EP Premiere: Pre-Human Vaults – “Allegiance Divine”
Pledge allegiance to Pre-Human Vaults.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but everything is a mess. If we’re being honest, it’s been like this for decades. It feels like the world is falling apart and the seemingly ever-present political extremists, ideological fundamentalists, religious fanatics, deranged killers, and flat-out terrorists are constantly on the rise. The news is overwhelming and it’s enough to make you scream into the uncaring void that is modern life. Luckily for us, Pre-Human Vaults is here to do the screaming for us.
Pre-Human Vaults is a melodic death metal supergroup of sorts featuring Christian Älvestam (Solution .45, Miseration, Svavelvinter, Ex-Scar Symmetry), Ronnie Björnström (Solution .45, ex-Aeon), Patrik Gardberg (ex-Solution .45, Torchbearer, The Few Against Many), Peter Nordin (ex-Meshuggah, ex-Calipash) and Michael Gomez (ex-Black Plague). That’s quite the pedigree. The band’s debut EP Allegiance Divine has been seven years in the making and is just as pertinent today.
Although it’s only 4 songs, each tune packs enough ruthless aggression and metallic precision to cut through the cacophony of cruelty. As a huge fan of Scar Symmetry’s first three albums (Chaosweaver, Reborn, and The Illusionist are still all-time favorites), this EP shows that Älvestam’s vocals are still a force to be reckoned with. Fans of The Haunted, The Crown, and Nightrage will find plenty of grimy riffs, sharp solos, and unrelenting drums. Each song take on a different, yet similar theme, from recent tragedies to not-too-distant past. They all serve as a reminder that anything can happen, anywhere, at anytime.
Älvestam helpfully breaks down each song on the EP, saying:
“‘Whirlwind Reaper’ is a slow and heavy, straightforward kind of song, with the emphasis on groove, which lyrically deals with the 2011 Norway terror attacks.”
“‘Close To All, Next To Nothing’ — which lyrically is rooted in terrorism in the name of religion — is a more thrash-oriented song with a catchy sing-along chorus.”
“‘When The Trap Is Set’ is the most melody-driven song out of the four, with its 80s horror moviee-sque theme running through the song. Lyrically this song takes its starting point in the 1995 Oklahoma city bombing.”
“‘Shadow .44’ is the most death metal-oriented song on the album, with lots of tremolo-riffing and blast beats. Lyrically this one tells the story of the hunt for David Berkowitz, also known as the Son of Sam.”
Now that you know where they’re coming from, dig into the band’s debut EP right here and right now
Allegiance Divine will be available on Friday, June 10th via Discouraged Records. Pre-order it here. Be sure to Like the band on Facebook.
