Primordial (band)
Encyclopedia
Primordial is an extreme metal
band from Skerries
, County Dublin
, Ireland
. It was formed in 1987 by Pól MacAmlaigh (bass) and Ciarán MacUiliam (guitars). Their sound melds black metal
with Irish folk music.
and death metal
(playing covers of Death, Sepultura
and the like).
Vocalist Nemtheanga joined the band after seeing an advertisement for a singer in Dublin specialist Metal store The Sound Cellar in 1991. According to Primordial lore, the ad was pasted over no more than 2 hours after it being put up.
Upon Nemtheanga's joining the band, the band started to pursue a darker direction citing influence from Bathory
, Celtic Frost
and the emerging Greek and Norwegian black metal
scenes.
Primordial was the first black metal styled band to emerge from Ireland with the release of their Dark Romanticism
demo in the early summer of 1993 (Cruachan were also active at this time combining black metal with folk music
). The band initially came to the attention of Lee Barrett from the UK label Candlelight Records
but he failed to move on signing the band, so after a live soundboard recording from Dublin from 1994 was sent to Cacophonous Records (Cradle of Filth
, Bal Sagoth, etc.), the band signed with them for the release of their debut album Imrama
.
Although their debut album, Imrama, was characteristic as being in a more melodic black metal musical direction, they gradually came to refine their sound with A Journey's End
, which included the use of mandolin
s and whistle
s and a more epic style. The two subsequent releases, The Burning Season and Spirit the Earth Aflame
, showed the band's reflection of cultural geist and emotion, woven into an amalgam of black, celtic
, and folk metal
musical styles. They have toured with various metal bands in the extreme metal genre, including Norwegian
black metal band Immortal
.
The band's fifth album The Gathering Wilderness
turned out to be a much darker and bleaker record than any Primordial had made before, providing the listener with a rawer sound as well. It was chosen as album of the month in Terrorizer Magazine and appeared in lots of top lists of the year 2005.
In January 2006 the band played their first US show alongside Thyrfing
and Moonsorrow
at the Heathen Crusade metalfest in Columbia Heights, Minnesota
.
To the Nameless Dead
, was released on November 16, 2007. It received virtually universal and overwhelming praise, rising to such accolades as being named 2008's Metal Album of the Year by Chronicles of Chaos (continuing an unprecedented back to back honoring for Primordial by the webzine).
They are currently signed with Metal Blade Records
.
In November and December 2010, the band entered Foel Studio in Wales to work with producer
Chris Fielding once again. The resulting album, Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
was released via Metal Blade on 26 April 2011.
In addition to providing illustration for the group, vocalist Nemtheanga (Averill) is also a graphic artist for many other bands and artistic works. Alan has also guested as a vocalist on albums by Void Of Silence
(Ita), Marduk
(Swe), Desaster
(Ger).
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band from Skerries
Skerries, Dublin
-The 20th century and today:Historically, Skerries has been a thriving fishing port and a major center of hand embroidery. In the late 20th century, it became a resort town , and another suburb for commuters to the city of Dublin....
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It was formed in 1987 by Pól MacAmlaigh (bass) and Ciarán MacUiliam (guitars). Their sound melds black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
with Irish folk music.
Biography
The band's roots stretch back to 1987 when Pól and Ciarán first began playing together with Pól's brother, Derek. The band (who were called Forsaken for a brief period) initially played a rough, hybrid mix of early, primitive thrashThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
(playing covers of Death, Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
and the like).
Vocalist Nemtheanga joined the band after seeing an advertisement for a singer in Dublin specialist Metal store The Sound Cellar in 1991. According to Primordial lore, the ad was pasted over no more than 2 hours after it being put up.
Upon Nemtheanga's joining the band, the band started to pursue a darker direction citing influence from Bathory
Bathory (band)
Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by Quorthon in 1983. They are regarded as pioneers of both black metal and viking metal. Quorthon remained the main songwriter and member of Bathory for more than two decades. Bathory was permanently ended after Quorthon's death in 2004...
, Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
and the emerging Greek and Norwegian black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
scenes.
Primordial was the first black metal styled band to emerge from Ireland with the release of their Dark Romanticism
Dark Romanticism (Primordial album)
Dark Romanticism is the 1993 demo from the Irish black metal band Primordial. The album was also rereleased in 2004 by Karmageddon Media with four bonus live tracks and an extra DVD featuring the band's performance at the 2003 PartySan Festival in Germany.-CD track listing:-DVD track listing:#...
demo in the early summer of 1993 (Cruachan were also active at this time combining black metal with folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
). The band initially came to the attention of Lee Barrett from the UK label Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
but he failed to move on signing the band, so after a live soundboard recording from Dublin from 1994 was sent to Cacophonous Records (Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, Bal Sagoth, etc.), the band signed with them for the release of their debut album Imrama
Imrama
Imrama is the debut album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 1995. In 2000, it was re-issued by Hammerheart Records with two bonus tracks. It was reissued again, this time by Metal Blade in 2009 as CD/DVD digipack in slipcase...
.
Although their debut album, Imrama, was characteristic as being in a more melodic black metal musical direction, they gradually came to refine their sound with A Journey's End
A Journey's End
A Journey's End is the second album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 1998.Re-released in 2005 by Candlelight Records with Imrama as a two disc set....
, which included the use of mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
s and whistle
Whistle
A whistle or call is a simple aerophone, an instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means...
s and a more epic style. The two subsequent releases, The Burning Season and Spirit the Earth Aflame
Spirit the Earth Aflame
Spirit the Earth Aflame is the third album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 2000.-Track listing:-Credits:*Alan Averill - Vocals*Ciáran MacUiliam - Guitar*Feargal Flannery - Guitar...
, showed the band's reflection of cultural geist and emotion, woven into an amalgam of black, celtic
Celtic metal
Celtic metal is a subgenre of folk metal that developed in the 1990s in Ireland. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal music and Celtic music. The early pioneers of the genre were the three Irish bands Cruachan, Primordial and Waylander...
, and folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
musical styles. They have toured with various metal bands in the extreme metal genre, including Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
black metal band Immortal
Immortal (band)
Immortal is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1990 by current frontman/guitarist Abbath Doom Occulta and former guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta...
.
The band's fifth album The Gathering Wilderness
The Gathering Wilderness
-Credits:* A.A. Nemtheanga – Vocals* Ciáran MacUiliam – Guitars* Michael O'Floinn – Guitars* Pól MacAmlaigh – Bass* Simon O'Laoghaire – Drums...
turned out to be a much darker and bleaker record than any Primordial had made before, providing the listener with a rawer sound as well. It was chosen as album of the month in Terrorizer Magazine and appeared in lots of top lists of the year 2005.
In January 2006 the band played their first US show alongside Thyrfing
Thyrfing
Thyrfing is a viking metal band from Sweden. The band is named after the royal sword Tyrfing from Norse mythology.-History:Thyrfing was formed in 1995 by Patrik Lindgren , Jocke Kristensson , Peter Löf and Kimmy Sjölund...
and Moonsorrow
Moonsorrow
Moonsorrow is a pagan metal band formed in Helsinki, Finland, in 1995. Musically, the band incorporates elements of black metal and folk metal in their sound...
at the Heathen Crusade metalfest in Columbia Heights, Minnesota
Columbia Heights, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,520 people, 8,033 households, and 4,731 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,368.7 people per square mile . There were 8,151 housing units at an average density of 2,362.9 per square mile...
.
To the Nameless Dead
To the Nameless Dead
To the Nameless Dead is the sixth studio album by the Irish black metal band Primordial, released in 2007. It is also available in a limited edition as a digibook, featuring a different cover design, a 40 page booklet, and a bonus DVD. The album was recorded at Foel Studio, Wales, with producer...
, was released on November 16, 2007. It received virtually universal and overwhelming praise, rising to such accolades as being named 2008's Metal Album of the Year by Chronicles of Chaos (continuing an unprecedented back to back honoring for Primordial by the webzine).
They are currently signed with Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
.
In November and December 2010, the band entered Foel Studio in Wales to work with producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Chris Fielding once again. The resulting album, Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
Redemption At The Puritan's Hand is the seventh studio album by the Irish black metal band Primordial, recorded at Foel Studio, Wales, with producer Chris Fielding and released on April 22, 2011. The album has made it into the charts in Finland , Germany , Sweden and Switzerland .-Track...
was released via Metal Blade on 26 April 2011.
Studio albums
- ImramaImramaImrama is the debut album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 1995. In 2000, it was re-issued by Hammerheart Records with two bonus tracks. It was reissued again, this time by Metal Blade in 2009 as CD/DVD digipack in slipcase...
(1995) - A Journey's EndA Journey's EndA Journey's End is the second album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 1998.Re-released in 2005 by Candlelight Records with Imrama as a two disc set....
(1998) - Spirit the Earth AflameSpirit the Earth AflameSpirit the Earth Aflame is the third album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 2000.-Track listing:-Credits:*Alan Averill - Vocals*Ciáran MacUiliam - Guitar*Feargal Flannery - Guitar...
(2000) - Storm Before CalmStorm before CalmStorm Before Calm is the fourth album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 2002.-Track listing:The UK edition of the album has an 8th track titled "The Burning Season" - 8:45-Credits:*Alan Averill - Vocals...
(2002) - The Gathering WildernessThe Gathering Wilderness-Credits:* A.A. Nemtheanga – Vocals* Ciáran MacUiliam – Guitars* Michael O'Floinn – Guitars* Pól MacAmlaigh – Bass* Simon O'Laoghaire – Drums...
(2005) - To the Nameless DeadTo the Nameless DeadTo the Nameless Dead is the sixth studio album by the Irish black metal band Primordial, released in 2007. It is also available in a limited edition as a digibook, featuring a different cover design, a 40 page booklet, and a bonus DVD. The album was recorded at Foel Studio, Wales, with producer...
(2007) - Redemption at the Puritan's HandRedemption at the Puritan's HandRedemption At The Puritan's Hand is the seventh studio album by the Irish black metal band Primordial, recorded at Foel Studio, Wales, with producer Chris Fielding and released on April 22, 2011. The album has made it into the charts in Finland , Germany , Sweden and Switzerland .-Track...
(2011)
Split releases
- Primordial / Katatonia Split 10" (1996)
- Primordial / Mael MórdhaMael MórdhaMael Mórdha is a doom metal band from Dublin, Ireland. Its name can also be written in traditional Irish typography, as Mael Mórḋa. The band's music melds doom metal with Irish folk music to create what has been referred to as "Gaelic doom metal".-History:...
(2006)
Current
- Alan Averill "Nemtheanga"Alan AverillAlan Averill is an Irish musician most notable for his vocal duties for the folk/black metal band Primordial. Averill joined Primordial in 1991, thus being a founding member of that band...
– Vocals (1991–present) - Ciáran MacUiliam – Guitars (1991–present)
- Micheál Ó Floinn – Guitars (2002–present)
- Pól MacAmlaigh – Bass (1991–present)
- Simon Ó Laoghaire – Drums (1997–present)
Session (Live) members
- Gerry Clince (Mael MórdhaMael MórdhaMael Mórdha is a doom metal band from Dublin, Ireland. Its name can also be written in traditional Irish typography, as Mael Mórḋa. The band's music melds doom metal with Irish folk music to create what has been referred to as "Gaelic doom metal".-History:...
) – Guitars - Steve HughesSteve HughesSteve Hughes is an Australian musician and stand-up comedian.-Music career:In the early 1980s he formed the Sydney thrash metal band Slaughter Lord, who recorded some demos before disbanding. Hughes then joined Mortal Sin in 1989 and stayed with them until 1991...
(Slaughter Lord, NazxulNazxulNazxul is a black metal band from Sydney, Australia. At one time featuring members of other prominent local metal bands including Mortal Sin and Sadistik Exekution, Nazxul has released two albums, an EP and several split releases with other bands....
, Apocalypse Command) – Drums - Dave McMahon – Bass
- Dave Murphy (Mael MórdhaMael MórdhaMael Mórdha is a doom metal band from Dublin, Ireland. Its name can also be written in traditional Irish typography, as Mael Mórḋa. The band's music melds doom metal with Irish folk music to create what has been referred to as "Gaelic doom metal".-History:...
) – Bass - Gareth Averill - Drums
- Cathal Murphy - Drums
In addition to providing illustration for the group, vocalist Nemtheanga (Averill) is also a graphic artist for many other bands and artistic works. Alan has also guested as a vocalist on albums by Void Of Silence
Void Of Silence
Void of Silence is a doom metal band from Italy formed in 1999 by Riccardo Conforti and Ivan Zara with the intention of creating music that would be the perfect union among its different influences: the one Dark/Ambient with gothic and industrial junction for the first one, and the one doom metal...
(Ita), Marduk
Marduk (band)
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
(Swe), Desaster
Desaster
Desaster is a black/thrash metal band formed in Koblenz, Germany in 1988. Their lyrical themes involve war, hate and satanism.-History:Desaster formed in 1988, inspirated by bands like Black Sabbath, Venom, Destruction , Celtic Frost, Bathory, Slayer and Sarcófago. They played their first live...
(Ger).