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Humachine

    
       
       
       
     
             
Primal are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2014, releasing their self titled debut album in 2016, with sophomore album 'Humachine' emerging in 2023.    
             
Featuring "eleven well-structured songs within traditional heavy metal, with a solid rhythmic base and strong melodies", says the bands guitarist Glenn Rogers - and who am I to disagree! He's got it spot on - 'Humachine' is fifty minutes of classic sounding American power driven heavy metal, with opener 'The Cage' quickly into its stride, pounding the sidewalk with a resounding heaviness that's gonna see cracks opening up everywhere! The band a heavy metal machine of pure power and energy - surging on with the foot stomping title song 'Humachine (Heavy Toll)'. A much heavier, yet slower tempo thunderstorm, Primal are in mean mood here with a sinister edge - 'Humachine (Heavy Toll)' displaying hints of the doom heavy style of legends Black Sabbath.    
             
Picking up the pace to become an all out firestorm, the band rocket forth with 'Firefighter', and a head bang ability that is gonna set the mosh pits on fire! Primal showing a clean pair of heels, racing off into the distance - 'Firefighter' leaving only dust clouds in its wake. A varied opening threesome, but all very much metal in nature, the band barge on with the very British feel of 'Unleash In Madness'. And a definite NWOBHM influence too - the band echoing a sound from over four thousand miles and forty years away! Is there any better sound than British heavy metal? Yea o' course there is - a woman at the height of sexual arousal! But when it comes to metal - and I may be biased here - Britain rules! Followed closely by Germany, Sweden, America, Japan, and a host of other countries. But this ain't a Geography lesson - this is a music review! 'Humachine' storming on with pace and power courtesy of the red hot scorching 'End Times' - and a thundering gallop the likes of (British legends) Iron Maiden made famous, with head banging of a vigorous nature to accompany this one!    
             
And increasing the pace even more to become a thunderous thrashy roar, 'Warrior's Code' does settle down a little, yet remains with one foot in the thrash metal genre - with a vocal snarl spitting venom across the chorus break. Menace not heard before, the band beginning to display a bit more aggression, remain thrashy for 'Savior', albeit for the first thirty seconds or so! And then 'Savior' turns into a mid tempo mid paced foot stomping march of melodic metal - returning the thrasy nature of the opening riff again and again before 'Savior' has run its course. And loaded with tension and menace, the band move on with more Black Sabbath doom heavy riffing courtesy of the plodding 'Infernal Nightmare' - releasing an air of scary into the night sky, sending chills down the spines of listeners, fans and followers!    
             
At times throughout this album I have thought maybe Primal are a thrash metal band - many of the songs on offer displaying a thrashier feel than just a heavy metal one! 'Betrayal' the latest offering to echo the guitar sound of thrashers Megadeth! It's all good in my eyes though - ears too! The heavier the better as far as I'm concerned - the thirty second 'Bantu's Victory' a roll call leading straight into the final song 'Ever'. And a very strong hint of the intro to the Metallica classic 'One' (off the bands 1988 album '...And Justice For All'). But apart from the opening ten seconds or so, 'Ever' takes on an identity of its own - or not! The opening hint returning a few times before 'Ever' ends - the song a wandering meander around the metal and rock genres.    
             
Overall, a thunderous and infectious heavy metal album with strong leanings towards the aggressive nature of thrash.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Vlad Promotion    
             
             
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