#25 - Top of 2018

Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins (Metal Blade)

The sombre sounds of these proud Irishmen echo once more as if hearing the steps of a Republican dissident heading to the gallows. In their 9th full length, the band continues in the same vein of all their previous releases since 2005's "The Gathering Wilderness". To those unfamiliar with the band, they play a blend of doom/black with mostly clean vocals, incorporating folk and post influences. In "Exile among the ruins", there is a certain tendency to re-approach their black metal legacy, with opener "Nail their Tongues" referencing the Lutheran Reformation, while followup "To Hell or the Hangman" has a more folk/punk aesthetic to it.  The rest of the album balances between an energetic revolutionary release and a solemn acceptance of the dark age we find ourselves in, while packing gigantic riffing and of course the -as always- exceptional vocal performance of   Nemtheanga.  Single "Stolen Years" deserves an extra notion, with a more approachable simpler tune, Nemtheanga's vocals almost unrecognisable, sounding as a bonus song from a Lake of Tears album in the late 90s. Overall, this work is as excellent as its 2 predecessors in this decade, and while not re-inventing the wheel, there are hints in it indicating that the next album from the band might be a very different one!

93.7/100

Below are the music videos for the titular track and "To Hell or the Hangman"