Primer 55 : New Release 
Label: Island/Universal
Rating: 
 

If  Primer 55's major label debut "Introduction To Mayhem" wasn't enough for you, these nu-metal-rap-core heavy hitters have returned with the aptly titled "New Release".  With this new CD we still get the raw intensity that marked much of the band's debut album but we also witness a band that has honed their songwriting skills and fine-tuned their chops as well as found a new musical direction. This time around the band decided to forgo the rap-core elements that dominated their debut and have instead refocused their efforts to appeal to nu-metal fans. In the place of the overdone raps we found on "Introduction to Mayhem" we find raw screaming vocals in the tradition of Pantera. We find the band spreading their wings a bit more with the guitars. Sure you get all the power chord crunch you could ever want but it's accompanied at times with more melody. The rhythms venture into areas of funk at various points along the way. 

While Primer 55 isn't breaking any new ground with "New Release" they are carving a niche for themselves at the top of the nu-metal heap.