Imrama
| Imrama | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Primordial | ||||
| Released | September 20, 1995 [1] | |||
| Genre | Black metal, folk metal | |||
| Length |
45:46 58:33 (2001 reissue) | |||
| Label | Cacophonous Records | |||
| Primordial chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
Imrama is the debut album of the Irish black metal band Primordial. It was originally released in 1995. In 2001, it was re-issued by Hammerheart Records[1] with two bonus tracks. It was reissued again, this time by Metal Blade Records in 2009 as CD/DVD digipack in slipcase. It is a part of collector series of the first 4 albums reissues.
Immrama, meaning 'voyages' or literally 'rowings about' refers to a category of medieval Irish Christian literature in which a protagonist sets about voyaging in penance for sins committed. Medieval catelogues of literature see this genre as contrasting with Eachtra, 'expeditions' or 'adventures' in which the protagonist visits the Otherworld of Irish traditional lore.
In Ireland, an overwhelmingly English speaking country, usage of the Irish language is an outward expression of Irish identity, which is a central theme of Primordial's aesthetic and appeal. Imrama, correctly pronounced with a stressed first syllable and voiced labiodental fricative second 'm', is pronounced by the band themselves (as native speakers of English, ignorant of the Irish language and its orthography reading the word would) with a stressed second syllable and bilabial nasal second 'm'.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Alan Averill; all music composed by Primordial.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fuil Ársa" | 4:44 |
| 2. | "Infernal Summer" | 6:11 |
| 3. | "Here I Am King" | 4:24 |
| 4. | "The Darkest Flame" | 5:18 |
| 5. | "The Fires..." | 5:23 |
| 6. | "Mealltach" | 1:27 |
| 7. | "Let the Sun Set on Life Forever" | 4:26 |
| 8. | "To the Ends of the Earth" | 5:29 |
| 9. | "Beneath a Bronze Sky" | 3:26 |
| 10. | "Awaiting the Dawn" | 5:00 |
| 11. | "The Calling" (2001 reissue bonus track) | 4:54 |
| 12. | "Among the Lazarae" (2001 reissue bonus track) | 7:53 |
| Total length: | 58:33 | |
Note: The "Dark Romanticism" demo tracks are part of the 2009 reissue
- DVD
Live Cork City, Ireland, February 1994:
- Among the Lazarae
- Let the Sun Set on Life Forever
- To Enter Pagan
- The Darkest Flame
- The Fires
Credits
- Alan Averill - Vocals
- Ciáran MacUiliam - Guitars, Bodhrán, Tin-whistle, Keyboards
- Pól "Paul" MacAmlaigh - Bass
- Derek "D." MacAmlaigh - Drums, Percussion
- Andrew Radley - engineering, mixing
- Mags - mixing
Notes
- 1 2 A.A. Nemtheanga , "Biography". Retrieved from the Official website on December 4, 2011
- ↑ Freeman, Phil. "AllMusic Primordial Imrama". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.