Observance

by Primitive Man

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Jan Vrobel I always loved the brutal sound of Primitive Man, but the previous record was sort of "one note" for me (quite literally). I love that Observance has much more variety. In combination with the sonic side its beautifully devastating. Favorite track: Water.

rvss.eel Primitive Man have always impressed me, but have not drawn me in for repeated listens. This is the album I was unknowingly always hoping they would make. Observance is crushingly heavy, obviously, but the music does more than just crush. It seeps into you, slowly and maliciously. The massive death-style vocals bellow over the guitars, the reverb, the drums, the atmosphere, or whatever it is, all of it enveloping you but in no rush to reach a conclusion, only to smother. That sounds nice, right? Favorite track: Transactional.

Urso X Sonically obliterating, obviously, but even heavier thematically. One of the most important albums OTY. Favorite track: Natural Law.

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1.	Seer 07:18	buy track
2.	Devotion 11:46
3.	Transactional 13:53
4.	Iron Sights 01:52	buy track
5.	Natural Law 14:01
6.	Social Contract 10:26
7.	Water 09:04	buy track

about

PRIMITIVE MAN return with their most crushing album to date, Observance. After twelve years at the forefront of underground music, PRIMITIVE MAN takes merciless aim at the plentiful ills that besiege the world around them, and in the process of doing so do not spare themselves from their flagellating tongue-lashings.

With motifs and symbols recurring throughout the lyrics and artwork (also created by McCarthy), and drawing influence from the work of Tongo Eisen-Martin - specifically Blood on the Fog - McCarthy doesn’t offer answers, he only seeks to share his experiences. Personal and professional pitfalls are explored against the backdrop of a broken social contract that is decimating the lives of working class citizens. While party politics dominate the media, a more insidious divide preoccupies McCarthy as he is haunted by techno feudalism and the future of human rights and social unrest.

Whilst McCarthy’s lyrics are a dominant presence throughout Observance, the six songs that make up the album are a truly collaborative effort written and arranged with absolute devotion. Drummer Joe Linden, bassist Jon Campos and McCarthy threw themselves into writing shortly after the release of 2022’s Insurmountable EP. Committing to the task at hand, the trio describe themselves as “obsessed” during the genesis of Observance; the intricacies of shaping their evolving, trance-inducing sound became all-consuming.

Despite leaning into their more experimental side, PRIMITIVE MAN maintain a tight grip on the heavy sound that has defined them for years. Observance is still a challenging record, demanding the listener’s attention at every turn. The sound of Observance is imbued with a new element for the band - sadness. Yet McCarthy describes this as the most positive PRIMITIVE MAN record to date; even as they pick over the carcass of disillusionment they still seek a way out, a path towards the light. Observance was recorded and mixed throughout February and March 2025, at Bricktop Recording Studio in Chicago with producer Andy Nelson, before being mastered by Arthur Rizk.

credits

released October 31, 2025

2025 Relapse Records
RelapseRecords.Bandcamp.com

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Primitive Man Denver, Colorado

Planet earth's 1st and only Death Sludge band.

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Cafe Glocksee

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Stereo

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New Cross, UK
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Rock N Eat Live

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SWR Barroselas Metalfest

Barroselas, Portugal
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L'Antirouille

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May 4

Sunset Bar

Martigny, Switzerland
May 22

The Liberty Belle - Rocks Off Concert Cruise

New York (NYC), NY
May 30

Roadrunner

Boston, MA
Jun 18

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Clisson, France
Jun 27

Dyrskuepladsen

Roskilde, Denmark

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Observance

by Primitive Man

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