Artist: Primordial
Label: Hammerheart
Release Date: 10/1/02
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Title: Storm Before Calm(EP) Artist: Primordial Label: Hammerheart Release Date: 10/1/02 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Primordial have returned with a more black metal approach than we've heard in the past. This album is slightly more aggressive than their previous work, but is no less grand. The production remains understated (or perhaps a little thin, depending on your point of view), and the music seems angrier, or maybe less patient.
"They'll have no trouble keeping their reputation as the best metal band from Ireland (of course, there ain't exactly a lot of competition in that category yet)." Long time fans might dislike this album a little due to the fact that it seems a little less atmospheric than their other work. That's not to say they've become a brutal death metal band overnight, or anything, they've just made a more direct and punishing sound. What they've lost in atmosphere they've more than made up for with aggression, and they're style remains primarily the same, just with emphasis on different parts.
But perhaps I'm selling the long time fans a bit short here. They might enjoy it as much as I do, because this is a very well-crafted album. The same attention to detail come songwriting time remains, and after all, this is the most important part of any record. Each and every song is incredible, far-reaching, and ambitious. And the overall outlook remains beautifully bleak. Basically, what I'm saying is that they'll have no trouble keeping their reputation as the best metal band from Ireland (of course, there ain't exactly a lot of competition in that category yet).
I would like to cite this album as an example to all other 'atmospheric' bands as to what building an aura is all about. The spoken word parts are poignant and (more importantly) brief, never dragging, just getting the point across, and the layering of the music never leaves the listener itching to push the fast forward button. This allows the listener to truly appreciate the atmosphere, where as in other, more overblown examples, the listener never truly hears the band's intended vision because he was too busy searching for the next slab of music.
"This may not be the average Primordial fan's favorite album, but it stacks up well with their impressive past." All in all, if I sound a little disappointed in this album, I'm exaggerating. This is a really good album and this band definitely deserves a greater following amongst the metal underground. This may not be the average Primordial fan's favorite album, but it stacks up well with their impressive past. One word review: Awesome.
Death's Review:
This is decent stuff, just not really for me. I find this type of full-chord repetitive "riffing" boring frankly, and this type of "rolling" black metal drumming doesn't do it for me either. That said, there is some mild, Opeth-style musicianship apparent (you can actually hear the bass!), some cool dynamics, and the vocals (both clean and harsh) certainly display an intensity and a passion which one might compare both to Pink Floyd/Anathema/Amorphis on the clean side, and standard yet notably expressive (Lemmy from Motorhead meets Mille from Kreator) blackened screams on the other. But the native Irish folk elements (yes, the band is from Ireland) are unique, and if you are inclined to dedicate the time to this one you can surely get something out of it. Still, I don't want Irish folk elements, I want skull-crushing riffage. You're not really gonna get that from Primordial. You don't feel the power of twin-cannon attack or that mindblowingly crushing riff; instead you listen to them work simple melodic patterns in service of blackened Irish folk tales. The sub-par production doesn't help matters either; perhaps later efforts will reveal a new layer to the Primordial sound when you can actually hear what they are doing better.
"I don't want Irish folk elements, I want skull-crushing riffage. "
It's too bad, but in the end my musical ear is simply in a completely different space right now. Sure, I can't wait for the new Opeth, but they capture everything I like about Primordial and do it significantly better while eliminating some of Primordial's stronger black metal influences and less inspired songwriting. It comes down to this: I need more action in my music. If I want somber and deep, then get really fucking quiet and spacey or sad or whatever, and perhaps I will buy into that. Otherwise, I want the music to completely kick my ass. I want to hear aggressive riffs and technical melodies. Not these mid-tempo, rapidly strummed chord progressions that form simple boring melodies. I want to crush all!!!!!
""I Wanna Rock" (in the most metal sense of the phrase, of course) and Primordial puts me to sleep." Primordial are of course metal in every sense of the word, and are good players who are mining an "artistic sound" while evoking classic bands like VoiVod, Candlemass, Pink Floyd and Bathory amongst others along their quest. But this midtempo, mild somberness in the music and the riffing is the foundation of the Primordial sound, and that is not what I am looking for at this time. To give you perspective, I'm also listening to the new Bloodbath album today, and I'd sooo much rather be listening to that, or even this week's other album, Irony is a Dead Scene. Bottom line? "I Wanna Rock" (in the most metal sense of the phrase, of course) and Primordial puts me to sleep; Opeth doesn't. So, while perhaps they deserve better, for me Primordial end up with an average score.
Hel's Review:
Have you been feeling the lack of an epic black metal album in your life? An album featuring multiple songs over five minutes in length? Then the newest release from Primordial may have been tailor-made for you.
"I am simply not hooked by Storm Before Calm."
"That is not to say, however, that it is not a quality release." I have listened to this album repeatedly, but beyond my appreciation for the beautiful songwriting and blissful lack of funhouse keyboards or whiny high-pitched female vocals, I am simply not hooked by Storm Before Calm. That is not to say, however, that it is not a quality release. Each part is performed with precision and passion. And the songwriting is so good the point is worth repeating.
I enjoyed Storm Before Calm, and though it lacks that special something necessary to completely draw me in, I suspect I may be giving this one a spin again in the near future. This album is definitely worth checking out.
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