Among other places, I frequent the ultimatemetal.com forums – specifically the “general music discussion” forum, where there are a number of users with impeccable tastes. I’m sure all of you have particular people whose tastes seem to coincide more often than not with yours and for me it’s a guy nicked “Life Sucks”. Generally, anything he puts in his forum signature, I MUST check out. Primordial – The Gathering Wilderness I grabbed early this year and true to LS’s form, it absolutely rules. Like a vine slowly creeping from the trunk of a tree, entwining itself through the branches and swallowing each and every limb, this album grows from strength to strength. The Gathering Wilderness is a journey of reflection and contemplation – sorrowful tales of struggle and survival, reliving the passions, turmoils and tragedies of Ireland’s people of both today and yesteryear. Listening to the harmonies sway side-to-side and feeling the pulsing rhythms flow through the music, A.A. Nemtheanga, a maestro conducting this music with the same passion and pride the stories tell of. Images of cold unforgiving oceans crash against the pebbly shores on a cold, dreary and overcast day. Winds blow a brisk breeze stinging ice on a distant face, eyes cast out over a lonely ocean’s horizon. The Gathering Wilderness creates an engrossing atmosphere limited only by your own imagination. This album is really unlike any other you will hear. I find it difficult to really describe in full - but its probably best though of as ambient folk-metal. Thick, fully produced sounds create a melancholic ambience accompanied by multi-layered riffs and rhythmic drumming. The riffs don’t have a sharp distinct sound themselves, but they are so cohesive and fitting that they are memorable. A.A. Nemtheanga’s vocals produce such an amazingly heartfelt sound. Delivered in an abrasive cry, emphasising the mournful themes. I suppose they could be described as being somewhat “black-metalish” in delivery, excluding most of the extremities you will tend to hear in a black metal howl. Specifically touching on a few of the songs, I will start with my personal favourite – The Coffin Ships. This is a story about the famine in Ireland, which destroyed the lives of millions, ravaged the countries history and devoured a large portion of its culture. The Coffin Ships refer to the ships that voyaged to the Americas in search of new life. The song starts gently, warming into the intricately layered riffs and anguished rhythms which feature throughout the song (and it is done in much the same way in most of the songs). A.A. Nemtheanga sorrowfully enters “Young hearts born with grief shall pay the penalty of truth a season of stolen youth shall teach old hearts to break” As the song develops, the music and the lyrics mourn the tragedy further, in a salute to the tragic loss of life. The melodies are subtle, the music is powerful and the themes are authentic all of which emphasizing the quality of The Gathering Wilderness. Cities Carved in Stone topically is a complete contrast to The Coffin Ships. This song is about being alone in a physical sense, out of your comfort zone and in what would seem, a completely different world. But in our lonely state we reminisce and again feel comfortable and familiar with our surroundings. The song is more reflective and has presents a gloomier almost pitiful ambience. It is most unlike any other song; it is never really delivered with the same power as the rest of the songs as the song is more subdued and reflective but still enjoyable. I could start listing my favourite songs, but I literally would just end up giving you the track listing – there isn’t a weak song on the album, although Cities Carved in Stone would be the one I have listened to least. This album is for fans of music. The more you listen, the more you will love it (much the same as Agalloch’s works). It’s available pretty much everywhere so you have no excuse not to own it. This is surely to be up there with the best of 2005 and is looking set to top the lot.