Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand [2011]

The buzz for Primordial's new effort was high, and that's for a little reason called "To the Nameless Dead," one of the best-received albums of the last decade. I'd dare say it was as bit overrated, but it was still great, and "Empire Falls" is basically the greatest song ever this side of "Crimson." A strong argument could be made for their originality and talent in creating heartfelt music. Their use of feeling and emotional power over songwriting is not one I particularly find mesmerizing, however, and Redemption at the Puritan's Hand features the band's greatest amount of this sentiment yet. The first time I heard it, I was very underwhelmed and shocked at how ineffectual it was. Not a single song was memorable and I basically hated it; but as others have noted, this album is a grower. It just takes some listens to properly appreciate, and though I still don't like it very much, I must admit that it's a fairly decent release that should please fans of the band.

Primordial specializes in creating an enveloping sound of blackened celtic metal. They draw you in with music that speaks with glorious pride for their nation and grab your attention with Alan Averill's emotive vocals. He's probaby the most controversial element in the band, which is ironic considering that I don't love Primordial and he's my favorite part. He passionately and painfully puts himself into every powerful groan, growl, and scream. He never goes beyond the range you'd expect, but his more extreme aspects will surprise you with their proficient depth. The rest of the band finds their role to be one of simplicity, which is all that is necessary for them. Their goal is to make a thick inferno of metal for Alan's tortured delivery to bounce safely on top of. All of it is very intense and might overwhelm those expecting an easy listen.

I just wish the band had a better songwriting template than the one they continually insist on using. Sure, I'm not expecting upbeat choruses everywhere I look, but they could add some parts to capture my interest every once in a while. As it stands, I can hardly remember a thing about any of the songs. The length of each track certainly irks me, as well. I have no idea why almost all of therm have to be eight minutes or longer when barely have any repeating parts. There are a couple on here that I couldn't go as far to even call a song, like "The Black Hundred;" they're more like a collection of random loose bits and pieces. It also certainly doesn't help that the droning atmosphere of the thing is putting me to sleep before I reach track six. A little Primordial goes a long, long way. I prefer to hear them in smaller doses, not an hour+ album.

I'm not sure whether Redemption at the Puritan's Hand is just a flawed release, or that it's just not in my best interests. I strongly suspect the former, however, since I still at least enjoyed To the Nameless Dead for a good amount of time. This is an album that I feel forced to come back and listen to, since it gives me no natural urge to do so myself. It's a real shame, too, since I want to like Primordial so much and there is a lot to like about them; but until they radically alter their song structures, I doubt I ever will. I did like a few songs, such as "No Grave Deep Enough," "Lain with the Wolf," and "Death of the Gods," but not enough to keep me coming back. I'm aware that I'm in the minority here, so maybe it's too much to ask. Let people listen to what they enjoy, I suppose.

   Overall: 6.25/10 (Fair)