Review Summary: The Sound of Unraveling
It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll either love or despise Primitive Warfare’s latest offering, Extinction Protocol, within seconds of tuning in. War metal is a genre that doesn’t obscure its intentions, and from the first track of this album, South Carolina’s Primitive Warfare lets you know what they’re all about. This is grind-infused war metal at its finest.
War metal goes by a few names including ‘bestial black metal’ and ‘unlistenable garbage.’ But for some of us who’ve tired of metal conventions, melody and discernable guitar riffs, this genre is second to none. In Extinction Protocol, the music lives up to its chaos-invoking name. The blistering riffs, hammering drums and guttural vocals are all part of the charm.
At just over 31 unholy minutes, this album understands that, much like grindcore, war metal is best served in digestible portions. Tactically inserted soundbites of emergency warning broadcasts or Vietnam flashbacks offer the only respite from the black metal assault.
One of the biggest criticisms of war metal is that it hasn’t changed much since Blasphemy laid down the genre’s blueprint with their 1989 demo Blood Upon the Altar. Extinction Protocol follows a long line of war metal releases that don’t reinvent the wheel. There’s nothing particularly new to be found in these pummeling eight songs. But that’s counterbalanced by the South Carolina duo’s tight songwriting, relentless compositions and solid audio quality.
But more than the adrenaline their music generates, I think Extinction Protocol is an album of the moment.
It’s no secret that our world is on fire. Conflicts rage across nearly every continent. The threat of full-scale nuclear war is higher now than it’s been in six decades. One pandemic has died down, while another one gains speed. The foundations of nations across the globe are being undermined by fascists and billionaires. Global warming threatens to unravel the tapestry of life.
We’re in serious trouble. In some ways, the chaos found in Extinction Protocol is quieter, more organized, than the world around us. At least it is for me. If you’re a fan of uncompromising and extremely heavy music, I would recommend that you check this album out.
