S.H.S. Review: Primitive Man/Xaphan Split

This highly anticipated split sees Denver Sludge/Doom band PRIMITIVE MAN introducing newer hardcore/metal group Xaphan. You might go as far as to say that this is a supergroup, with members of previous bands Disembodied, Threadbare, Blinding Light, 108, Martyr AD, Bosnia, and Black Sleep of Kali. 

The lineup is as follows: 

Brian Lovro (Vocals)
Joel Johnson (Guitar)
Charlie Johnson (Guitar)
Tara Johnson (Bass)
Mike Paradise (Drums)

 For Primitive Man's track, The Ties That Bind And Sever, we get something that is monstrously heavier than was last presented to us on the LP Scorn, if you can imagine... This is pure chainsaw gutfuck-bees nest metallic shrieks and blast beats, until about half way through the four minute song. We get what almost seems like a 'break,' in the sludgy, slower d-beat part that comes, only to tear the ears open with ominous chugging and metric ton level breakdowns. The song ends with the dirty doom we know and love from them. This song is by far my absolute favorite the band has created to date! It's no surprise that the band is capable of such noisy cacophony, since
Ethan McCarthy also plays guitar in the grindcore band Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire.

Xaphan's track Cold Surge comes in with a completely different vibe, yet it fits in as it's still totally insane. It begins with a unique buzzsaw-sounding 16th note riff, until they fire right into a fast and crusty punk beat. I love the quarter-note-triplet fills on the drums and the interplay between the raw punk and guttural vocal sounds. Almost half way in the band goes into an unexpected breakdown mode, which is welcome considering I would be satisfied with just a fast two minute d-beat banger! They even go into blast beat laden, techy bursts before revisiting the hardcore breakdowns. Wow, they *really* slow it down too- people are going to get killed moshing to this! 

This is simply a MUST OWN record. It is still available at the time of this writing. The half black/half white is gone but there are 300 on white and 600 black left.

PURCHASE THE VINYL HERE