Sheer terror is built as caverns rumble, bells chime, and hunting horns are blown. Prehistoric War Cult blasts into their full-length album, ‘Barbaric Metal,’ with a thunderous roar of blasts, tremolo riffage, and brutish grunts. There is nothing lacking in this supreme display of War Metal. Build ups, slow downs, pick slides, layered vocals, ominous samples, quick starts, quicker stops, and an overall sense of complete chaos trademark this band as completely savage.
What this release has going for it is how catchy some of the tracks are. Catchy? Not something known from this sub-genre of Black Metal, but it doesn’t take away from the sense of inhumane frenzy. If anything it adds to the tribalistic aspects that the imagery and namesake create by instilling a sense of groove. Since the dawn of time drums have kept the beat of war, and this music takes note of that at its most primal of forms.
Also notable with this album is the three vocal types that are used to fill the tracks. A high panic, mid range Sepultura, and low bestial snarl all combat each other to gain dominance over each other but still shout the same message. It is reminiscent of the meeting of devils in Paradise Lost. All are emboldened to express their desire for total destruction.
Overall ‘Barbaric Metal’ by Prehistoric War Cult has a sound that is a cross between the ruthlessness of Revenge and the catchiness that can be found with Mayhem. Each track is a perfect blend of headbanging riffs and maelstrom blasts laid across structure that is inherently hard to follow and ruptured. Perfect for a beginner War Metal fan, but also unique enough to keep an old head interested.
