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Primacy - EP Review: III

06 Dec 2017 // A review by butch181

III is Primacy’s offering to the musical gods for 2017. Showcasing the three tracks recorded this year; this is their final release with vocalist Jason McIver, who has recently decided to step down. The EP consists of three tracks, Apricity, Dissent, and Without Everything. Dissent was released earlier in the year as a single and the review can be found here.

The EP opens with Apricity and jumps straight into some no holds barred heavy chugging on the guitars. The track has some solid potential influences with very strong Deftones characters instrumentally, and an Alice in Chains vibe vocally. Apricity provides a beautiful amalgamation of the deep guttural rhythm, clean piercing lead guitar, and fresh clear melodic vocals. With a heavy 90’s grunge aura, the track picks up pace after the breakdown, the track crescendos with some solid double kick that leaves you yearning for more.

Middle track Dissent, has a lighter alt-metal tone to it, with a chorus that is reminiscent of Chevelle’s softly spoken vocal harmonies in The Red. McIver shows off the duplicity in his voice with smooth melodies and deep-seated abrasive growls, that make me think back to Staind’s Dysfunction album. I would have loved to hear more power behind the clean vocals, as the growls feel slightly out of place on this track, almost like an afterthought.

The EP ends on Without Everything, and instantly kicks up the tempo. McIver’s vocals are largely heavy growls for this final track and have the catchy rhythm of Pantera’s Walk, supported by the consistent thud of the double kick. A song of two parts, you get drawn between the thick headbanging riffs of the verse and arms-wide-open singalong melodies of the chorus.

Production-wise I would have loved a little more clarity in the guitars, but it still worked well with the overall grunge and metal elements to the release. You obviously would have noticed the large number of “influences” mentioned in this review. This EP brings back those elements that made 90’s grunge rock as popular as it was; combining the techniques, both lighter and heavier, and creating something that doesn’t sound regurgitated or copied; this is a solid release that I would have loved to have had a full album of, rather than this teaser of what could have been. Fingers crossed Primacy find a suitable replacement for McIver and their timetable of a future release mid-2018 remains unchanged.


Review written by Alex Moulton

 

About Primacy

Primacy are 5-piece alternative metal band from West Auckland. They incorporate a groove metal base with other elements of hard rock, progressive metal and a twist of blues flavour.

Primacy were formed in 2014 after the split of well know local bands The Blacklight Configuration, Overhaile and Heathen Eyes – the timing was right, the songs were right and the team was right, Primacy came together as a collective around guitarist Adrian Brausch's new and unused material from his former band Overhaile.

Their first EP Failure and Sacrifice was released in 2016, and followed by a mini-EP in 2017 III.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Primacy

Releases

Seeds of Change
Year: 2020
Type: Album
III
Year: 2017
Type: EP
Failure and Sacrifice
Year: 2016
Type: EP
The Demos
Year: 2015
Type: EP

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