Perth’s own modern progressive metal titans, Primrose Path, have delivered their most ambitious and sonically captivating work with the launch of their new album, “Ruminations”, released 28 February 2025 to international critical acclaim. But the journey doesn’t end there! Fueling their passion to bring this belter of an album to life in its full analog glory, the band has just launched an electrifying Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of limited-edition vinyl records. Fans can also brace themselves for a thunderous live experience as Primrose Path takes the stage at Amplifier Bar on April 26th, 2025, for an epic album launch, featuring support from Neomantra, Buried Shallow, and Breed.
Link to Kickstarter Campaign HERE
Also announced this week, Primrose Path have been selected as main support for Swedish prog metal icons Opeth for their ‘The Last Will and Testament Tour’ in Perth this November.
Primrose Path are certainly poised to join a pool of highly respected prog metal artists on the global stage.
Primrose Path are the newest progressive metal offering by Perth, Western Australia. The band have invented their own unique brand of emotive technical metal, with members often joking that if Meshuggah and The Cranberries had a baby, ‘Primrose Path’ would be its name.
‘Ruminations’ is a journey through consciousness; anger, obstructive thinking, repeated mistakes, broken promises, lust, will to live, entwined in other sociological observations unique to the human experience. Yet the album has a lightness to it that conjures hope and empowerment.
Promising a stadium quality atmosphere and emotional deliverance, ‘Ruminations’ is suited beside other modern progressive metal albums, drawing sonic inspiration from alternative metal genres such as progressive death, metalcore, gothic rock and, interestingly, computer games of the 90’s. Few heavy genres have not been explored and fluidly entwined by the band in the composition and arrangement of the eight track album.
The album thematically traverses various moods and states of mind, hoping to take the listener on an empowering and cathartic journey. In many ways, the album tells its own story from start to finish, despite that each track on the album may be enjoyed on its own given the ‘single release’ qualities the band has written into each song. This was no happenstance, Primrose set out to produce an album of ‘bangers’, yet still provide a narrative fluidity to the complete work.
Though ‘Ruminations’ is the debut album by Primrose Path, the emphasis on quality in this album cannot be understated. The band set out to produce a piece of work that earned its place alongside their own influences. Every emotion you hear conveyed in the music, the band went through; every tribulation they faced and the rejoice of getting through it together. This album is personal. ‘Ruminations’ is not just a testament to what can be achieved regardless of the odds against you, it hopefully enlivens as much passion in the listener as it did the band to create it.
The five piece ensemble that humbly started in a pool shed during Covid-19 lockdowns now graces some of Western Australia’s main live music stages having supported the likes of Karnivool, Caligular’s Horse and Cog in the last twelve months.
Primrose quickly established themselves as the leaders of progressive metal in the Perth local music scene, garnering immense support from their peers, local venues, fanbase and industry stakeholders. Without any grande plan or network initially, Primrose came out of the woodwork and dominated heavy music in Perth because of their incredible live performances, world class musicianship and willingness to push the boundaries of conventional heavy music. Now, their music is reaching across the globe as people discover their novel fusion of enchanting melodies, heavy riffing and technical rhythmic elements.
Recent additions to the ensemble include Matt Gashk on guitar (December 2024) and Ashley Doodkoorte (from Voyager) on drums (featuring on all the releases from and including ‘HEX’ in 2024 and the band’s live shows since December 2023).
Primrose Path members combine decades of jazz and classical training, with a deep love for dark heavy music. From grunge, black metal, EDM/Dubstep, prog rock, tech-death, industrial, blues and funk music to deathcore, Primrose members really do combine an eclectic array of influences between them.
