Ritual was formed out of the remnants of the Harrow-based punk band General Confusion, which included Steve Pankhurst on drums.
[1][2] After two name changes (Suppressed Emotion and Stigma) and personnel shifts (a new drummer, Peter Gould, was brought onboard and Pankhurst switched to saxophone), the band finally settled on a permanent line-up and the name Ritual in 1981.
[3] The band compiled a four-track demo (consisting of "Human Sacrifice", "Mind Disease", "Playtime" and "Brides") to shop around to independent labels in London.
After receiving national exposure via the Peel session, the band spent the majority of 1982 gigging around London, playing some of the more infamous punk and post-punk venues in support of groups like Sex Gang Children.
[4] By mid-year the band had signed with Dave Kitson's independent Red Flame Records, and on 6 October 1982,[4] released the "Mind Disease" 7" single.
Blyth and Bond, along with drummer Colin Rocks and ex-UK Decay guitarist Steve Spon, formed in Excelsis in 1983.