2015 proved to be a productive year for the Russian/Welsh act, Venom Prison when they released not one, but two EPs. Their ambition has continued to grow since then by deftly demonstrating the cunning and extreme of their Modern Death Metal sound. This budding band made noticeable waves in the scene when they released their second full-length, Samsara (Prosthetic Records) last year. Vocalist Larissa Stupar presented this rare rage that she and the whole band developed into a massive, contagious fury. Now, these guys are ready to exhibit how much they’ve grown in the last five years. Primeval (Prosthetic Records) is a compilation of their first two Eps re-recorded and reinvigorated.
The band returns to their early days by making the first half of the record revisit their first EP, Defy the Tyrant. They take the potency from their pieces and add a thoughtful precision. ‘Life Suffer’ and ‘Mortal Abomination’ showcase the band’s sludge and severity with tweaking the sound to a higher quality. Their adaptations allow the ominous weight of their lyrics to be more deeply felt. There is a certain poise and execution of this recording that makes you keenly catch the grimace and glum of Stupar’s growls. Tracks like ‘Path of Exile’ highlight how they balance the primal energy of their work while intensifying it with an improved mix.
The second part of the record revisits the band’s second EP, The Primal Chaos (Soaked in Torment). Guitarists Ash Gray and Ben Thomas articulate the group’s anger by strengthening the savagery on songs like ‘Babylon The Whore’ and ‘Narcotic’. They carry classic Death metal and Grindcore chaos like Napalm Death and toss in some hardcore hints pieced with punk-like Cro-Mags. The album ends with two brand new tracks ‘Defiant To The Will Of God’ and ‘Slayer Of Holofernes’. The listener gets a taste of how this band is still progressively professing their prosperity. The new numbers take on their mighty heart and make it dynamically tense. The enthusiastic stamina and innovation of light, atmospheric cleans on these two treats imply great things to come. I would expect nothing less from this young and flourishing Modern Death Metal act.
Order Primevil here: https://smarturl.it/VenomPrisonPrimeval
7 / 10
RAGIN ROSIE