- Country: Ireland
- Style: Pagan black metal / Folk metal
- Label: Metal Blade Records
- Release date: 30 March 2018
Primordial have never been a band for short attention spans, and their ninth album is another long, slow-burning dose of Irish fury. Recorded at Camelot Studios in Dublin with Ola Ersfjord, it sounds rawer and more direct than its 2014 predecessor, and that suits Nemtheanga’s voice, which has never sounded more weathered or more commanding.
“Nail Their Tongues” opens with a march that keeps climbing, “To Hell or the Hangman” has the kind of rolling, bitter refrain only this band could pull off, and the title track is pure doom-laden drama. The surprise is “Stolen Years”, short and stripped back, almost a folk ballad, and one of the most affecting things they have recorded.
There are moments where the familiar mid-tempo trudge outstays its welcome, and the middle of the record sags slightly. But by the time “Last Call” rings out over its final minutes, you will have forgotten all about that.
Best tracks:
Nail Their Tongues
To Hell or the Hangman
Stolen Years
Exile Amongst the Ruins
Last Call
Author’s rating: 8.2/10
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