Music
19 Jan 18

Primordial share new single 'Stolen Years' ahead of album release

2018 marks the twenty-seventh year of Primordial's seminal career, and their triumphant return with ninth full-length, Exile Amongst The Ruins.

The band have lost none of their vitality. Once again building upon their signature sound, the follow up to 2014's Where Greater Men Have Fallen is a more raw, "old school sounding" record than its predecessor. Hitting home with what vocalist A.A. Nemtheanga describes as "a direct energy", and wielding an urgency that is undeniable, the Irish quintet once again effortlessly blend elements of Celtic folk and black metal like no one else.

Teaming with producer Ola Ersfjord, who worked on Primordial's 2016 live album Gods To The Godless and has also overseen releases from the likes of Dead Lord, Tribulation and Nemtheanga's Dread Sovereign, the record was tracked at Dublin's Camelot Studios, located adjacent to their rehearsal room.

While this proved very convenient for all concerned, the recording process was anything but easy.

"Sessions were good and productive to start, but as we were thinking on our feet for some songs and getting to hear things for the first time, we had to reassess at times, and this caused a bit of tension," says MacUiliam. "Also, we had gaps between recording sessions, so an idea which was good in week one didn't always sound so good in hindsight, and sometimes one person's vision did not match another's, and quarrels would ensue."

Speaking about Primordial's new single, A.A. Nemtheanga said: "'Stolen Years’ may seem like a strange choice as our lead single, and on the face of if I guess it is. It’s not a blood and thunder epic about tragedy and might and the ruin of nations, nor is it 9 minute epistle of doom. Have no fear, the album does contain those also but to open this time we chose something different. This album has some surprises and this is one of them, a short and painfully simple song which almost didn’t make the final cut if you can believe so. The video, cut by Costin Chioreanu, is about the journey involved in finally getting to that moment where you walk on stage, the song itself about that last night on earth that comes to us all, sometimes we never know when that might be, hold your loved ones tight tonight, this could be it…"

Exile Amongst the Ruins will be out March 30 on Metal Blade Records.

Listen to 'Stolen Years' below: