Primordial + Fen // The Underworld Camden, London (UK)
Words by Anastasia Psarra // Photos by Miguel De Melo
The Irish masters of darkness and shadows returned to London bringing their stories of the past and ancient myths to the packed out Underworld. Having built a loyal following over the years, Primordial took to the stage with the confidence of band that is secure in the knowledge that the audience was eagerly awaiting to be commanded by their music.
Despite the poor sound, Primordial’s spirit wasn’t broken as they delved into their setlist which opened with ‘Where Greater Men have Fallen’ before it explored older territory such as ‘The Golden Spiral’. Primordial’s sound isn’t easily defined (but then everything great shouldn’t be easily defined) and this filters through to their live performances. A restless ambience took over the venue along with their raw melancholy.
Frontman Nemtheanga’s vocals carried the emotions of worlds long-lost in the depth of time while the bass lines and strong guitar riffs created a vortex of black and folk metal. Perhaps the venue and the sound engineer didn’t do Primordial’s complex sound justice but the band marked their show with their energy and desire to deliver their musical narrative leaving nothing but a beaming crowd behind.
