The thing with a random find in the underground is that quite literally anything is possible. You could come across the debut single from a band and watch them become a big name with so much potential and talent to throw around just as easily as you can come before an act that does its own thing and revels in its own little corner of obscurity. We’ve seen tons of the latter with everyone having at least one immensely obscure act that they wish would find its way to more people for what it offers, yet there’s a certain charm to such an act remaining in the shadows and tweaking away at its own sonic evolution whatever form it may take. For me, Rites of Tara fits comfortably on my own list given the name’s impressive debut from three years ago, and it’s now with a follow-up that we get to see what else this mysterious act is capable of.

I vividly remember when I first came across Rites of Tara randomly, and I knew damn that it was an act that demanded attention. With a relatively simplistic approach that was intensely effective, “To the Otherworld of Silver” is a creation whose impact is still on my mind, and the sheer thought of Rites of Tara following it up is more than enough to catch my interest. While I was all-in on the idea of a mere continuation of what was laid down in that debut, it’s clear within just the first few minutes of “Relic” that the act sought to go for something different in many ways without straying too far from the core ideals and notions of its predecessor. More than willing to take its time and allow the magic of its content to really sink into your very being, Rites of Tara went for a sound that feels far more contemplative and wandering despite it still having an undeniable edge that’s backed up by fierce melody at times. Patient in its songwriting and really going for a slow burn in many instances, “Relic” never once overstays its welcome and uses its time extremely wisely to entice the listener ever further into the halls that Rites of Tara holds complete dominion over. “Relic” is as calculated as it is explorative. Rites of Tara makes it obvious with its second effort that it seeks new sonic territory to call its own with the reason being unknown to me whether it’s for the sake of change or the just see if it can be done.

Regardless of their goal, Rites of Tara has made something interesting, engaging, and fascinating with “Relic” that builds on what came before while still leaving plenty of room for expansion and further exploration in the future. We’ve seen plenty of acts littered across the underground that manages to deliver intriguing surprises in some form or another, but it’s once again that Rites of Tara defies expectations and proves to be a name that demands respect.

LISTEN to “Relic” on Bandcamp here.

Rites of Tara does not have any sort of social media that I could find so follow the band on Bandcamp here to stay up to date on its activities.