Borderline Prime – ‘Born From Darkness’ EP

This powerhouse three track EP from Tipperary industrialists Borderline Prime very nearly didn’t see the light of the day, apparently. Following the release of their debut EP, ‘Blacker’, the band originally had intended to follow it up with another of the same, but then changed their minds and decided to go straight into recording a full album. But, us Irish (of whatever persuasion) are notorious for being indecisive, and now the quartet have released this damn fine little mini-opus!

Opener ‘Tears’ heaves itself slowly into sight with the foreboding anticipation Cu Chulainn must have felt immediately before Cooley, before blasting into a riff so heavy it’s guaranteed to fill even the most doubting of moshpits in zero seconds flat. “Chaos and violence is all that we do” runs one of the chorus lines and that just about sums up the track and the EP as a whole – brutal, restrained violence which threatens to let rip at any moment but holds back just enough to be all the more effective when the final piledriver in the face actually comes.

I swear that’s a distorted sampling of Mrs Doyle’s “you will you will you will” catchphrase (for those uneducated ones out there, it’s from the classic ‘Father Ted’ sitcom – check it out) at the beginning of ‘Slave’: quite appropriate really, if you think about it! The song itself is a melodic cross between the heaviness of Rammstein and the sadomasochism of Marilyn Manson, while also echoing the nihilism of the darkest corners of Norwegian dark metal.

‘Coffin Birth’ is by far the heaviest track on offer here, grinding its way into your skull with a brutal death metal riff, which snaps and snarls with the viciousness of a randy tiger whose mate is having an early night. Like its two predecessors, it’s dominated by the heavy as fuck rhythms of bassist Philly Brett and drummer Gerry McNamara.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EspSSWyC9T4&list=ULEspSSWyC9T4]

My only complaint is that they overdo the keyboard and vocal effects a wee bit too much, but not really enough to detract from the power of this promising offering, which I’ve now listened to at least half a dozen times (and most reviewers only give a release one or two spins before passing judgement). I for one will definitely be looking out for the album when it eventually lands.

[9/10]

Track list:

1. Tears
2. Slave
3. Coffin Birth

‘Born From Darkness’ is out now. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/Borderline-Prime