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Primordial > Spirit the Earth Aflame > Reviews
Primordial - Spirit the Earth Aflame

Epic - 100%

HviteGuden, October 6th, 2019

"Spirit the Earth Aflame" is a continuation of the development of unique Primordial's sound. Again, the band demonstrates the work, which is different to the previous ones. On this album Primordial brings back the blackness and epic moods. Folk influences remain at the stock, but the Celtic vibe is now established more with the atmosphere, than folk instruments. Doom metal influences are still pronounced, there's not much really fast melodies on the album, mid-pace is generally the highest point.

The album begins with the title track, which basically is an intro. Measured melodies settle the mood, which is fully presented on "Gods To The Godless". This composition is absolutely majestic. Music-wise, vocals-wise and lyrics-wise. It sounds like a victory anthem. Lower pace makes the riffs magnificent. Vocals are presented competently, the epic clean singing culminates to ferocious screaming on the corresponding parts. The music is like viking metal of Bathory, but harsher, as there are black metal influences. Of course, majorly the least are set by the screaming, but still the music on "Gods To The Godless" isn't just epic, but also aggressive, belligerent.

However, there's a place for melodicism. Despite an increased level of the harshness, the melodicism is well established due to the pronounced lead-guitars. And the least are especially well expressed on some compositions. "The Soul Must Sleep" is filled with colorful variating lead-guitars. Again, the majestic atmosphere is created, but this composition also brings something transcendental. The same can be said about instrumental "The Cruel Sea". Moreover, this is a traditional Irish song performed in a metalized way. That can be called the most folkish part of "Spirit the Earth Aflame".

"The Burning Season" is the highlight of the album. It also has the conquering mood, so to speak. Music once again becomes a great reflection of the lyrics on the belligerent thematics. Note, how brisk the couplets are, while the chorus is deep and graceful. That's what makes the track spectacular. So, it's fair to conclude, that the truculent spirit is dominant on the album and from time to time it's mixed with deep and hypnotic melodies. "Spirit the Earth Aflame" becomes the first significant step for Primordial in elaborating their own sound.

Primordial Part Three: Spirit the Earth Aflame - 100%

Taliesin, August 17th, 2006

Primordial returned after the desperate cries upon A Journey's End with their most powerful and heathen recording. Writing in the liner notes that on this record they took a stance to combine the tragedy of the Irishman's existence and combine it with the other side of the Irish, their power and strength and ancient history. There is also a sense of the heathen sons of the now taking control over the Christian filled landscape of their ancestors, in essence setting the Earth Aflame with a new age. This sensation is strong on here, and in the intro one is drawn into their fire and passion to fill lakes of Christian blood, turning them into the slaves they turned the pagan peoples and the heathen land.

This rage combined with tragedy and sorrow and a bittersweet taste creates the power of this recording. Yes you can hear the influence of Bathory, but also you can hear their pure power, creating their volkish music, beautiful, Earthly and over all with the truth of the human condition.

Many call this their defining hour, I am tempted to agree, simply because it sees them combine everything into one package, their sorrow and despair, their strength and honour, beauty and ugliness, the fight against the modern. Combined with the fact that it is over all their strongest recording, without the offputting qualities of some songs on Imrama, Journey's End, Storm Before Calm and The Gathering Wilderness. However, if I were to place it in the importance of the message said The Gathering Wilderness is still their most important if not the most defining recording.

But I will say the fact is Primordial create music with true importance to our age. From the despair and tragedy of the modern man on A Journey's End to the desperation of our very age on The Gathering Wilderness, to this revolution against everything in the modern and the exhaultation of the ancient on this and Imrama and Storm Before Calm, Primordial create music that speaks to any who are of the ancient spirit, who despise this modern world which destroys and consumes. Buy this album.

Excellant - 90%

Diabolical_Vengeance, October 17th, 2004

Primordial have always been enigmatic, at one time producing a black metal album, then going on a more doomier path which brings us to Spirit The Earth Aflame. This is one of the most intelligent albums i've heard in a long time. Intelligent isn't a word often associated with extreme metal but this album just oozes of it. After reading a couple of interviews I know this isn't just some band drinking beers, picking up guitars and having a good time. They are serious artists.

The Music is vaguely progressive without straying into Dream Theater wankiness and the songwriting is just top notch. The lyrics are very impressive, intelligent, at times angry and aggressive without thankfully resorting to Pantera-isms. Primordial are Irish and make no bones about it, using their country's torn history as inspiratoin to create this record. Gods to the Godless could describe the yearning for assimilation that the Brits felt when they invaded Ireland as well as the feelings of the native Irish who were victims of this subjagation. The following track begins with a quote by French philospher Jean-Paul Sartre that fits the mood very well, painting the portrait of a weary, if at peace, traveller. As per Primordial traddition, there is a tradditional Irish song interpreted. The Cruel Sea is one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard. I picture great cliffs, great waves smashing ashore and beautiful, green countryside. This song sends chills up my spine.

The version i have of this album comes with the 4 track The Burning Season EP as a bonus. The most stunning song on this is the closer And THe Sun Set on Life Forever. The first 3 minutes of the song are a steady, repetetive build-up, like a great beast channelling all its power and the rest of the song doesn't dissapoint. I reccomend this to all fans of progressive Metal, in an age when progressivness is unfortunately equated to mindless wanking, Primordial are the bearers of light. The only weakness of this album, which is slight, is that after the 3rd track the songs loose their distinctiveness. But this is only a minor flaw and does little to distract from an otherwise nearly flawless album.

Gods to the Godless - 95%

JonAftermath, December 13th, 2003

Few bands these days are truely essential. Few can claim to really do something that cannot be done by a plethora of other acts and while this is acceptable where the bands produce excellent music within their field, the sheer pleasure of coming across a band that are so brilliantly unique as Primordial have become is what makes being a part of the metal scene so rewarding. Primordial have produced a series of outstanding works in their career and have fused their influences with their own ideas so well at this point that they have acheived that elusive 'original' sound that so many bands strive for.
In short the album is a masterpiece. It's the kind of album that crops up once every so often and would define a genre, only that this band's status still goes so unrecognised. This is not a bona fide doom album but is so melancholic in parts as to produce something far more potent. Many bands claim to perform a brand of celtic pagan metal or irish metal and employ traditional instrumentation to emphasize this point but despite the fact that Primordial rarely employ such instruments, using a bodhrán only once on this album, they produce something far more in this vein. The emotive melodies of 'Gods to the Godless' and the reworking of a Sean O' Riada tune in the form of 'The Cruel Sea' immediately hook the listener and are complemented by the band's willingness to play with atmosphere and the combined anthemic qualities of these songs.
This album is probably the most melodic and most easily accessible of the band's discography, but don't let this discourage you from a purchase. This is extreme music, just in a different way from perhaps what this usually refers to in metal.