Primacy is poised and very excited to release its first EP entitled Failure and Sacrifice on June 4th. The title track is essentially a song about the failures of organised religions and their seemingly declining importance in today's society. The song is about religion, not faith. Personal faith and organised religion are not synonymous - it is possible to be spiritual and have faith in a higher power, without being born into a strict religion which dictates your faith from the day you come into the world to the day you leave.
Primacy will be releasing a music video for Failure and Sacrifice to support the EP release, and it features statues of angels, still perched above the resting places of people who were part of organised religion - over a hundred years after their passing the angels remain, symbolically displaying the control religions can have over us all. But it is not a song of doom and gloom... more it is a song of hope for a new and brighter future for us all, as individuals, free to find our own beliefs and ideals from within.
They will be organising further shows to get their music out into other city centres as the year progresses, while hoping to record another release sometime in late 2017. Will answered the following questions for muzic.net.nz:
How did you become involved in music?
I was always drawn to drums, even as a baby. My mother told me I would smash on the metal rubbish bin in the garden endlessly, much to the dismay of the neighbours. I got my first kit when I was 13, and it was a mish mash of kits, covered in vinyl wrap to make them the same colour. It was an awful drum-set. I got seriously into bands etc. when I was 17.
If you could perform with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Probably Metallica, due to the fact that as a teenager, they ruled my universe. Not so much these days, but playing with them would be a childhood dream realised.
Which one of your songs are you most proud of, and why?
I would have to say Failure and Sacrifice is probably my favourite Primacy track. The lyrics have a strong connection to me because I went to Jewish, Catholic and Christian schools during my childhood. They all pulled me this way and that, and they all had differing rules, beliefs and ideals. This contradiction showed me that it was more important for me to discover my own philosophy, than rely on other peoples interpretations of ancient scripture.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?
I would define us as "open minded metal", because each of the members likes different forms of rock and metal music. Jason likes Grungy stuff, Adrian likes some Blues influences, Sadeer likes Prog based music, Jared likes a lot of modern rock, and I like a lot of extreme death metal bands. So, as a collective this means our songs have a mix of styles and influences, which keeps our sound very flexible. We have ballads, and we have ballsy.
What can we expect to see from you in the next year?
We are aiming to do small pockets of shows around the North Island. We aren't financially capable of managing South Island shows yet, but we do hope to travel further down at a later date. We will also be working on new material for the 2017 release (whatever that may be).
What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?
To be honest, I see a lot of bands as is. I film bands as a full time hobby, so there are plenty to pick from. I like to see bands that have conviction in what they do. I like to see their resolve on stage. It makes a big difference to the audience if the band is up front doing their thing with energy.
What local albums have you been enjoying recently?
Personally, I really dig Dawn of Azazel's album Tides of Damocles. Also releases from Seeds of Orbit, Seasons, Outside In, Exordium Mors, Subtract, His Master's Voice, Heterodox... the list goes on. This is just my playlist of local music though, not a reflection of the band's overall tastes in music.
What is your favourite NZ venue, and why?
Probably the Kings Arms in Auckland. The sound is always great, the staff are very cool, and for local bands, the venue is accessible. Value for money, the Kings Arms is one of the best around.
Have you got any tips for dealing with nerves before a gig?
Probably the best cure for nerves is being prepared. Practice hard and know your material. Be sure the band is a unit before you step on a stage. If someone has an issue during the show, the band can rally and recover. Check your gear and make sure you have some kind of contingency plan for equipment failure... it's a lot less stressful when you have a solid game plan. And remember that even the best have bad shows... so don't be too hard on yourself, and this will relieve the stress of the night.
How do you balance your music with other obligations; family, job etc.?
My family supports my need to play music, so it's never an issue. It's not a hobby to me, and people around me understand this.
Where do you get your inspiration to create music from?
Adrian usually comes up with a collection of riffs, and he comes to record them at my place. From there, I cut, paste and construct a viable template for the band to work on, by adding sequenced drum ideas to the riff. The song evolves from there as a collective effort. Lyrics are usually the final touch once the music is solid.
Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
Practice. Every day. Even if you can only do 30 minutes, do that. If you can do an hour or two, then do that. Learn songs that are a little out of your comfort zone which challenge your abilities. No one ever improved their skills by sticking to safe and easy. And finally, remember every musical hero you aspire to be was terrible at some point... they just practiced a lot. Be like them. Aspire to be something more than you are today.
Primacy are 5-piece alternative metal band from West Auckland. They incorporate a groove metal base with other elements of hard rock, progressive metal and a twist of blues flavour.
Primacy were formed in 2014 after the split of well know local bands The Blacklight Configuration, Overhaile and Heathen Eyes – the timing was right, the songs were right and the team was right, Primacy came together as a collective around guitarist Adrian Brausch's new and unused material from his former band Overhaile.
Their first EP Failure and Sacrifice was released in 2016, and followed by a mini-EP in 2017 III.