1. Ritual Moon has been active for a short time, but it has served to have his first demo of four songs ready. This band formed by Belén y Mars has its origin, so to speak in Sirenhex, Los Angeles heavy band, with a short career that started in 2017. Made a few presentations, what leads you to create Ritual Moon in a way parallel to Sirenhex and what does Ritual Moon offer you regarding Sirenhex? By the way, why do you choose the name of Ritual Moon?
I would say that Ritual Moon is only parallel to Sirenhex in 2 ways – we dive into mysticism and we are female musicians. Everything else about Ritual Moon is very different from Sirenhex. Ritual Moon is its own animal and we practice our freedom a lot more in terms of being musicians and the writing process. The music is darker and heavier, and since it is just two of us in the band, we have more control of what we create.
We chose Ritual Moon because I [Belen] started delving into lunar phases, power, spirituality, and the occult. I liked the combination of the words and their meanings together.
2. For the recording of the demo Belén leaves the bass and manages perfectly with the guitar and the voices. Was it a complicated fact for you to take the step forward that I suppose, so to speak, to have to occupy the position of frontwoman? How do you take the task of having to deal with the voices and the guitars at the same time?
It was complicated at first, but when we went into the studio, I was in a better, practiced state. I still have a little trouble with singing and playing, but that is currently being improved with the more practice I am getting. I am also experimenting with my frontwoman skills during our live shows. It’s so different from hiding behind my hair and my bass, which is what I do in my other bands! Haha However, I am definitely enjoying this frontwoman experience. It’s more than just singing and playing in front of a crowd… I am learning how to be interactive with the crowd, learning what theatrics to add to our set, and how to NOT stay in one place during the show. Our live performances are rituals for Mars and I, so we center ourselves before, during, and after.
3. Listening to the demo "Ritual Moon" the listener can enjoy four themes where creativity and we could say the illusion and wanting to do things well are at the order of the day, being above all a first contact that shines in itself professionalism, how do you describe the process of composing and recording the demo, how did you decide to take that step forward and face the recording, editing and release of "Ritual Moon"? What brand of instruments do you use to record? of those you use for concerts?
Our preparation for recording was rather straightforward. We had been practicing weekly for a while, and we finally said “fuck it, lets record a few songs!” so we booked the time and went into it thinking we’d only record 2 songs (Grave Soul and Ritual Moon), but we hashed them out faster than we thought so we did an extra 2 (Passage and Uncontrollable Death). I actually didn’t have lyrics for Uncontrollable Death because I was thinking of leaving it as an instrumental, but since we had extra studio recording time, I added the lyrics. Allen, our producer, was fucking awesome. His professionalism was up there. We put in less than half of a day into the studio recording the songs live, and the editing was done by Allen that same day. The process was simple and seamless.
For the demo, Mars used her Pearl drumset and I used my LTD with EMG pickups and Line 6 combo amp. I don’t like Line 6 and I just used it for its portability, but live, I use my CR120 Orange head and cabinet.
4. The four themes of "Ritual Moon" exude sound to extreme metal, underground, but above all classic sounds of the eighties within thrash, heavy, black and because not death and even doom, are these styles your main influences Compositions, if so, with what style and bands do you feel most identified?
We love Cruel Force and Motorhead. We love rock n roll, black metal, thrash, and death metal, just as you mentioned. As for influences, I think we derive our sounds from a mixture of the genres above, as well as doom.
5. Maybe the fact of wanting to have more freedom when composing was one of the reasons why you started Ritual Moon? Today is a simpler day to take forward a project taking care of everything (recording, composition and distribution) What about a while ago?
That’s one of the main factors that drive us to write…. The freedom. We are also fluid together, so it’s easy to practice the freedom when writing music.
As a two-piece band, it does take more energy to execute the distribution of music and promotion, but when writing and recording, it’s easier.
6. Following a little with the previously mentioned, you have opted for self-publishing, without having a label, is it almost a necessity for a band that begins to take its first steps on the scene in an underground way and to give itself above all to know, the offer your own material, leave hours on the road to be able to offer the greatest number of concerts and be able to reach more public and get known? Do you feel that the essence of the metal was lost and so much and being able to return to the cassette exchange, concerts in small rooms and take care of their editions and distribution is a way of returning a little to the origin?
In Los Angeles, we are fortunate to have music everywhere, any day of the week, and in different-sized venues (big and small). I [Belen] think that whatever it takes to play music and be on the road for hours, doing things in a DIY fashion, definitely makes the experience more memorable. I think metal is very much alive in Los Angeles, California. I can’t speak for other places in the world since I haven’t traveled as much outside of the U.S., but I imagine that the accessibility (or lack thereof) of metal music just adds to the experience of being a metalhead. We have music at the tips of our fingers, anyways. But I know a lot of people who like to collect music and tapes/vinyls, so those people are not lost entirely. It just depends on the people – who likes digital music, who likes physical copies.
7. Who designed the cover of the demo? Does it have any relationship with the lyrics that contain the themes or do you not treat specific topics in them?
@Satria13day on Instagram. He’s a great artist from a foreign country and has sold a few pieces to some local bands in Los Angeles. The cover is perfect for our Ritual Moon theme of polarity, snakes symbolizing creativity, and the sun and moon… all with a skull that shows mortality and eyeball to show awareness.
8. One of the aspects that most care about the contact you have with your fans and calls attention to the echo and offer concerts. Is it very difficult for you to take a proposal such as Ritual Moon's solo? Did you ever see the possibility of incorporating a musician to complete the live line-up? What is a Ritual moon concert like? can you expect a fan of your live?
People have asked us if we are looking for a bassist, but presently, we are not.
People can expect movement, heaviness, hair flowing, darkness, but fun energy. We are not completely serious people. Mars and I [Belen] joke around a lot and we are pretty approachable.
9. How were your beginnings in music and why did you decide to create a band and dedicate yourself to metal? Is it very difficult for a band of women to make their way into a metal world?
I [Belen] started playing music in school at the age of 13, and Mars started playing music at a young age for church haha! We both got into metal at a young age.
Being a woman in metal is becoming more and more normal, although it does come with some challenges. Some women get stereotyped to sucking at their instrument and only getting shows because of their looks, or sometimes they are underestimated. It’s all unfortunate, but most, if not all, get past these challenges and shine.
Women in metal are forces to be reckoned with.
10. Proceed from Los Angeles, how would you describe the music scene in the city? What less known bands would you recommend us?
Los Angeles is one of the best places for music! There are shows everyday of the week and music stores are scattered throughout the city. Everything from opera to metal, from jazz to techno, there are clubs and venues for them all. In terms of band recommendations, I [Belen] recommend Witchaven, Desolator, Quasar, Czar, and Bewitcher.
11. What five metal discs marked your beginnings and why?
Mars: Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden, Judas Priest – Sin After Sin, Black Sabbath – Master of Reality, Dio – Holy Diver, Sepultura – Arise
Belen: System of Down – Toxicity (my cousin gave me this when I was 9), Pantera – Cowboys from Hell, Motorhead – Motorhead, Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden, Judas Priest – British Steel
12. Are you satisfied with the impact achieved by your demo "Ritual Moon" in terms of media, fans and sales?
Definitely!!! We are extremely grateful for everyone who’s shared, purchased, listened, and watched us play live. We didn’t think we would have fans across the world, so it is very humbling to receive such support.
13. What future plans do you have for Ritual Moon in terms of concerts and upcoming releases? Will you follow the musical line of the demo or introduce certain changes?
At the moment, we are not so concerned for booking shows because we want to focus on rehearsing and writing more material. We would like to book shows that will require traveling, but that will happen in late 2019 and on. Europe would be amazing so we hope we get the chance to play there someday!
Our next plan is to record a full album, so that is also why we want to focus on writing and rehearsing. The full album will expand upon what we introduced in the demo, which are black metal, thrash, and death metal influences.
14. Thank you very much for the time dedicated to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something more for the followers of Ritual Moon this is the place. I hope the questions have been to your liking.
Hails to Black Metal Spirit! You do a great job at promoting dark music and supporting bands.
Ritual Moon wants to thank the people who have followed us in our short lifetime thus far; We like to post videos on Youtube and Instagram, so you can find us on there. Other websites that you can find us on are Facebook, Metal-Archives, and Bandsintown, which is for show listings), and some links are below: bigcartel (merch), bandcamp (music, merch), contact .
CD-R, Limited edition to 50 copies
Recorded live at Birdcage Studios in Pico Rivera, CA in February 2019.
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