Ritual Arcana – Ritual Arcana 

Heavy Psych Sounds 

Release date: 23/01/2026 

Review by: Alun Jones 

8.5/10 

2026 is here, and here also is my first review of the year.  Finally.  Now, now – enough with the “late as usual” bants!  I’ve been busy doing something.  I’m sure I have an excuse somewhere, I’ll get back to you…  Anyway, this is an excellent place to start for the new year – the debut album from Occult Doom Rockers, Ritual Arcana. 

A new band, but with an impressive pedigree, Ritual Arcana consist of SharLee LuckyFree on bass and vocals (ex Moth), Oakley Munson on Drums (The Black Lips) and underground Stoner/Doom legend, the one and only Scott “Wino” Weinrich (of The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan etc etc) on guitar.  Slap all that on a release from Heavy Psych Sounds and you just know something serious is going down. 

In the fabled land of Stoner/Doom, The Riff is King.  And with Wino on board, the kingdom is in safe hands.  The slow, throbbing title track opens the ceremonial space, throbbing with a medieval menace.  ‘Occluded’ picks up the pace, a charging head banger that’s more infectious than an outbreak of witchcraft in New England.  That guitar tone is absolutely monolithic throughout, witness the crushing ‘Berkana’ for more evidence.   

The rest of the band ain’t taking a day off, either.  Munson’s drums rattle and crash throughout the ritual with tribal precision, and on ‘Subtle Fruits’ revs up the rhythm to thrilling heights.  And of course there’s the formidable presence of cosmic High Priestess LuckyFree, a solid, warm bass player who’s voice genuinely adds character to all the songs here.  Taking centre stage with glee and authority, LuckyFree leads the throng and particularly shines on ‘Wake the Goddess’. 

“Ritual Arcana” delivers exactly what one would expect, and does it confidently.  A little more variety in song writing would’ve propelled this album to even greater heights – some swampy blues?  An Iommi style mellow piece?  But we can leave that for album number two.  For now, this debut weaves reliably thunderous Hard Rock with a gloomy, supernatural air for an enticing experience. 

Find out more about Ritual Arcana on their website, Facebook and Instagram pages.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.