RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

Primoridal - Imrama
Release Date: 03/31/2009
Track Listing:
01. Fuil Arsa
02. Infernal Summer
03. Here I Am King
04. The Darkest Flame
05. The Fires...
06. Mealltach
07. Let The Sun Set On Life Forever
08. To The Ends Of The Earth
09. Beneath A Bronze Sky
10. Awaiting The Dawn
11. To Enter Pagan (Demo)
12. The Darkest Flame (Demo)
13. Among The Lazarae (Demo)
14. To The Ends Of The Earth (Demo)

DVD:
01. Among The Lazarae
02. Let The Sun Set On Life Forever
03. To Enter Pagan
04. The Darkest Flame
05. The Fires

Primordial is a band from Ireland whose current line up includes A.A. Nemtheanga (Vocals), Ciáran MacUiliam (Guitars), Michael O'Floinn (Guitars), Pól MacAmlaigh (Bass), and Simon O'Laoghaire (Drums). Like Cruachan they make a cross between pagan and folk metal, but Primordial does not have female vocals and sounds a bit darker and heavier than Cruachan. In fact, when Imrama was first released, Primordial sounded more like the old Amorphis or Bathory.

Primordial has been active since the eighties, but it was in the early nineties when this band recorded their debut album. Since then they have toured with bands like Cradle of Filth. Their second album is, in fact, the second re-issue of Imrama. The first re-issue was in 2001 with two bonus tracks, “The Calling” and “Among The Lazarae.” The original version is from 1995 – that’s 14 years ago! The album title Imrama is derived from “Imrama na Aman,” the voyage of the death to Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth and beauty. With other words, paradise in the Celtic mythology.

From their bio: “It's hard to put the PRIMORDIAL experience into words. This Irish band has managed to establish their own territory, away from the clichés of the metal scene in general and the pagan scene in particular. PRIMORDIAL live and breathe the spirit of their ancestors, putting it into captivating creations full of sorrow and pain on the one hand and confidence and strength on the other. Perfectly balanced between slow, dragging anthems and pure metallic fury, they always manage to create a world full of enthralling myths, where mist engulfs wonderful landscapes, only to reveal them in all their glory just at the right time.”

What you get as a bonus is four demos and a DVD with 5 tracks. The demo songs are token from the Dark Romanticism demo (1993) and the DVD contains the gig Primordial played in Cork, Ireland in February of 1994.

Clearly this reissue is meant to fill the gap between Primordial’s last album (To The Nameless Dead, also from Metal Blade) and an upcoming new album. It will also look good to have a ‘new’ album at the merchandise stand for the upcoming tour of course.

Long time Primordial fans will already have their version of Imrama, but if you are new with Primordial this is a nice buy. Remember, this is not party pagan like Korpiklaani or Turisas, but the real stuff!

Primordial will be on tour in the USA and Canada with the Paganfest 2 Tour, April and May 2009 with Moonsorrow, Eluveitie, and Korpiklaani.

http://www.myspace.com/primordialofficial
http://www.primordialweb.com