Artist: Primitive Warfare
Country: USA
Label: Godz Ov War Productions / Stygian Black Hand
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2024

After a demo and two splits (with Complot! and Bog Body) the duo that is behind Primitive Warfare thought it was about time to raze the entire human civilisation to the ground with a full-length album. Those who haven’t heard any of the band’s previous efforts, should already be able to make a calculated guess based on the band name, logo and the album’s horrific cover as what to expect from Primitive Warfare.

‘Extinction Protocol’ is a 30-minute exercise in relentless, hammering audial violence. While this might rightfully classified as Bestial/War Black/Death Metal, the band does not offer at all a repetition of the flagbearers of the genre. It has not too much in common with the likes of Blasphemy, Sadistik Exekution or Proclamation Instead, Primitive Warfare chose a sharper sound that omits the bulldozering heaviness of most of their peers. The guitars do bear a similar imminent grinding tone, but sounds less massive and therefore maybe even more sinister and deadly. That razor-like guitar tone and ditto vocal approach makes Primitive Warfare to stand quite a bit on its own in a genre that is dominated by bands that more or less sound pretty much alike.

While that in itself is worth praising already, the band has much more to offer than only a different approach, sound wise. To the unexpecting and/or unexperienced listener the never-ending pummelling pace will most likely feel like a unforgiving beating, yet when you consider yourself a veteran in the game you will be able to pick out nice bits and pieces that remind you on a few familiar ingredients. There is almost as much Black Metal as there is Death Metal and even Grindcore in the music of Primitive Warfare, but it might remind most of Angelcorpse. No, Primitive Warfare certainly is not a direct copy of Helmkamp’s most notorious musical vehicle, but in the sense of the unyielding pace, murderous aggression and the overall suffocating nature it portrays, the spirit of Angelcorpse is definitely there.