This post was originally published on this site
Some bands never think about writing one concept album in their whole career – Pennsylvania nu-metal upstarts TALLAH are now three for three. Hot on the heels of debut Matriphagy – which centred around a young man who ends up devouring his mother after she drives him to insanity – and the mad scientist at the heart of The Generation of Danger comes third album Primeval: Obsession // Detachment, which follows a nurse called Ana and an assassin called Sheelah on an alien planet, pushed to their respective brinks by a mysterious group of beings. Recorded live with no edits and vocalist Justin Bonitz tracking his vocals in one continuous take, the album saw it’s release via Earache Records.
If your first thought of nu metal is LIMP BIZKIT then fair enough, but this isn’t at that end of the spectrum. This is at the more feral end, with isolated sound effects and turntable scratches from DJ Navi and thick, slapped basslines from Max Portnoy, whose move from drums (yes, he is indeed the son of Mike) has proved the talent in that family runs deeper than just skins. In his place is Joel McDonald who puts in a sterling performance behind the kit on his first appearance, perhaps unsurprising given he was touring with the band for over a year prior.
Along with the chunky guitars from Derrick Schneider and Alex Snowden, Primeval: Obsession // Detachment is a huge love letter to the likes of KORN (as displayed on What We Know), SYSTEM OF A DOWN (Augmented) and, in a slight turn of pace, DEFTONES (the melodic vocals in My Primeval Obsession and Depleted). However, the biggest influence is, without question, still SLIPKNOT: the chaos that has followed the Nine from their own beginnings is replicated in tracks such as A Primeval Detachment and the overall tone on McDonald‘s snare drum, particularly when combined with his double kicks.
Not everything is a hit, however – penultimate song What We Want is going smoothly enough until a seemingly random acoustic middle eight clips its wings; it’s a temporary thing, but it’s not the curveball the band would have been hoping for. As Fate Undoes is, frankly, a bit of a mess – it starts with industrial beats and more SLIPKNOT-esque poundings, but for all that Justin should be commended for his efforts in recording every vocal line in one take, here his voice sounds strained, as if it’s beginning to struggle under the effects of the undertaking. Before long, he dips into deeper growls closer to deathcore and then the guitars begin squealing over the top and it’s already too much, too soon; by the time it ends with the sound of strings, you begin to wonder what you’ve just heard – regrettably, it doesn’t feel like any section has gelled, leaving a clumsy impression. The ending, 07:09, is also weird; credit here for the fact that it’s unsettling and mirrors some of the elements from the very beginning (intro track 05:01 also comprises solitary voice notes and jarring musical twangs), yet after everything that’s just come before, it too doesn’t quite have the same effect.
TALLAH are clearly still learning their craft, and you cannot fault the effort they put into their music – indeed, there are moments on Primeval: Obsession // Detachment that sparkle brightly. However, that roughness around their edges does need looking at; you naturally don’t want to become too cookie-cutter, but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of pruning to make things tighter and more impactful.
Rating: 6/10
Primeval: Obsession // Detachment is out now via Earache Records.
Like TALLAH on Facebook.
The post ALBUM REVIEW: Primeval: Obsession // Detachment – Tallah appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
