Primitive Warfare - Extinction Protocol (ALBUM REVIEW)
Release date: May 10th, 2024
Finally, an article wholly dedicated to a War Metal album.
I consider this to be my shot at redemption after missing my chance to properly cover two amazing bestial black/death releases at the end of last year: One Nightmare Unto Another by Profane Order, and Bestial Extermination by Blood Serpent (thankfully I didnβt fully disrespect them and still made time to include them in my 2023 roundup). So when I saw this album popping up on my radar, I had to check it out.
Hereβs the thing with consciously listening to this specific metal genre: beyond the sheer bludgeoning drums and incendiary guitarwork, there is not much regarding technicality within the debut opus of Primitive Warfare to talk about, per se. Whatβs worth discoursing about, then, is how well a band in this style conveys their energy. The ability to do so is what separates good black/death bands such as this band, or the Ross Bay Cult warlords, or the blasphemers of New Zealand from a myriad more bands in the same vein yet cannot captivate their listeners in a similar way.
What I appreciate the most about Extinction Protocol is how the unrelenting barrages of aural assault are bolstered by arguably one of the best productions I have ever heard in the genre: all elements of the mix sound equally brutalizing and violent, yet there are no signs of one instrument overpowering another throughout the whole composition: a method of mixing and mastering most similar to that heard in Archgoatβs 2018 release, βThe Luciferian Crownβ.
Production aside, Extinction Protocol - as a musical work - is tastefully arranged and possesses quite a high level of musical dynamism, given the rather straightforward compositional ethos of the genre. Primitive Warfare - true to the name - strictly sticks to the primal battering of crushing low-tuned death metal chugs and blistering blast beats that are coupled with trem-picked chord runs, rarely - if ever - borrowing from elements of other genres such as thrash like the case of Sarinvomit, or utilizing melodicism like Blood Serpent. Yet, for the 31 minutes of the albumβs runtime, the momentum and energy of the music remain consistently high, without a single moment of boredom nor being overwhelmed.
To conclude, I do believe that Primitive Warfareβs debut offering can be likened to the virtues of an AK rifle: while not flashy nor mind-blowingly innovative, it is - without a shadow of a doubt - a highly well-made craftwork that hits unapologetically hard and will definitely stand the test of time.