As a free-flowing marriage of visuals and sound as pure atmosphere, John S. Banks and Fritz Heede's Illuminated Manuscripts series is fairly satisfying in both departments. This project is described as being "part of an ongoing series of works that deal with sacred spaces and journeys of discovery"; the visuals combine processed video and photography with computer generated elements, while the audio closely resembles a mix of ambient, electronic and new age. Though many will find that Illuminated Manuscripts often works best as background material, the production quality of the animation and music holds up well to closer attention.

The self-titled 2002 release apparently began the journey, taking the viewer through various atmospheres and fantasy-like settings. It was a relatively abstract experience, boasting no distinct narrative but obvious themes of nature, harmony, spirituality and the cycle of life. Banks and Heede have teamed up again---along with a few other talents---for the brand-new Ritual Path (2006), the second installment of Illuminated Manuscripts. Truth be told, it appears fairly similar on the surface: the atmosphere is thick and enveloping, the computer generated and assisted images are skillfully done, and the music ties everything together tightly. It's anything but a rehash of the original (though I'll admit I was hoping for a more pronounced departure), but the effect remains largely the same.

The animated sequences are slightly longer this time around, as the 15 shorts that comprise the main feature run for roughly 57 minutes. We also get some outside talent added to the proceedings, including guest vocals by Jon Anderson (Yes), kaRIN (Collide), Molly Pasutti and Nijole Sparkis---and while it remains to be seen whether future volumes will continue this trend of "guest appearances", this new layer helps to keep things interesting. It's also worth noting that the animation seems slightly more polished, but that's to be expected with a four year gap in-between releases. For the most part, those who enjoyed the original Illuminated Manuscripts should know what to expect.

The DVD presentation by R&B Films provides a solid amount of support for the main feature, including a faithful technical presentation and a few interesting extras. While newcomers are certainly encouraged to rent either volume, those familiar with Banks and/or Heede's work should find Ritual Parth to be a worthy follow-up to the 2002 original. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio (with some material presented in 16x9 widescreen), Ritual Path looks very good from start to finish. The digital source ensures that we get a very clean image, boasting strong colors, solid black levels and good contrast. These visuals are complemented nicely by the included Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround mix, featuring a strong atmosphere from all channels---except the subwoofer, which is used lightly but noticeably less than the others. Since the majority of the material here is dialogue-free, no optional subtitles or Closed Captions are included.

Also here is a Bonus Track (4:46); it's either a newer short or a deleted scene from the main feature, but it's still certainly worth a look. Closing out the extras is a series of Shooting Location Maps, featuring information about the various real-life sites seen in the film, as well as a few Credits & Previews for the featured artists and the original Illuminated Manuscripts DVD.

As a follow-up of sorts to the original 2002 Illuminated Manuscripts, Ritual Path does a good job of preserving a successful formula while adding in several new elements to keep things fresh. While the end product can't really be considered better or worse than its predecessor, those who enjoyed Illuminated Manuscripts shouldn't mind treading the familiar path one bit. The DVD presentation by R&B Films once again combines a solid technical presentation with a few noteworthy bonus features, but the continued lack of creator input remains mildly disappointing. Either way, Ritual Path is a solid installment that fans of the series should enjoy from start to finish. Recommended.