Portuguese groove/thrash metal band Primal Attack return with their second full length, four years after their debut. This one is called Heartless Oppressor.
Heartless Oppressor starts with Red Silence. A fast, aggressive, in-your-face, track with screaming vocals from “Pica” and slamming guitars from Miguel Tereso and Tiago Camara. It’s a banging, thrashy way to start and album and you can’t help but do a little bit of headbanging.
Halfborn and The Prodigal One had me tapping along to its groovy beat and then when the vocals kick in at the one minute mark and forty-second mark respectively, Pica’s vocals tear straight through you. Two things are quickly obvious: this man is one underrated vocalist, and Primal Attack are a very underrated band.
Heart and Bones is the first track to slow things down (slightly) with it’s less distorted, and guitar heavy opening and singing choruses but it still makes for great listening. The album comes to an end with XXI Century Curse, a five and a half minute groove fest with singing and screaming vocals. By the time it comes to an end, it leaves you desperately wanting another track, and you may be tempted to start the album over again.
If you were asked to name ten countries (or even twenty) where you’d find great metal bands, I guarantee Portugal wouldn’t make that list but, Primal Attack proves that doesn’t matter one bit. At nine songs, and under forty minutes, this is a quick but aggressive album that doesn’t let up for a minute. If you like your metal nice and thrashy, then check out Primal Attack.
