Tharaphita – Primeval Force
Nailboard Records – May 28th 2005
By Wayward_Son
Over the course of the next few reviews, we will be visiting bands from that oh-so-metal country of Estonia. The only band that these ears have heard from this ancient land is
Loits, who we will visit later on this tour. Our first stop is with
Tharaphita, and their third album proper,
Primeval Force, released back in 2005.
Primeval Force is an enjoyable, if somewhat pedestrian, affair. The songs are fairly standard black metal with a Pagan theme and sound. The majority of the time,
Tharaphita moves at a mid pace, though the band is hardly afraid to show their abilities with speed. The biggest problem is that every song sounds identical, following on a very similar pattern and structure. The band actually reminds this writer of the highly exciting Lithuanian band,
Obtest. However,
Tharaphita lack the fun, romping nature and keen ear for melody that Obtest have in spades.
The band does include a few nice songs, such as opener
'Sorceress', and the title track. Unfortunately, by the fourth song,
Tharaphita has shown all their cards, and we are left with no surprises. If you, Faithful Reader, are one of those fans who must own something from every country, you can do better than
Primeval Force. Hopefully this tour of Estonian bands will give you the answer you want and deserve.
Official Tharaphita Website
Official Nailboard Records Website
