Primitive (Soulfly album) explained

Primitive
Type:	studio
Artist:	Soulfly
Cover:	Primitive.png
Released:	September 26, 2000
Recorded:	1999–2000
Studio:	The Saltmine Studio Oasis, Mesa, Arizona
Genre:	Nu metal^[1]
Length:	52:16 72:54 (digipak)
Label:	Roadrunner
Producer:	Toby Wright, Max Cavalera, Sean Lennon
Prev Title:	Soulfly
Prev Year:	1998
Next Title:	3
Next Year:	2002

Primitive is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly, released in 2000 through Roadrunner Records. As of 2002, Primitive has sold over 226,569 copies as reported by SoundScan.^[2]

Songs

The first track of Primitive is "Back to the Primitive", which plays berimbau to begin the song and the album.^[3] "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.^[4] "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.^[5] Musically, "Son Song" has Alice in Chains-like grungy riffs and Layne Staley-like vocals by Lennon.^[6] The song appears on the Valentine OST, although it's not included in the film.^[7]

"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.^[8] Asha Rabouin makes her first Soulfly appearance on "Flyhigh", in which she sings lines like 'Just let my soul fly free'.

Reception

• Rolling Stone (9/28/00, pp. 53–4) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "Old-school...Primitive is deeper...in the sound of [ex-Sepultura frontman] Max Cavalera's lived-in growl, the churning effect of a 4-string guitar and his concerns."
• Q magazine (11/00, pp. 114–6) - 3 stars out of 5 - "While [their] 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 (11/00, p. 128) - 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 [with] breadth."
• CMJ (8/28/00, p. 32) - "More relaxed than their debut, the low-end slaughterhouse riffs are still embellished with Cavalera's beloved tribal percussion...[It] locks its teeth into the jugular."
• Melody Maker (10/10/00, p. 50) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The metal album of the year so far...An incendiary blend of nu metal, reggae and Brazilian rhythms."
• NME (11/4/00, p. 46) - 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

• Max Cavalera – vocals, 4-string guitar, berimbau (tracks 1, 6, 7, 12)
• Mikey Doling – guitars
• Marcello D. Rapp – bass, percussion, drums (track 11)
• Joe Nunez – drums

Additional musicians

• Grady Avenell – vocals (track 2)
• Chino Moreno – vocals (track 2)
• Corey Taylor – vocals (track 4)
• Sean Lennon – vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer & producer (track 6)
• Tom Araya – vocals (track 8)
• Babatunde Rabouin – vocals (track 11)
• Deonte Perry – vocals (track 11), additional drum programming (tracks 6, 11)
• Justus Olbert – vocals (track 11)
• Asha Rabouin – vocals (track 12)
• Dayjah – vocals (track 16)
• The Mulambo Tribe – backing vocals (track 5)
• Zyon Cavalera – foosball sound (track 5)
• Igor Cavalera Jr. - "tuuu tuu" sound (track 5)
• Jose Navarro – feedback effect (track 8)
• Larry McDonald – percussion (tracks 1–12, 15–16)
• Meia Noite – percussion (tracks 1–12, 15–16)
• Zak Sofaly – percussion (track 10)
• Toby Wright – production, additional vocals (track 7), synth bass (track 9), clarinet & piano (track 10), keyboards (tracks 1–5, 7-16), drum programming (tracks 2–4, 6, 7, 11, 12)

Additional personnel

• Max Cavalera – production
• The Rootsman – remixing & additional production (tracks 15, 16)
• Anders Dohn – production (tracks 13, 14)
• Jacob Langkilde – engineering (tracks 13, 14)
• Jan Sneum – executive production (tracks 13, 14)
• 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

Chart positions

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[9]	26
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[10]	28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[11]	20
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[12]	48
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[13]	39
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[14]	22
French Albums (SNEP)^[15]	20
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[16]	16
Italian Albums (FIMI)^[17]	48
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[18]	22
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[19]	34
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[20]	43
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[21]	76
UK Albums (OCC)^[22]	45
US Billboard 200^[23]	32
US Top Independent Albums (Billboard)^[24]	11

Notes and References

1. Web site: The 50 best nu metal albums of all time. April 2022.
2. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=3145 "Metal/Hard Rock Album Sales In The US As Reported By SoundScan - Apr. 30, 2002"
3. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive (album review) . Sputnik Music . May 9, 2006 . March 5, 2014.
4. Web site: The Forsaken (2001) - Soundtracks . IMDb.
5. Web site: Soulfly: Primitive . . Erik Gamlem . October 28, 2013.
6. Web site: Soulfly : Son Song (featuring Sean Lennon) : Lyrics . The Music Made Me Do It (MMMDI).
7. News: Rob Zombie, Filter Rarities On 'Valentine' Soundtrack . https://web.archive.org/web/20120210110535/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1435439/rob-zombie-filter-rarities-on-valentine-soundtrack.jhtml . dead . February 10, 2012 . December 27, 2000 . Joe D'Angelo . News . . October 28, 2013.
8. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive . Reviews. . March 5, 2014.
9. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
10. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. de. November 7, 2021.
11. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. nl. November 7, 2021.
12. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. fr. November 7, 2021.
13. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. nl. November 7, 2021.
14. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
15. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. fr. November 7, 2021.
16. Web site: Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment charts. de. November 7, 2021.
17. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
18. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
19. Web site: Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. November 7, 2021.
20. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
21. Web site: Soulfly - Primitive. Hung Medien. November 7, 2021.
22. Web site: Soulfly full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. November 7, 2021.
23. Web site: Soulfly Chart History (Billboard 200). Billboard. November 7, 2021.
24. Web site: Soulfly Chart History (Top Alternative Albums). Billboard. November 7, 2021.