Primeval

Album review

Over the last half-decade, Venom Prison has become one of the most essential groups in modern death metal. Both of their full lengths, 2016's Animus and 2019's Samsara, are two of the genre's most well-regarded inclusions in recent memory, and the band's thematic dives into feminist revenge fantasy and antifascism have breathed fresh life into an overwhelmingly patriarchal scene. The Welsh outfit's latest project, Primeval, is an updated look at their origins. The record features re-recordings of their first two EPs and two brand new tracks, resulting in a comprehensive presentation of their preternatural beginnings and a showcase of how far they've come in just five years.

The tracklist is in chronological order, so the first five songs are from Defy The Tyrant their exceedingly promising debut EP. Compared to how they sound now, those tracks are much more rhythmic and chuggy than your average death metal band. The syncopated mosh parts on "Usurper Of The Throne" and "Mortal Abomination" are the sort of taut breakdowns you'd hear on a metalcore album. "Life Suffer" even manages to find harmony between brutal death metal and its stomping little cousin, deathcore. The second batch of tracks takes a noticeable detour into ragged and wicked death metal that's more focused on old school riffage than moshpit fodder. Larissa Stupar's vocals are significantly more high-pitched on these songs, recalling the hellish shriek of The Black Dahlia Murder's Trevor Strnad. Everything from the guitar tones and the drumming, to the vocals and the riffs are nastier and more violent in all the best ways. Although there are breakdowns in "Daemon Vulgaris," "Narcotic," and the amazingly hideous "The Primal Chaos," they're peppered flairs rather than central focuses.
b The whole record sounds cohesive on a production level, but the new tracks "Defiant to the Will of God" and "Slayer of Holofernes" are an obvious step-up in the performance category. The former features more technical playing all around—decimating blast beats, dizzying riffs—but also some interesting melodic breaks and atmospheric clean vocals. The latter song, on the other hand, is all about basking in grindcore heaviness. Whether you're a longtime fan or someone looking for an entryway, Primeval is a great addition to the world of Venom Prison. © Eli Enis/Qobuz