Primeval Well
Primeval Well headlined an intimate show at the Avant-Garde Bar this past Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The show opened with Gróa Willing, a local act that plays a sort of minimal, acoustic-only black metal. It was nice. Trance-like. They did four songs, which were all a little samey, but I liked it for what it was.
Next up were Nirthal, also local and billed as "King Diamond worship." I didn't care much for their stuff, but others in the audience enjoyed it.
Primeval Well played last. They were great. They played selections from their second LP, Talkin' in Tongues with Mountain Spirits (2021). My favourite tracks were "She Flies Undead" and "Where All Things are Forgotten."
Primeval Well's shtick is mixing black metal and bluegrass, which sounds like a really strange pairing, but they make it work. They engage with Appalachian folk spirituality so earnestly, it elevates their brand of atmospheric black metal. Full marks from me.
A special mention about Ryan Clackner, the band's guitarist, vocalist, and main creative force. You get a pretty good idea how inventive and well developed his playing is from the albums, but seeing it live is something else. And a great singer to boot. What a beast.