Seriously, does this band ever fail to knock the ball completely out of the park? The answer is NO! Where Greater Men Have Fallen is the eight full-length studio release from the Irish black/pagan/celtic/doom metal act known as Primordial, and once again Alan Averill 'Nemtheanga', Ciaran MacUiliam, Michael O'Floinn, Pol MacAmhlaigh, and Simon O'Laoghaire have delivered a textured, emotional, and pulverizing statement of dark, majestic heavy metal that's almost as hard to classify as it is easy to enjoy. Basically, if you've loved their output up to this point, Where Greater Men Have Fallen is going to more than satisfy.
Averill continues to be one of the most unique frontmen/vocalists in all of metal, his anguished, pained, yet powerful delivery is Dublin, Ireland through and through, as if all the history of his homeland comes comes completely out of all his pores. He's masterful on the slow, pondering "Babel's Tower", and just forceful enough on the potent, opening title track, which also contains some really seriously kick ass guitar riffing. "Come the Flood" is grand, majestic fare, with slower black metal inspired riffs but completed by Averill's soaring melodic vocals. "The Seed of Tyrants" is the first time the band really unleash their furious side on the album, as this raging maelstrom of claustrophobic black & pagan metal hits you from all avenues, Averill spewing his venom over monstrously speedy riffs and manic rhythms. The band then goes into full blown doomsville on the pulverizing "Ghosts of the Charnel House", and stays on that course with "The Alchemist's Head", though laying the atmosphere on quite thick amid crushing riffs and Averill's evil delivery. The near 9-minute "Born to Night" shows how good this band is at creating textured, epic, dare I say almost 'proggy' arrangements, as this one is an extended journey into dark, nightmarish forests, heavy yet atmospheric, and one of the albums highlights. Folks elements come into play on the melodic closer "Wield Lightning to Split the Sun", another melodic piece that despite its somber nature, has an almost 'raise your pint of ale and sing along' quality to it. Just majestic stuff, as only Primordial can deliver.
There you have it, another wonderful album from Primordial that is certain to continue to cement their legacy as one of metal's true treasures. Extreme yet accessible, crushingly heavy while still grand & majestic...it's the Primordial way, and if you haven't jumped on this train yet, what the hell are you waiting for? Mandatory listening!
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Where Greater Men Have Fallen
2) Babel's Tower
3) Come the Flood
4) The Seed of Tyrants
5) Ghosts of the Charnel House
6) The Alchemist's Head
7) Born to Night
8) Wild Lightning to Split the Sun
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