Portland, Oregon's Atriarch are one of the most intriguing bands in today's underground scene, honing over the last few years a unique amalgamation of death rock, classic '80s goth, doom and black metal. Their 2011 album Forever the End was a promising, albeit formative, debut, and the group further developed their sound on the recent split LP with comrades Alaric, released last May on 20 Buck Spin. Atriarch finds their true sonic calling on their sophomore full-length Ritual of Passing. Delivering tenfold on the potential of the previous two releases, the album is marked by an altogether heavier sound, more deep and substantive. Atriarch draws inspiration from such legendary bands as Bauhaus, Joy Division, Rudimentary Peni and Killing Joke, as well as more recent groups like the Gault, Asunder and Burzum, adding their own twist for a unique take on a classic sound. A stirring, mesmerizing work, Ritual of Passing proves Atriarch is a force to be reckoned with in America's underground heavy music scene.