipes on the odd doomy cover song. If the technical complexity is being scaled back a bit like I'm imagining maybe it opens up the option of starting off as a 3-piece?

 

[The Apparition]

Translation: "prog/power"

I seem to recall you had some pretty decent pipes on the odd doomy cover song. If the technical complexity is being scaled back a bit like I'm imagining maybe it opens up the option of starting off as a 3-piece?

Prog/Power? You couldn't be more wrong my friend!
I'll let Mike elaborate if he wants to.

As far as me singing it's probably a last resort if we can't find anyone! I do like the idea of being a rockin' 3 piece but i wouldn't want to do it at the expense of having a far superior vocalist sing for the band.

 

[metal evilution]

Prog/Power? You couldn't be more wrong my friend!
I'll let Mike elaborate if he wants to.

R'nB?

Sad to hear this happen.Mike is a great singer and a real shame to see him part with the band.
Shane you def could have the pipes dude, we have all heard it.
And finding a vocalist into those bands you named in Syd is about as easy as me finding a fellow BRAINSTORM fan!
Good luck though.

 

[Aqualung]

Prog/Power? You couldn't be more wrong my friend!

Indeed!

Believe it or not I shall be following my first and greatest musical love, and going back to pursuing opera.

I'd like to thank the guys in the band for all the good times (and as such I already have... i think lol) and also the people at the gigs. I still love ROTO's music (wait till u guys hear the new stuff ), but unfortunately we've all gotta follow our own paths in life, and sad as it sounds, from this point on I'm just not the right singer for the band. To tell u the truth, metal as a whole for quite a while hasn't interested me as a singer as much as it once did, so I know this is the right thing to do.

Be seeing ya's all around I'm sure!

 

[cro4eva]

Indeed!

Believe it or not I shall be following my first and greatest musical love, and going back to pursuing opera.

I'd like to thank the guys in the band for all the good times (and as such I already have... i think lol) and also the people at the gigs. I still love ROTO's music (wait till u guys hear the new stuff ), but unfortunately we've all gotta follow our own paths in life, and sad as it sounds, from this point on I'm just not the right singer for the band. To tell u the truth, metal as a whole for quite a while hasn't interested me as a singer as much as it once did, so I know this is the right thing to do.

Be seeing ya's all around I'm sure!

Well this was unexpected.

Cool news on the new path, though. Keep us informed on how that goes.

 

[Lord Tim]

Yeah, shit - didn't see that one coming! All the best, Mike! And hurry up and find a fuckin' singer, ya cunts! HAHA!