Review: Primitive Man ‘Observance’

When Primitive Man enter a stage, everyone in the room takes notice.

I know this from experience. Back in 2012 or 2013, a friend of mine suggested we go to one of their shows. I hadn’t heard of the band then, but the name alone sold it to me. And when they started playing, it was Game Over.

Brutality is a word that’s bandied about a lot in metal circles. Seems any ol’ Tom, Dick or Jane with a distortion pedal can strike a chord and lay claim to being ‘bruuu-tal’. But with Primitive Man, it’s in their very bones. The music, the lyrics, the presence, the cover art (designed by vocalist/ guitarist Ethan McCarthy), not to mention that name – all of it is uncompromisingly brutal to the very core.

At times, say with 2013’s Scorn, Primitive Man have maybe been too much even for me. I had to be in the mood for the challenge that comes with delving into something so punishing. With 2025’s Observance, however, they have found a sound that is, dare I say, comparatively more commercial. There’s a lot more melody baked in, more nuance.

Songs such as Devotion and single, Natural Law, have an almost progressive bent. The guitar sound, in particular, has a post-metal edge; layering, harmonising, rising and falling in the mix to build a much more solid scaffolding around that aforementioned brutality. The result is a much more inviting sound, without losing the essence of what it means to be Primitive Man.

all the bone-crushing heaviness, distortion and discordance the band is known for…

There are a few curveballs on this album. Iron Sights serves up almost two minutes of what can only be described as anti-ASMR. And then there’s that good ol’ merry round of handclapping on Social Contract, a track that, at times, feels not unlike something Sonic Youth may have put out in the early ‘90s.

But that’s Primitive Man for you – a sludge band, a metal band for sure, but also a band whose longstanding grounding in the Denver alternative scene has seen a fair share of punk and hardcore seeping into the mix as well. In fact, they did a split with fellow brutalists Full Of Hell back in 2023, a band who last travelled through my neck of the woods with Napalm Death.

If you’ve passed by Primitive Man in the past, maybe put off by their dedication to the very brutality that defines them, then it’s time to look again. Observance is a confident album with all the bone-crushing heaviness, distortion and discordance the band is known for, but this time with some melodic and progressive flair to wash that bitter pill down with. It’s been a staple on my playlist and deserves attention on yours, too.

Label: Relapse Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: xdharmarajax