29th October 2023

Review: “Matriffe” by Primrose Path (2nd Anniversary)

Every band has an origin story behind it and Perth Australian Progressive Metal quintet Promise Path are no different. Their story began back in 2020 when family members Matthew Kearns, Lindsay Rose and Brenton Lush began jamming in a pool shed for fun. Things quickly developed with songs forming and they decided to establish themselves as an original band with with Scott Henry joining on bass and more recently Taz Gallant on rhythm guitar and James Handebeaux on drums solidifying their current line-up with Kearns stepping away. Crossing many genre divides in formulating their sound, the outfit simply call themselves a “Psychedelic space-witch metal band“, something that covers a multitude of sins. Reality is often stranger than the dream and influences in Grunge, Djent, Melodic, Black and Death Metal are all infused in the alchemy they create…

Edited, mixed and mastered by Dr. Mike Trubetskov (Into the Vein, Beast Impalor, The Overcoming Project) at EOL Studios, “Matriffe” was recorded at Vision Studios from March to July 2021, during which time a demo titled “Down and Out” was unveiled as the bands first commitment to tape. Despite being only three cuts, the record actually runs to just short of 25 minutes in length, which gives you some idea as to the kind of offering it is. A waltz of dark melody and a slow dance through emotion “Hide & Seek” has flavours of Oceans of Slumber and Jinjer at their most melodic with moments of Gothic tinged Post-Progressive style interwoven into its fabric. The lyrical narrative hints at something darker lying just beneath the surface but Rose don’t hint as to what that might be, instead giving a decadent performance that borders on sultry to introduce herself, all the while surrounded by music of hidden nuance. A little Doom fuelled Alice In Chains worship is at the beating black heart of “Birdsong“, the vicious unclean vocal moments giving extra bite as Rose switches from angel to demon and back perfect transition. She deserves to be commended for her storytelling abilities and is complemented by good use of vocal layering as on the surface a tale with almost vampiristic leanings with clear hidden depth is brought to life with passion and melancholic power. Acoustic guitars interwoven with leads rise from the black depths as “Caroucellular” comes to life, another tale of dark beauty that offers something to think about once the melodies fade into the night. Delicate and nuanced, this love story aches as it burns to be, a heavier mid section of Doom laden riffs rising and falling elegantly into almost ethereal spiritual Progressive Rock adding an eclectic and eccentric touch to the overall feeling of splendour that the band portray. A sublime offering, this first collection from Primrose Path has since been surpassed by some more direct singles in a heavier register but remains a stunning body off work in its own right and the foundation stone never to be removed [8.5/10]

Track Listing