After pulverising us with single releases over the last couple of years or so, Nomadus have been carefully and steadily carving out a name for themselves within death and thrash metal circles. They have been putting in the graft and have been going about it the right way. There’s no easy ride in music these days, you must slog, fight, and battle your way out of the quicksand that has stifled and sunken many a promising band in the past. That is not going to happen to Nomadus.
Axis Primordial is their debut album, and on first listen it’s refreshing to hear that there’s already a maturity and a swagger about their sound. Steeped in 80’s and 90’s thrash metal, Nomadus have their roots well and truly established, but with this album, the Belfast boys have sprouted new branches that pull energy and light from other musical spectrums. There’s a slick groove and a progressive punch to their sound, that demonstrates the evolution of Nomadus, and metal music as a whole.
Opening with a track like Last Words Of Wisdom, the lads are out to show how far they have come in such a short space of time. Intricate passages, crushing riffs and memorable melodies are the foundations of the track. Snarling vocals that reverb and echo through the track adds to the sheer intensity and potency of their sound, not to mind the blinding lead solo that scurries and rifles over everything. Still thrashy and still vicious, it’s a lethal opener, and sets the scene for what’s to come.
Apex Breath’s soaring lead intro, followed by the very intentional Sepultura-phrased vocals are an absolute joy to hear. Murderous in tone, but with a harmonic edge to them, they elevate this track to another plateau. What follows is a barrage of thrash-infused brilliance that pummels and batters you just like those titans of the 80’s and 90’s did back in the day.
Instrumental tracks like Hadean are cleverly placed on the record to avoid any chance of monotony or malaise to set in, keeping everything fresh and diverse. It also acts as the perfect intro to The Ultimate Fuse, another track that has shown the evolution of Nomadus, with its patient and understated rhythm guitars, and a groove-slapped bass guitar that anchors it all together. More blistering vocals adorned with polyphonic undercurrents allow this slow burner of a track build and grow into a well-oiled and well-polished track.
Every track on this album is stellar and there’s no denying how accomplished and confident the boys are when they play together. The music is tight, the energy is palpable and the intensity reverbs through every power cord and percussive crash on this album. Even the closing track, The Passage continues its relentless journey through huge, chunky riffs and shredded rhythm swells, under the watchful eye of those soaring solos that blaze through atmosphere like a laser beam.
Axis Primordial is a statement of intent. It’s a nine-track pilgrimage through blistering riffs and ferocious vocals. But it has something else, something that Nomadus have harnessed and expertly delivered on, and that’s diversity. Thrash metal is the foundation and the nucleus of their sound, but within the rest of that cell membrane they have developed and dabbled with a more progressive sound and fused that with some groove inspired melodies, and you know what, it works!
Release Date - 25-11-2022