Modern Primitive

Modern Primitive is now the sixth album in this heavily symphonic, modern phase of Septicflesh's career, which has never produced a single stinker, and yet for all the quality, I can't help but feel a little tired of the whole affair. Granted, when I want a giant orchestrated blast to the face, I will happily mend my ways and turn back to the Greek juggernaut's unparalleled commitment to this style, but I do from time to time miss the 'innocence', or maybe that's not the right word, but the more subtle mysticism of their older recordings, and wish they might find a bridge between the two. What I can say for this album is that it has a mildly more organic feel to its production values...it doesn't feel quite so large and stunning, as if you're standing in some modern museum, but this one almost has a live vibe going on that I appreciate, even though they are still collaborating with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Otherwise, it does feel a lot like a Codex Omega II. Loping grooves that occasionally shift into the harmonic melodies or dissonant chords, enormous percussion between the actual drummer, Krimh, and the orchestra timpani and other drums that crash along. The songwriting actually feels a margin more intricate than the prior album or two, but it's somewhat interchangeable do to the constant, rolling chugs. Spiros' vocals are your usual massive guttural but often affixed with some snarls to create an additional depth, and I think this more natural production also makes him sound a little more ominous. The songs often have a more sporadic and progressive feel to them, like the crazy and chaotic "Coming Storm", but that's not to say they're always interesting, just swinging more for the fences where Codex Omega might have come off a little more conservative to the strengths of the albums before it. The chemistry between tracks is still just as potent, but I have a few hear that I could escape into more than others, such as "A Desert Throne" and "Self-Eater" with their eerie or glorious atmospheric sequences. "Psychohistory" is another one that benefits a lot from the symphonics, erupting blast beats and dreamy, carried-away vibe.

I'll still give the nod to Codex Omega over this, and this one doesn't have me howling in ecstasy quite like The Great Mass, which was a simpler affair but for me the one that best exemplified this style with the catchiest tracks of the era. If you're not exhausted yet with this phase in their career, then I can't imagine this one is going to turn you off...it brings the goods, and tries to submerge them in a fresher audio space, but there might not be quite enough to expand them into new horizons. I feel like this is probably the point where the band would take a hiatus, Spiros and Sotiros and company plotting out a more nuanced and compulsory evolution forward, but for all I know we'll get another half dozen of these records with their deformed, statuesque cover beings and the same sort of grandiloquent, symphonic aesthetics that their material has transformed into exclusively. And of course I'll be there if I still draw breath, but the shine is starting to wane a bit.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Yeah, I can't agree with myself on where to rank SepticFlesh on the scale of Greek export products. I'm not sure where I'd place them compared to moussaka and Rotting Christ; I definitely prefer philosophy and democracy over them, but I think I might prefer them over Retsina and Metaxa.

So anyway. Their 2017 album "Codex Omega" seems to be a bit of a fan favorite, at least judging from the ratings at Metal Archives. But judging from the reviews I've seen of "Modern Primitive", their 11th long-player, at the time of writing, its aforementioned predecessor might've gotten some competition. And I can kinda understand why. SepticFlesh have a pretty unique sound. There are other symphonic death metal bands, sure, but in a nutshell, this is the heavy one. And if you haven't heard them before, you'll be able to hear it pretty much right away when you hook yourself up with "Modern Primitive".

To get it outta the way, I'm not remembering a lot here. Even after several spins. SepticFlesh rely a lot on the atmosphere provided by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – and this time, they're also accompanied by a children's choir. And... well, it does work. The atmosphere is intense and bombastic all the way. But it's not until around midway that the tracks start to stand out. "Neuromancer", which seems to be based on one of my favorite novels, has the distinct vibe of Morbid Angel's "Where the Slime Live", but with the sound of a latter-day Dimmu Borgir, and the straightforward attitude of a Tiger tank.

It's not as dissonant and ugly as a lot of other death metal; it's bold, clear, and sharp. The warm, thick guitar sound is even kinda gentle on the ears. But that doesn't make it any less metal, which is especially apparent in the stressingly tense machine-gun blastfest of "Coming Storm". Everything here is controlled chaos, theatrically dramatic brass instruments alongside growl, choir, and guitarist Sotiris Vayenas' distinct clean vocals. And speaking of which, main vocalist Spiros Antoniou gets too little credit for his growl, which is both deep and brutal, but at the same time more decipherable than with 9 out of 10 other growlers. Take notes out there.

There's no downright filler here. But apart from the two aforementioned tracks, it's hard to name any real stand-outs. Again: The band does rely a lot on this whole high-ceiling, sometimes even cinematic vibe, and hey, they're damn good at what they do. But I'd still like to hear what they might be able to accomplish with only guitar, drums, bass, and vocals, which only happens for a few seconds in "Psychohistory" here. All in all, though: Solid fucking metal output right there. In fact, SepticFlesh are probably better than Metaxa if I had to pick. Which, for better or worse, I haven't had to yet.


(Originally posted at https://www.globalmetalblog.com/l/septicflesh-modern-primitive)

The return of the titans has long been awaited! Nearly 4 years have passed us by since the last output “Codex Omega” by Septicflesh, and it was only a matter of time until the most iconic band in symphonic death metal returned. And that return comes in the form of “Modern Primitive”, an album that delivers both the expected and the unexpected in equal measure. It’s a generally well thought out and engaging piece of art that will appeal to fans of the band while also throwing in some well fitted fresh fragrances and ideas. It’s by no means a stellar new height for the band, nor exactly a curveball, but it’s also not one to miss out on.

The overall tone of the album is just as mysterious and grandiose as we’ve learned to expect from the titans. The larger than life orchestra is there, the high energy aspect of the riffs is there, the slightly industrial edge is still present and the composition style and vocal delivery is mostly the same as the latest records from the band. However, we do see a bit of a fresh approach with rhythmic intricacy within the riffs, more unexpected turns in the songs and an affinity for disrupting transitions between the anthemic nature of choruses and orchestral soundscapes, contrasted to the more stripped down riff heavy parts. The album is a bit more of a grower and less of an immediate shower compared to “Codex Omega”, and in terms of the overall vibe, it seems to hearken back to the days of “Communion”.

Vocally, we know what to expect from Spiros Antoniou. The deep growl and expressive pronunciation is one of a kind, and even his rhythmic vocal mannerisms and lyrical structures are just about unchanged. However we do see some change on the clean vocal front. Sotiris’ clean singing seems to have the spotlight more on this record. On previous records, his role was usually to add this sense of mystery to the music with his chant-like vocals, and while his persona is not compromised, his parts seem to act like more fully fleshed out vocal sections, trading off some of the mystery for the sake of dynamics.

The album is not quite as high energy as the strongest bangers we’ve heard from Septicflesh, and seems to flow more homogeneously. However, there’s still plenty of attack and power on the drumming front, making sure the adrenaline levels are kept high all the way through. Krimh must be my favorite death metal drummer that hasn’t taken on the tech-death style entirely. He’s the most precise and high energy and refreshing drummer I know, yet he still keeps the more old-school death metal edge alive in his performances which keeps him consistent in the context of the band.

The highlights of this album for me must be the songs “Neuromancer” and “Coming Storm”. The former benefits from an obsessive acoustic guitar line, some of the richest clean vocal parts from Sotiris and the beefiest main riff on the record. The latter is probably the most wacky and crazy song Septicflesh have put out in recent years. It’s fast, frenetic, technical and leads the orchestras down much more dynamic directions, similar to what you’d see in Carach Angren’s earlier days.

“Modern Primitive” might disappoint some fans, since I must say overall, I still liked “Codex Omega” better, and found it more accessible and captivating, but the new record brings enough fresh ideas to make a thoroughly enjoyable experience as well, and my recommendation would be to not miss out on this one! Available on YouTube, Bandcamp and Spotify.

Enjoy!

Originally Written for The Metal Observer

I’ve had a soft spot for Septicflesh ever since I first listened to them. Being one of the first death metal bands I got into, I was fascinated by their post-Communion output, with all its bombast and flair. Years later though I found myself growing more averse to what they did in Titan and Codex Omega, and gravitated towards their earlier material. Nevertheless, I still find some of their post-reunion work quite compelling, or at the very least interesting. Modern Primitive is their newest album, and it’s a reminder of why I stick with what they did before 2011.

For the third time in a row, Septicflesh are seemingly on autopilot, creating music that barely feels different compared to their last two albums. We get the same riffs, which have been run down to the ground by now, and orchestral arrangements that for the most part instil a feeling of déjà vu. You could pick some of these songs, throw them on a previous release, and you’d barely be able to tell the difference outside of the lyrical themes. Even when they do try something new, like the staccato djent-influenced riffing on “Psychohistory”, it feels awfully out of place and takes away from an otherwise solid song. Of all the things they could try, why that? They should’ve tried writing an actual guitar solo because I can’t remember the last time I heard one in an album of theirs.

That being said, while they haven’t experimented or progressed much as a band, they’ve still honed their craft, and it shows on some of the songs here. The orchestral segments on “Self-Eater” and “Coming Storm” are some of their best in a long time, creating some very dramatic and in the case of the latter chaotic moments. As for the riffing itself, even though it’s by-the-numbers by their standards, there’s still the occasional standout, such as on “Modern Primitives”, which boasts a very driving section at the start, as well as a cool guitar line near the end. The Eastern-tinged flavours of “The Collector” and “A Desert Throne” are also a pleasant change, and it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing more of in the future. It’s moments like these that manage to make me forget that these guys have been doing the same thing for a decade, and give me some hope that maybe they’ll try something different next time.

Another thing that hasn’t changed much here is also the production. The band maintains their very sleek and clinically sterile approach, only slightly exacerbated by their signing to Nuclear Blast. Everything is constantly loud and in-your-face, and while it doesn’t sound particularly plasticky, it makes for a rather flat experience. The guitars are big, with a lot of crunch, the drums are omnipresent and pulverise the listener, and Spiros’ bass is audible for once, which came as a shock to me. As for the incorporation of the orchestral stuff, it’s done well enough, though things get blurry when they’re combined with the faster segments.

I struggle to put Modern Primitive into words. Not because it’s the greatest thing I’ve heard in my life, or even because it’s obscenely garbage, but because it’s just, meh. Septicflesh have been comfortably sitting in their own lane and haven’t felt compelled to innovate or try something new, leading to a competent, yet unremarkable release. It’s a shame really, cause these guys have proven they can make great, even excellent music, both before and after their reunion. It might be wishful thinking, but I hope that a fire gets lit under them and it leads to them coming out with something fresh after this. The occasional glimpses of greatness here prove that they still have it in them, all that’s left is to see if they can manifest that energy in a future release.

Highlights: Self-Eater, Coming Storm, Modern Primitives