Auckland 5-piece Primacy are one of those bands that don’t try and hide their influences; their new single Shade Black is a healthy blend of all that was good about ‘90s rock, and that’s not a bad thing.
Starting out with a Tool-like intro that soon gives way to a heavier, chugging riff, the song maintains a freshness and urgency throughout. Big, melodic vocals float over that riff through the verses, before dropping into heavier, deeper territory for the choruses, giving the song good contrast and energy, at times reminding me of the song structure that Alice in Chains often used.
It’s been well recorded, and obviously well rehearsed – there’s a lot of polish to the sound, making it feel very professional. I can imagine Shade Black getting into high rotation on several local radio stations, which is okay by me, because it’s a song I feel I could listen to over and over without getting tired of it.
If this is what Primacy are unleashing on the world first, then I say bring it on.
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.