Primordial – How It Ends
Origin: Ireland
Release: 29.09.2023
Label: Metal Blade Records
Length of time: 01:05:58
Genre: Celtic Metal / Black Metal / Epic Metal
The Irish people Primordial about the busy and charismatic frontman Alan Averill Nemtheanga are releasing their tenth full-length album this year with the title How It Ends.
The band and their singer are known for placing a lot of emphasis on thoughtful and serious lyrics with often historical references, and this album also draws inspiration from Celtic myths, Irish history and modern issues. Themes such as resistance to tyranny and oppression, the right to freedom of expression and the role of rebels and freedom fighters, in the past and present, run through the album as a common thread.
The record was recorded in the Hellfire Studios at Dublin, produced by the band themselves and mixed and mastered by Chris Fielding.
How will everything end?
With the title track How It Ends let’s get into the album. A solemn, melancholic guitar melody sounds that seems to echo through forested valleys and mountains like a bugle, a call… to rebellion? To destruction?
The frontman presents us with his charismatic voice Alan Averill then the question is immediately impressive: “Is this how it ends?“.
Primordial somehow always have been the thinking man’s black metal bandwho never used escapist metal clichés, fake pseudo-Satanism or stupidity, but always wanted to use their lyrics to encourage people to think, remember or argue.
The theme of rebellion is emphasized in the first song, if Alan sings who dares to sing out of tune, Accompanied by the poignant guitar melodies and the driving rhythm section, this piece gets under your skin, and not just because of the powerful vocals. A perfect opener!
Drums that ring like war drums and open up appropriate pounding riffs Ploughs to Rust, Swords to Dust. The excellent twin guitar work with slight folk undertones fits perfectly on the thunderous foundation. Alan Here he also sings unexpectedly low, which in combination with his gripping higher vocal range makes for exciting variety.
Of rebels and freedom fighters
We Shall Not Serve begins with slightly dissonant sounding acoustic guitars, which creates a special drama and continues even when the distorted parts begin. With a cool one “Go!” von And the tongue Then the vocals start, also in a slightly lower pitch, which has a bit of an impact Nick Holmes von Paradise Lost or the Growls von Johan Hedlund on the 1990s albums by Tiamat remind. The song moves forward well, a real headbanger, with exquisite guitar work in the middle section and a clear message “We shall not serve, not now not then not ever!”.
With Traditional, which in Irish is about traditionell or aold world What follows is the shortest piece on the album at just over two minutes, a nonetheless beautiful instrumental with excellent twin guitar melodies.
Pilgrimage to the World’s End is one of those songs that the band Primordial make them so unique and by which you can always recognize them. He would have been just as good on the cult albums The Gathering Wilderness or To The Nameless Dead can stand. Historically, the piece is inspired by the story of Irish convicts like Ned Kelly and his family, who were exiled to the end of the world in Australia, where they became rebellious outlaws and paid for it with their lives. The song, performed in 6/8 time, scores points Alan theatrical and soulful singing, dreamlike indulgent solos and this primal melancholy. What an expression, what gripping melodies, what goosebumps moments! A highlight of the album!
Old gods and new wars
Semi-acoustic begins Nothing New Under the Sunthe drums hammer their way into the brain, and a sad guitar melody sounds before the vocals intone another album highlight in an incantatory and narrative way.
Call to Cernunnos has a strong folk flavor with drum sounds and folky melodies and Averills ritual and powerful, the horned Celtic god Cernunnos imploring singing. A song like a wild dance around a midsummer fire, hypnotic, powerful and intense. A song in which you can lose yourself in a trance.
At almost nine minutes, it’s bulky and somehow old-school All Against All the longest song on the album. Pounding riffs, whipping drums and aggressive, throaty growls from Averill give the piece a nasty aggressiveness. Didgeridoo-like sounds in the ritual middle section give the song its own flavor, creating a uniquely oppressive and threatening atmosphere. A song that may require several listens for some, but the variability of Primordial proves.
Death, victory and defeat
Death Holy Death starts with an epic melody and very catchy riffing, and Alan Averill proves once again what an excellent singer he is. I would go so far as to call him “Dio des Celtic / Black Metal” because he was like the one who died far too early Ronnie James Dio has the ability to use his variable and powerful voice so emotionally, theatrically and variably, from gentle mournful tones to powerfully rough vocals, from deep growls to high screams, this frontman is one of the most moving singers in the current metal world, which he also does with the great live gigs.
The album ends with the first single Victory has 1000 Fathers, Defeat Is an Orphan. Go to the video HERE.
This song also contains many playful Irish folk guitar melodies and a beautiful middle section that is brimming with melancholy and gives you goosebumps all over your body. What a successful finale to a fantastic album!
Conclusion
Primordial deliver with How It Ends a great contender for that Album of the Year away. A powerful, rebellious album, with fantastic melodies, many facets and variety, crowned by an absolutely moving vocal performance. An album that joins the ranks of the great classics of this unique band without any compromises! I have people who are enthusiastic about it 10 / 10
Line Up
Alan Averill Nemtheanga – Gesang
Ciarán MacWilliam – Gitarre
Paul MacAulay – Bass
Simon O’Laoghaire – Drums
Tracklist
01. How It Ends
02. Ploughs to Rust, Swords to Dust
03. We Shall Not Serve
04. Traditional
05. Pilgrimage to the World’s End
06. Nothing New Under the Sun
07. Call to Cernunnos
08. All Against All
09. Death Holy Death
10. Victory Has 1000 Fathers, Defeat Is an Orphan
Links
Primordial website
Facebook Primordial
Instagram Primordial
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