PRIMITIVE WARFARE – Extinction Protocol

From across the pond comes the malevolent duo known as Primitive Warfare, and this relentlessly aggressive and inhumanly brutal American onslaught is very much the aural embodiment of all-out war, global death, human disaster, and even more death!

Comprised of Pu239 (drums/vocals) and U235 (guitars/vocals), these guys essentially offer a torrent of pummeling, oppressive riffs that insistently (and rather efficiently) beat the listener into submission, and the harsh vocals on top of it all spew forth words of contempt and deep-seated misanthropy. This is war metal at its most fierce and determined, and although the disc holds very few surprises, it does come across as a solid piece of work that gets the job done. “Nuclear Regression” is the best and catchiest of the bunch and “Witness!” absolutely slays too, and none of the album’s remaining six tracks feel mundane or redundant. Having said that, the record is neither remarkable nor does it stand out as such in that there is little on display here that feels genuinely thrilling or different to what countless other similar-sounding acts are doing, but what does set Primitive Warfare apart is that they deliver their raging songs with a palpable sense conviction, authority, and intensity that puts most other bands to shame.

Rough around the edges, maniacal in terms of mood and style, overflowing with hostility, and interesting without being outstanding, the record is as bestial as they come, and fans of the genre could do worse than checking this sonic grenade out.