TRACK REVIEW: a Circle of Teeth – Primal EP

A wonderfully bold blend of black metal and chilly industrial, Primal blends pulverising downtuned riffs and pummelling beats with icy cold synths, melodic flourishes and musique-concrete sampling to push the EP, recorded solely by the mononymous James, into arresting and visceral sonic ground.

Lyrically, Primal tackles fight-or-flight instincts, relentless frustration and the kind of inner conflict that leaves marks, brilliantly matching the multi-faceted soundscapes and served phenomenally by James’s versatile vocals, which vary from guttural screams and shrieks to powerful bursts of melody. It makes for a challenging, cathartic and refreshing listen. The way James switches effortlessly between walls of palm-muted guitars and intricately layered synths keeps things unpredictable, with the immaculate production packing a wealth of sonic detail.