In the fall of 2006, I was reading Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novelette CARMILLA.  CARMILLA is a gothic horror story about a female vampire who preys on young girls. The story was originally published in 1871,  about twenty-five years before Bram Stoker's DRACULA and apparently was an influence on Stoker to write his DRACULA novel. While reading CARMILLA, I thought to myself, " I am going to have to make some music that makes me feel like this story does!"   A few weeks later I got the idea to start Briton Rites while carving a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. It took me a while to actually get back into the swing of things with writing music on a regular basis, but here I am back in the studio recording an album.  I wanted Briton Rites to be music that adhered to the roots of British Heavy Metal;  the kind of music I started off listening too and still prefer over anything else.  Some will call it Traditional Doom Metal as my two main influences with Briton Rites are early Black Sabbath and Witchfinder General.  Initially, Heavy Metal wasn't necessarily fast music or wasn't tainted with punk, hardcore, groove (and everything but the kitchen sink) influences.  Briton Rites is Metal in its purest form.  I have no apologies for it not being the most technical, fastest or most sonically aggressive music out there.  I am making the music I want to make and I am happy with that!

Howie Bentley June, 2009