Primordial
To The Nameless Dead
Review by Mike Korn
It's pretty hard to shoehorn Ireland's Primordial into any kind of musical box. Their sound is unique and has influences from a lot of different quarters. But two descriptions will always hit the mark: epic and emotional. Sincerity and heartfelt passion are bursting from the grooves of this disc. You just can't fake feelings this deep. Primordial is a band that concerns itself with the human condition...where we have come from and the dark future that we seem to be embracing. Frontman Alan Averill (aka A.A. Nemtheanga) puts heart and soul into his vocals, as he tackles questions like what happens to the soul of nations that no longer exist and what is it that makes up a nation in the first place. These are profound themes and Averill's conclusion of where we're heading is not an optimistic one. Therefore, the music of Primordial is vast and melancholy, with a lot of the feeling of the band's Irish home in it. The songs are long but not overly complex. Their simplicity is part of their strength, as they combine aspects of doom metal, folk and black metal into a unique sound that is Primordial. It will probably take several listens before all the hidden depths of "To The Nameless Dead" reveal themselves. Take my word for it, you don't hear music with this much passion in it these days. This is a record that will make you think and that will haunt your mind.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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