To say this album has been eagerly awaited following the enormous success of Earth’s last two albums would – in certain circles at least – be an understatement. The last decade has seen Earth continue to evolve, without doubt, but the distance between each album can be counted in steps, progression at a tectonic crawl. Likewise Carlson’s solo album, ‘Gold’. This, then, is a leap. A colossal leap.
If anyone was expecting more of the folkiness than characterised ‘Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light’ albums, then they will be surprised. With an expanded lineup, the textures are dense and murky, not to mention deeply layered. Earth have got heavy again.
A crushing chug – not a drone, but most definitely a chug – underpins the probing lead guitar part on ‘Torn By The Fox Of The Crescent Moon’, which may develop on the shape of the riff of ‘Old Black’ but with infinitely more overdrive. The folk vestiges are almost buried: what remains, if it can be considered folk, is heavy folk, folk as performed by Sabbath.
The cyclical motifs that defined the shapes of the tracks on the last two albums continue to provide the basis of the tracks here, but the texture is so, so different. ‘There is a Serpent Coming’ is deep, dark and atmospheric, the guitars drone and slide. Mark Lanegan lends his distinctive vocals to the track, his cracked, the sound of trepidation. Yes. Vocals, on an Earth album. Mark Lanegan’s vocals, at that. You have to remind yourself this is Earth you’re listening to. It sounds other-wordly, although at the same time references 70s rock with a weirded-out psych edge.
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The reverb-soaked vocals of Rabia Shaheen Qazi (Rose Windows) grace ‘From the Zodiacal Light’, the album’s 11-minute centre piece. Again, it carries links back to its immediate predecessors, while its vaguely garage feel casts lines light years forwards in terms of Earth’s output.
The twisting, testing prog rock opus that is ‘Even Hell has its Heroes’, which is domonated by crushing power chords and pulverizing percussion, delivered at the kind of pace you’d expect, but with freewheeling lead guitar all over it. The final track sees Lanegan once again lending his voice, low in the mix against a deluge of slow-burning guitars that twist and spiral, grate and burn.
For longstanding Earth fans, ‘Primitive And Deadly’ will be a lot to digest, but stands as an outstanding achievement in an already remarkable catalogue. On its own merits, ‘Primitive And Deadly’ a stunning album however you look at it.
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