Ritual has dropped the southern vide, but not the iconography, that has served Anselmo and his friends so well. There's still a hint of Black Sabbath grove that can be found every now and then, but there are heavier influences at work on this DVD. Bridging the gap between Southern fans and those who like the music more on the side of Black Flag and Voivod. Everything about this disc is heavy. Anselmo's vocals have an edge to them not seen since The Great Southern Trendkill. The guitar work is brutally simple with none of the flair and acrobatics that Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell is so fond of.

Recorded in Dallas, TX on June 28, 2002, this DVD shows why Anselmo is continually front-man for some of the best hard bands around. The show they offer the pack house is one of the most energetic you'll likely find anywhere. Furious would be an understatement describing this band. Considering the fame of many of the members in the band, it's a deceptively simple show.

A few flags and lights make up the stage, as well as the set for the two included videos, and that's it. Instead, the music is the only thing on display here. Looking like a garage band and acting like one too, they promote the staples of Southern born metal, drugs, alcohol, and profanity. The songs are simple and so is the show, but that is definitely a good thing in this day and age of over-produced and choreographed stage shows and pop bands.

Featured on the DVD are live performances of "It Takes No Guts", "The Alcoholik", "F*** Your Enemy", "Everyone Hates Everyone", "4 Songs", "Drug Your Love", "Haunted Hated", "Antifaith", "Ozena", "Starvation Trip" and "Superjoint Ritual".

Video: The full screen video is what you'd expect from a low budget, live concert DVD. It's grainy at times, but that's from the low light and colored lighting. The video mix is great in the show and there seems to be several cameras capturing the action and it's always moving.

Audio: Face it, this is what you want to be top notch on this disc and it delivers. There are Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes, as well as a DTS mix. The 5.1 mix is full of low-end crunch and base. It's the best I've heard my sub sound in some time. The rears have a bright mix added as well, with more than just crowd noise filtering through. The mids and highs have been captured nicely as well with the guitars sound warm and rich. Fans of hard and heavy music will be hard pressed to find a nicer sounding DVD.

Extras: Aside from the snippets of interviews peppered throughout the concert, there are only a few extras available. There are 2 videos included (The Alcoholik and F*** Your Enemy). They do a great job of conveying the energy and attitude of the band and are simple productions that look like they were filmed in a garage practice space. There's also a photo gallery that you can page through as well.

Overall: Superjoint Ritual is one of the better hard bands to come along in some time. They've done a great job of combining a few styles into a unique and simple style that is all their own. Each band member brings a little to the table and the group combines for a thrashing and explosive show.