Primal Event [Import]

Lothlorien | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: January 26, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Black Mark Germany
• ASIN: B00000I5FX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,908 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Complaint and then the Praise, March 16, 2004

By 

Trevor S. Sayre "antiaverage" (Troy, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Primal Event (Audio CD)

Before I start talking about this album, let me say this: To the people who gave one star reviews, you're complete morons. Research what you're buying before you purchase! If you knew anything about the Celtic band you were searching for, you would have known that they NEVER put out a CD entitled Primal Event. So it's your own damn fault you "lost" money. More importantly, you have no right to comment on music you never listen to. You have nothing in this genre to compare this CD, much less the appreciation for the art. Also, I would like to add, I am a fan of BOTH Lothlorien bands. So to the person who said that if one were to like one of these bands, they wouldn't like the other...you're wrong. I supremely and completely enjoy both genres and would recommend both bands to "music lovers," which you two apparently are not.

Anyway...here's my review:

The story of Lothlorien is a brief one, for the band debuted in 1998 with The Primal Event and disbanded very soon thereafter. The Primal Event is a damn good album, and particularly impressive for a debut. Lothlorien plays melodic death/thrash metal, and fits firmly in the Gothenburg lineage of bands. With just one album, though, they managed to define their own sound. What makes them unique is a greater reliance on keyboards than other groups in this genre. Session keyboardist Nils-Petter Svensson is at the front of the band's sound throughout the disc, giving the group a symphonic edge that you haven't heard from In Flames or At the Gates, say. Also deserving of credit is guitarist Tobias Birgersson, who wrote every song on this album and obviously had a strong hand in shaping Lothlorien's sound. The band recorded this album at STUDIOMEGA in Sweden and produced it along with Christian Silver, not exactly a big-time arrangement. But The Primal Event sounds terrific, a noteworthy achievement.

Event kicks off with the uptempo "I Wear Mankind." After drummer Daniel Hannedahl leads in with some ominous percussion work, Birgersson and fellow guitarist Linus Wikstrom kick into some melodic riffs and harmonies that should sound instantly familiar to anyone familiar with the Gothenbrug sound. On "Forever and Ever Alone," vocalist Henrik Serholt (also of Fatal Embrace) begins to assert himself, and the music takes on a more romantic, epic character. Here is where Svensson steps forward on keyboards with a lush, triumphant sound. When combined with the sharp, creative riffing of Lothlorien's guitar duo, it leaves a powerful impression. The masterpiece of this album, though, is the third track, "Moments." Serholt's low, demonic growl here is absolutely seductive. "COME, YES! COME DOWN TO ME!" he barks as he realizes that he cannot let go and give himself fully to his love while still alive ("the irony of my yearning passion"). The guitars are triumphant here, with harmonies carrying us through grand, heavy passages. "Inside my Mind" has a tom-pounding intro and some nice synth work before it explodes into thrashing intensity. Listen to the elegant chorus, as Serholt again contemplates suicide. Great grooves follow on "Supernatural," as Serholt gives us just a brief taste of clean vocals. The album then concludes on a strong note with "Among Those Who Wept." Another epic journey, but the band doesn't change course so often that power is forsaken. There is one riff in particular in here that is absolutely ferocious and delicious. Svensson is excellent again, even providing some poignant piano touches.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In my top five man, August 30, 2001

By 

"the_mighty_infernus" (Helsinki,Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primal Event (Audio CD)

This is in my top five . One of the best bands out there... right up there with amon amarth, gorgoroth, and emperor. A must buy for melodic death metal, and black metal and so forth...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great melodic death metal, December 2, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primal Event (Audio CD)

this is one of those cds i bought because i wanted to take a chance on something, let me say it's a great album and worth the money. it's melodic death metal with keyboards (the keyboards almost ALWAYS use a string setting). it definately has neoclassical influence to it. it's very emotional. (the vocals have so much power to them i can't even describe it). the majority of the cd has fairly slow to moderate tempos, they do some fast stuff, but not enough to be classified as fast. the guitar solos and melodies are highly melodic, but there is no shredding. this band has a lot of talent and i hope they release a new cd, if you like melodic, neoclassical death metal, this is a great investment. at least listen to the sound samples!