Primitive Man / Hell

Split

BY Brayden TurennePublished Feb 21, 2019

8
Two of the premier heavyweights in the dregs of sound have come together for a joint release sure to rattle the bones and upset the innards of unwary listeners. Primitive Man and Hell, while both very similar in certain facets, are unique to one another, and on this split, those similarities and contrasting differences shine through, mutually elevating either artist.
 
Primitive Man make up the brunt of the release, with two uncharacteristically short tracks. In both, too, there seems almost a compensation for the brief runtimes, as those hulking, cumbersome sections of despair that Primitive Man are known for, are more frequently intercut with spasms of frantic death metal blasting, which themselves are longer maintained than would be expected. This compression of elements serves to maintain a flow and momentum to the whole split. "Oily Tears" and "Pitiful & Loathsome" both stand apart from each other, too. "Oily Tears" is a more savage attack, while "Pitiful & Loathsome" harbours a particular desperation and depravity to it.
 
Though getting but one song in this release, Hell do not disappoint. If anything, both Primitive Man tracks were necessary to balance out the weight of "Nuumen," which hinges on a devilishly seductive riff and a slow motion gallop of apocalyptic horsemen. Unlike Primitive Man, Hell basks in Sabbath-borne groove, but without losing the element of wretchedness and filth that characterizes this whole split.
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