On first hearing Primitive Warfare I was surprised to learn that the band originated in the USA because their sound is more in sync with the glory days of South American black metal (albeit with a modern twist). Having formed in 2018, the band released a well-received demo along with two split EPs before it all went quiet. Making an impactful return, the band finally unleash their debut long player, and it was certainly worth the wait. Featuring eight tracks of vitriolic black/death metal, Extinction Protocol is a release that sets new standards in sonic brutality, and should really come with a health warning.
Typical of Primitive Warfare’s modus operandi there’s no time to waste of fancy introductions or other such pleasantries; opening track ‘Pulpit Of The Conqueror (Mutually Assured Desecration)’ arrives without warning, and it is all the more powerful for it. Like a bullet racing towards your temple, you don’t see it until it hits, but when it makes contact it is all the more forceful. Like an iron curtain descending, Primitive Warfare shut out all light and proceed to scrawl their sound on every available surface and the result is extremely claustrophobic; four walls closing in upon the listener that threaten to squeeze out our very life force. With all needles pushed firmly in the red, this is a very intense experience, but the clue’s in the band’s name; Primitive Warfare, a moniker which conjures images of barbaric conflict after the nuclear bomb’s dropped, a war fought with stone age weapons. Well, that’s precisely what this pair of sonic terrorists serve up, it’s a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners kind of affair, but you kind of knew that on the way in.
Extinction Protocol’s attack is relentless and it is only the spaces between the tracks that offer a little respite. However, that’s not to say that Primitive Warfare are generic, far from it. There’s plenty of variety on offer here and even when they drop down a gear, such as the beginning of ‘Engulfed By Satanic Night’, the still remain crushingly heavy. Whereas a band such as Deicide would use clips from horror films to create a sense of atmosphere, time and place, Primitive Warfare do a similar thing with with samples from war films and public service broadcasts, inserting them at optimum moments for a truly terrifying listen.
With both U235 (also of Demiser and False Light) and Pu239 (also of Demiser and Black Eucharist) proving vocals (the former main, the latter backing), it feels as if the band are attacking from all angles. Primitive Warfare also benefit from operating as a two-piece; just drums, guitar and vocals are their weapons, yet such is the vitriol and viciousness with which they are played, that they sound far bigger. It’s a tight unit that’s almost fascistic in its approach, there’s no room for deviation here, everything is screwed down tight as a drum and that makes the delivery of tracks such as ‘Iron Sight Omnipotence’ all the more potent and explosive.
Such is the full-on sonic assault with which this album is delivered that you might feel drained of energy when you reach closing track ‘Heretic Crusade’, but don’t worry, once you’ve regained your strength, you’ll want to go again.
- Extinction Protocol is released via Godz Ov War Productions and is available now (from here).
Track List:
- Pulpit Of The Conqueror (Mutually Assured Desecration)
- Nuclear Regression
- Engulfed By Satanic Night
- Spears Of Emission
- Witness!
- Extinction Protocol
- Iron Sight Omnipotence
- Heretic Crusade
