After the hugely successful debut album Lungs, it is difficult not to have reservations about Florence + the Machine's sophomore attempt to top their original effort. Fortunately, those doubts are quickly cast aside upon the first few notes of Ceremonials, a powerfully enchanting album which mercilessly grabs your attention. Deftly avoiding the all-too-typical sophomore slump, lead singer Florence Welch triumphantly solidifies herself as a real force to be reckoned with in the music world.
From album opener "Only If For a Night," it is immediately clear that the ominous, yet bold tone of Ceremonials contrasts sharply with the more light-hearted vibe of Lungs. "Only If For a Night" is instantly mesmerizing, a seemingly effortless and brilliantly crafted masterpiece which serves as an introduction to the eerie themes which are explored throughout the album. Accompanied by a gorgeous harpsichord prelude, flourishing piano and drum crescendos and soaring vocals, the song alludes to ghosts on multiple occasions and paints a strangely beautiful picture of doing handstands in a graveyard.
The album then heads into its second single, "Shake It Out," an upbeat and catchy anthem which has an almost Gothic allure. Welch solemnly sings, "Regrets collect like old friends/ Here to relive your darkest moments," only to later triumphantly belt out "It's hard to dance with the devil on your back/ So shake him off." As the album transitions to a more mellow sound, the atmospheric track "What the Water Gave Me" sets a mystical and mysterious vibe with its spiritual imagery, and the power ballad "Never Let Me Go" reveals the quiet subtleties that lie within Welch's exquisitely mature voice.
By far the most anthemic track on the album comes in the form of "No Light, No Light," which begins with masked vulnerability and gradually builds up into Florence + the Machine's signature explosiveness, intertwining pulsating drumbeats with soaring vocal harmonies. "Seven Devils" starts with a chill-inducing beginning and dramatically escalates into what could only be described as an auditory nightmare of sorts. With its rippling chords and allusions to devils and death, the song somehow leaves you in a state of both terror and fascination. Conversely, "Heartlines" is celestial, with sweeping harp strings surrounding a booming chorus. In addition, "Spectrum," which is interspersed with divine falsettos, contains some of the most notable lyrics, with Welch chanting, "Say my name/ And every color illuminates."
Even the sub-par tracks showcase Welch at her musical peak. In this regard, Ceremonials proves to be a strong companion piece to Lungs: whereas Lungs was light, ethereal and cosmic, Ceremonials is dark, heavy and haunting - and all the more captivating because of it.
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