Primitive (Soulfly album)


Primitive is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released on September 26, 2000, through Roadrunner Records. As of 2002, Primitive has sold over 226,569 copies as reported by SoundScan.
In 2019, Joe Smith-Engelhardt of Alternative Press included the song "Jumpafuckup" in his list of "Top 10 nü-metal staples that still hold up today".

Background

The first track of Primitive is "Back to the Primitive", which plays berimbau to begin the song and the album. "Back to the Primitive" is one of three singles released from the album, others were "Son Song" and "Jumpdafuckup".
"Jumpdafuckup" features Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour on vocals, as well as sludgy guitar riffs. "Mulambo" appears in the movie The Forsaken. "Terrorist" incorporates lyrics from songs recorded by other bands: "Inner Self" by Sepultura and "Criminally Insane" by Slayer. In addition, "Terrorist" features Slayer vocalist Tom Araya.
"Son Song" pays tribute both singers' fathers who died young. Sean Lennon's father, John Lennon, was shot, while Max's father died from a heart attack. Musically, "Son Song" has Alice in Chains-like grungy riffs and Layne Staley-like vocals by Lennon. The song appears on the Valentine OST, although it's not included in the film.
"In Memory of..." is unique for Soulfly in that it contains rap elements. "Soulfly II" is the sequel to the first eponymously titled song, which uses a large number of instruments, including Congo drums, piano, sitar, twang, and various wind instruments. Asha Rabouin makes her first Soulfly appearance on "Flyhigh", in which she sings lines like 'Just let my soul fly free'.

Reception

  • Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "Old-school...Primitive is deeper...in the sound of Max Cavalera's lived-in growl, the churning effect of a 4-string guitar and his concerns."
  • Q magazine - 3 stars out of 5 - "While percussive, ethnic grooves certainly make an impact, it's only when Cavalera allows his formula to be altered by others that sparks truly fly."
  • Alternative Press - 3 out of 5 - "With pre-millennial speed metal rubbing elbows with hip-hop, excursions into ambient instrumentals and acerbic soul, and a host of guests...Primitive is certainly a record breadth."
  • CMJ - "More relaxed than their debut, the low-end slaughterhouse riffs are still embellished with Cavalera's beloved tribal percussion... locks its teeth into the jugular."
  • Melody Maker - 4 stars out of 5 - "The metal album of the year so far...An incendiary blend of nu metal, reggae and Brazilian rhythms."
  • NME - 7 out of 10 - "Draws on Max's political rage at colonial history and crimes of the conquistadors...the heavy metal Bob Marley."

Personnel

;Soulfly
;Additional musicians
;Additional personnel
  • Max Cavalera – production
  • The Rootsman – remixing & additional production
  • Anders Dohn – production
  • Jacob Langkilde – engineering
  • Jan Sneum – executive production
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Andy Wallace – mixing
  • Glen La Ferman – photography
  • Monte Conner – A&R
  • Leo Zulueta – Soulfly logo
  • Gloria Cavalera – additional photography, management
  • Kevin Estrada – additional photography
  • Christina Newport – management
  • Oasis Management – management
  • Nesta Garrick – cover artwork, package design
  • Neville Garrick – cover artwork, package design
  • Lance Dean – additional and assistant engineering
  • John Watkinson Gray – assistant engineering
  • Steve Sisco – mix engineering