KornuCopia has created a multi-layered conceptual work for the new album and named it after a pun on the word 'primate'. It was refreshing to hear an album with multiple concepts threaded throughout it.
One concept is the way the album seems to travel through the seasons using sounds of the seasons to segue the songs. The second concept is how the flow of the album starts at pregnancy (Purusha In Utero) and follows the course of modern life observations until the desire to not want to participate leads to a death and rebirth of consciousness (Salvation Lay Within). The third concept is how many of the lyrics seem to possess an obscure line between being personal issues and being universal issues. I suspect the goal was to try and achieve both at the same time.
The musical palette of 'Prime Eight' is quite varied with 'Purusha In Utero' starting on a hypnotic soundscape that leads into a full rhythm section with big roomy drums and low bass. 'Road Unknown' covers the ground of delayed palm-muted guitars leading into a short, but explosive, full band section complete with a slow crescendo-like finale. 'Intrusive Minds' is the first straight-through rock song while the next track 'Mass Divide' is an acoustic-based song that contains no drums or bass. Direct from the acoustic track I found myself in the electronic pulse of 'Adamant Conquer' which could be described as a hybrid of EDM and rock music.
'Tyrannical Echoes' seems to be the most musically diverse track on the album as the first part is acoustic with a heavy rhythm section, the second part is faster with a punk influence, and the third part is a spacious full band soundscape with the delayed guitars playing a triplet feel. 'Epiphany' is the only track that approaches a 'quiet-verse-loud-chorus' model even though there is consistently drums and bass.
The album closer 'Salvation Lay Within' concludes the album with soft effected guitars that get enhanced when the drums and bass enter for a brief ending to the first part. The track then becomes very quiet and almost meditative with a soft strumming on an effected guitar. For the finale of the song Raw Zero explodes into a succession of 4 different electric sections that are all brimming with energy and provide for a very satisfying ending.
In terms of lyrics, concepts, and musical diversity there is a lot going on with this album. At the same time the album doesn't sound as though there is a lot going on. I find myself enjoying 'Prime Eight' on both a casual listening level as well as a creative and cerebral level.
by Melissa Moon
October 1, 2018
