Agreeing with Mephistor, I have to say I’ve never heard that it will kick your ass and turn your life upside down. It was one of the first things I ever learned and practiced, many years ago. Crowley said that anyone who believed it was just a banishing ritual didn’t deserve to use it. I’ve found in addition to what it does magickally, it’s an excellent tool to build your visualization skills. If I recall correctly, I practiced it without worrying too much about visualizing until I had it down pat. Then I began visualizing in earnest.
Basically, you’re making yourself God. You draw Divinity down and into you at the beginning, giving you all of the power of Divinity to channel and use. You then surround yourself with Pentacles, the symbol of manifestation. You’re creating a circle in which you are God, and you can create. That’s pretty cool, in my book. As far as the Archangels go, you’re not evoking them, per se. I mean, ok, you are, but not like evoking one to have a chat with and ask for something. You’re basically just having them stand watch at the four corners.
I’ve never felt doing just the ritual banishes anything. Once you’ve spoken the last words, and you’re surrounded by blazing, crackling pentagrams, and have four Archangels with you, and you’re brimming with Divinity, then you tell stuff to fuck off. After that, let the visualization fade, and go about your working.
Or, like you plan on doing, you can just do it to do it. It’s a good ritual, and adaptable to any system.