primordial

Imrama
$15.98
Let me preface this review by pointing out that this is the first time I've heard anything by Primordial. They came to my attention as a band whom I might like due to their eclectic mixture of black metal, Celtic and Pagan-infused rhythms and lyrical content, and technical mastery. So what better place to start than the recently re-release (and re-mastered) debut album from this underground/cult Irish black metal band?Right from the get-go, it's apparent that this release is a much more raw and much more black metal style album from what I understand their later albums come to be. It's one of the reasons I normally start with a band's early catalogue (so I can pay attention to, and hear their growth and maturity over time). "Fuil Arsa," "Infernal Summer," and "Here I Am King" all call to mind strong mid-paced black metal. Full-on screeching vox with sparsely placed clean singing (which is where A.A.N. Nemtheanga - yes, that's his name - brings to mind doomy gothic bands like My Dying Bride) complement fairly standard swirling guitar rhythms. "The Darkest Flame" changes the pace of the album a bit, slowing down further and incorporating some nice spoken word passages that continue the Pagan(?) themes prevalent throughout the album. The 'quiet' doesn't last long, as "The Fires..." is one of the more ferocious tracks on the disc, both lyrically and musically. Yes, the more I listen to that song, the more I like it. "Mealltach" is a skip track, but "Let the Sun Set on Life Forever" is gorgeous, beautifully haunting and scary at the same time. By far the strongest track on the album, one can tell that Primordial spent some time listening to the early 90s black metal masters before jumping in the studio to record this one. The sheer emotion of the song gives you shivers! All in all, this is far from a subpar release; it's just not anything groundbreaking. It's a fair debut, and I am planning on following their growth through future albums, but if you're new to black metal, this might not be the greatest place to start...

Primordial
$16.98
This book was a good read and the story line was relatiively believable. It was interestingly set in 3 locations. The description of some of the scenes were very explosive and had me reaching for my husband!! I liked the strong independent woman who was game for anything to save her granfather, I felt the lead male role was slightly over matcho, but could imagine they are out there.

I may try another of Ms Agnews books, just to see if I like her continued style, this was my first book by her and I felt I have read better.
Truth be told I would still read it, so give it a go as there are great scenes, maybe just not enough!!

To The Nameless Dead
$7.92
All the reviews on this page are spot on; Primordial has quickly become one of my favorite bands. The songs are spectacular and epic: lots of acoustic passages, very, very catchy riffs, and somehow, without keyboards/synths, they manage to convey that folky feel. As another reviewer says, Nemtheanga has really shone on this album. His vocals are haunting and passionate.

Another tidbit for people who can't stand black metal / death metal vocals: This album only has clean vocals! Yes, Primordial started out as BM, and their recent albums still have some gruff vocals, but for some reason, there are none in this album (which in no way means that they're selling out!).

This album was my introduction to Primordial, and I was hooked from my first listen. You should get it if you like folk metal (or even folk rock.. it's really good); and you MUST get it if you're Irish (when I listen to 'Heathen Tribes', I wish I was Irish).

Recommended for fans of: Agalloch, Moonsorrow, Falkenbach, Windir, Bathory.
Recommended songs: Heathen Tribes, Traitors Gates (that's just 2 for you to sample, but the whole CD is equally good).

Go get it!

Spirit the Earth Aflame
$12.99
Irish Black Metal; Moody, dark, beautiful, and fierce. The Celtic spirit is wonderfully translated into a Metallic genre.