Produced by Tony Platt, the album marked a major stylistic shift for the band, moving towards a heavy metal sound.

[4] In support of The Ritual, Testament toured for over a year with bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, White Zombie, Corrosion of Conformity, Pro-Pain, D.R.I., Green Jellÿ, Body Count and GWAR.

Several lineup changes took place before guitarist James Murphy and drummer John Tempesta were hired for the band's next album Low.

[7] Drummer Louie Clemente also acknowledged the musical change compared to their previous albums, explaining to Deseret News: "The Ritual is slower and geared toward the old style of metal while The Legacy was pure thrash.

He also stated that Tony Platt's production role within the album helped Testament "get more of a vibe" and "a fresh set of ears to listen to the mix.