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Primordial: To the nameless dead

15/12/09 || Euthanatos

Sometimes, I’ve filled my monthly quota here at GD, and dedicate myself to other endeavors, like real life. Naturally, that doesn’t mean I stop listening to metal, far from it, I’m always looking for new bands, so on. Occasionally, I’ll come across such a band, be curious about it, look up its website, and also if it has any reviews here on the site. Today I was doing such a thing, and while I was browsing through the letter P, I noticed something… something unforgivable. It bewildered me so much, I had to double check. Then, triple check.

My eyes did not deceive me; “To The Nameless Dead”, one of the best releases of 2007, had not been reviewed here at Global Domination. How could that be? Was that album overlooked somehow? It can happen. We review a lot of shit here, but there’s only so many of us, and a lot of the fuckers who sign up to work here simply don’t put in the effort required. But, as a matter of fact, the album had been picked up by a few of us, namely former staff members Stephen Fallen and Banesupper, who had also reviewed “The Gathering Wilderness”, as this became obvious when I looked at the Best of List from 2007. Those cheeky fuckers liked the album so much that they included it in their Top 5, but not one of them could be arsed to review it! The album was reviewed in January 2008’s Audio Autopsy though, so that might be the reason. Still! Gaaah! It makes me want to stab everyone in the face. Never thee mind, though. Euthanatos is here to save the day. For the horde! Roar.

Anyway, Primordial. No one quite knows what they play, they use corpse paint, but these days they sound nothing like black metal (they did in the past, though). This could be called Irish Metal, although it’s not gay like Skyclad. Extreme Irish Metal, if you will. It’s aggressive, yet very melodic and powerful, epic in its own way, not gay Manowar epic. Epic like Bathory, for instance. Not that it has anything to do with Bathory, but still. Shit, this is hard. No wonder no one reviewed it before. What the hell have I gotten into?

Still, Primordial. Splendid band, this. Their previous efforts were good, some say they have never topped “Spirit the Earth Aflame”. Nay, I say! All lies. “To The Nameless Dead” was not only one of the best albums of 2007, it is one of the best records of the decade. I’m dead serious. This is brutally good.

Nemtheanga’s vocals, for instance, are the very definition of epic and ballsy. Gone are the days when he yelled a weak rasp. Oh, no, sir. Now he screams his way into battle, and perfectly in tune as well! Very few people manage to do that, I guarantee it. And this Irish fucker right here, he screams his balls off like the best of them. Although his black metal roots can still be heard in songs like “Failures Burden”, I prefer his new style.

The guitar-work by Ciáran MacUiliam and Michael O’Floinn is also commendable. While never flashy, these guys pull out riff after riff, mixing mid with slow paced passages that totally give this the feel of a historic war movie soundtrack. The drums are also a pleasant surprise, it’s hard to stand out in metal when speed isn’t involved, but surely Simon O’Laoghaire does the job impressively. Check out “As Rome Burns” for instance, for a great sampler from everyone I just mentioned. I know what you’re thinking now, though: “Euthanatos is being a cunt to the bass player again. Won’t even mention the poor bastard”. No, wait! There’s a great bass moment in “Heathen Tribes”. I’m dead serious. Finally!

And while that last track I mentioned and “Empire Falls”, which is just butt-fuckingly, majestically good, are my favorites, all songs here are awesome in themselves, and all deserve to be heard equally. No intro, no fucking about, 7 quality tracks (one’s an intermission thingy, and serves no purpose, fuck it) filled with creativity and Irishness. I have no idea what that means.

Anyway, go listen to it, it’s that good. Coffee drenched in whiskey and all that. There, now I can sleep. Good deed of the day is done.

The cover: Fucker holding a flag? Fuck does that mean?

Information
Released: 2007
Label: Metal Blade
Website: www.primordialweb.com
Band
Nemtheanga: vocals
Ciáran MacUiliam: guitars
Michael O’Floinn: guitars
Pól “Paul” MacAmlaigh: bass
Simon O’Laoghaire: drums

Tracklist
01. Empire Falls
02. Gallows Hymn
03. As Rome Burns
04. Failures Burden
05. Heathen Tribes
06. The Rising Tide
07. Traitors Gate
08. No Nation On This Earth

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