'Cast The Way' was recently made available exclusively on-line through the band’s websites and is Primitive Reason’s first release with the revamped line-up that now includes Pepe de Souza (drums) and Ricardo Barriga (guitar), both of whom recently joined De Llera and long time band-mates James Beja (bass) and Abel Beja (guitar). This self-produced ‘Limited Edition’ EP is a prelude to Primitive Reason’s 6th album which is due for international release in the fall of 2008, year in which the band will be celebrating 15 years of existence. Unlike their previous albums (which featured multi-instrumental additions such as horns, percussions, acoustic guitars, etc.), the band decided to take a more ‘back to basics’ approach for this recording. The result is a no-frills, eclectic, and extremely potent offering from the innovative Lisbon, Portugal, based rock quintet.
For over a decade, Primitive Reason have remained true to their roots and ideals. Their innovative sound and powerful live concerts have generated many fans on the international underground music scene. Since 1996, the band has released five studio albums and toured throughout Portugal, U.S.A, United Kingdom and Spain. The band has also performed at many summer music festivals and shared the stage with an extensive list of international bands including System of Down, Tool, Audioslave, Marilyn Manson, Incubus, Deftones, and Prodigy, to name a few. Backed by a faithful and ever-growing cult following throughout many parts of the world, Primitive Reason continues to cast the way...
Biography:
Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Primitive Reason was formed in 1993 by Guillermo De Llera (bass,vocals) and long-time schoolmates Jorge Felizardo (drums) and Brian Jackson (lead vocals), who were later joined by Mikas Ventura (guitar) and Mark Cain (sax). The members, being of different nationalities (including Spanish, Portuguese, American, and British backgrounds), set out to explore their diverse musical interests. After a couple of demos and several live shows, the band began to develop a unique fusion of metal/hardcore/ska/reggae/hip-hop/funk with hints of jazz and world music, complimented by dual vocals that mixed melodic singing with rap, spoken word, and aggressive screams.
Their innovative sound and impressive live performances caught the attention of both local fans and media alike. In 1995, Primitive Reason landed a national recording deal with Uniao Lisboa. The band quickly made its mark on the national music scene with the release of two critically acclaimed albums in Portugal ('Alternative Prison' (1996) and 'Tips and Shortcuts' (1998), both of which sold over 20,000 copies). After several successful national tours, including memorable performances at important summer festivals like Paredes de Coura, Superbock Superrock, and Vilar de Mouros, the band had generated a large national following and was looking to further its musical experience beyond borders.
Frustrated by their label’s lack of interest in releasing their albums internationally, Primitive Reason re-located to New York City where they signed with independent label Jah Notion in 1999. The move was not without its hardships though. By the time they started writing new material for their U.S. debut, De Llera and Felizardo had found themselves at a major crossroads after the rest of the band had decided not to continue. The duo moved on though, with De llera taking on the lead vocal role, completing the band’s third album, 'Some of Us', which was recorded in NY and featured some friends they had made on the scene including members of the Scofflaws, Toasters and New York Ska Jazz Ensemble.
At the turn of the century, the band recruited local natives James (bass) and Abel Beja (guitar) and quickly became a fixture on the NYC circuit, playing such renowned venues as CBGB’s, Mercury Lounge, Knitting Factory and Wetlands. To kick off their first U.S. release in the summer of 2000, Primitive Reason embarked on several U.S. national tours, included opening slots for major acts such as Fishbone, The Urge, The Misfits, Murphy's Law and The Pilfers, before returning to Portugal in 2001 to promote national release of the album. Another year of constant touring was to follow, including a national head-lining tour and appearances at major summer festivals alongside international acts such as Soulfly, Rammstein, Manu Chao, Suicidal Tendencies, UB40, Slipknot and Nickelback. The band then took a break from touring and decided to explore their individual and collective interests in other musical roots and cultures. Each member traveled to a different part of the globe: to Asia, South America, North America, and Europe. These experiences would deeply inspire their following works.
In 2003, a ‘reincarnated’ Primitive Reason finished recording what was to be the band’s first release on their own independent label Kaminari Records. 'The Firescroll', the band’s 4th album, generated rave reviews with the public and media alike. Their national tour included an appearance in front of 30,000 fans at the Rock in Lisbon stadium festival alongside Marilyn Manson, Audioslave, Deftones, and Disturbed. Video-clips for the singles Kindian and Had I the Courage were voted #1 ahead of top international acts on several TV programs, and Primitive Reason was nominated for Best Band at the 2003 MTV European Music Awards. By the end of summer, Primitive Reason had suffered another major line-up change with the sudden departure of Felizardo. The band was able to find a temporary replacement and finished the last leg of the national tour but was forced to cancel any plans of international touring.
Over the next few years, the band found themselves faced with a ‘revolving door’ of replacement drummers as they continued to tour nationally. This didn’t stop them from returning to studio to complete their next album. 'Pictures in the Wall' (Kaminari, 2005), Primitive Reason's 5th release and most adventurous work to date, was the reflection of the diversity that characterizes and always has been a trademark of this unique band. The album was conceived as a 74-minute ‘soundtrack’ to a short-story written by De Llera. As he explains it, “The book, and the music that accompanies it, describes a deep sleep, in which several distinct dreams tell their own story, filled with hopes and desires, living on memories and suffering through its own sorrows, like a wall filled with photographs that seemingly mark the passage of time”. Originally written in English, the book also includes both Spanish and Portuguese translations.
Following the release of´'Pictures in the Wall', Primitive Reason toured consistently. Highlights included their first concerts in the UK and Spain, as well as festival appearances alongside Tool, System of a Down, Placebo, Prodigy, Deftones, and Incubus. Both Kaminari releases were then made available worldwide through CD Baby, Super D Distribution and all major digital music services including I-tunes and Napster. In 2007, with the additions of Pepe de Souza (drums) and Ricardo Barriga (guitar), Primitive Reason solidified their line-up and returned to the studio. Their first recordings were recently released as a ‘limited edition’ EP, anticipating the band’s 6th full-length which is scheduled for international release in mid 2008.
Since the beginning of their 15-year existence, they’ve remained faithful to their roots and ideals while consistently re-affirming their position as one of the leaders on the international underground music scene. Backed by a faithful and ever-growing cult following throughout many parts of the world, Primitive Reason continues to cast the way…
Primitive Reason is:
Guillermo de Llera – vocals, percussion, didgeridoo
Abel Beja – guitar, vocals
Pepe De Souza - drums
Luís Pereira - bass
Rui Travasso - saxophone
Dust
Primitive Reason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were talking about the accomplishment
Of returning to the accompliceness of earth and man, a shaman.
The daemon of constant creation is bringing in the nation of nature with imagination, hit, through nurture I found it, I am it.
Forever I will fly for the lives of the many minds despised,
Taken from the ones that fly high with I, high, good high, I.
I am like them a mind with a spirit that inhabits all,
Fierce are the dreams that awake,
Uplift, take the mind weight
From body weight to travel lightly on high terrain.
Main are the millions of mountain peaks
That marry the valley deeps and carry the trees that release seeds,
And these stretch to the sun and breathe up a dream state.
We follow these and wait.
Well they shall love it and they shall leave it
Let dream be their destiny.
The ground that they step
Is the ground that they be.
They live as dust and grow as dust and dust is what they be.
They're living on and dying off their own mentality.
Circling past passed the man had lost the mask,
The glass had shattered.
Now traveling negative acts
He had lost the nerve to act untrue.
Bothering news hard to choose
The truth and this illusion grew,
Disillusion kneeled that man,
Making him think he'd understand it.
So It came to him that night,
That the past is past and the future's future.
One's made up and one's to make up,
Going from now to then awakened.
Hey but if that ain't happened what has?
Who are these people wearing masks?
They terribly look like monsters,
They terribly look like
Fierce are the dreams that awake,
Uplift, take the mind weight.
From body weight to travel lightly on high terrain.
Main are the millions of mountain peaks,
That marry the valley deeps
And carry the trees that release seeds,
And these stretch to the sun and breathe up a dream state.
We follow these and wait.
Well they shall love it and they shall leave it
Let dream be their destiny.
The ground that they step
Is the ground that they be.
They live as dust and grow as dust
And dust is what they be.
They're living on and dying off their own mentality.
If each world is a place and each place is a world
Then where does that leave he
In a place in the ground in a group with they like he.
In a group with they like he, he will share his energy.
With the ones that are born to the kind that he be.
Fierce are the dreams that awake,
Uplift, take the mind weight.
From body weight to travel lightly on high terrain.
Main are the millions of mountain peaks,
That marry the valley deeps and carry the trees that release seeds,
And these stretch to the sun and breathe up a dream state.
We follow these and wait.
We follow these and wait.
Shadows of deeds reflected uponâ?¦
Like bong hitsâ?¦
Religious and naked in thisâ?¦
Demons gang as packsâ?¦
And fight for this worldâ?¦
For this world is powerful
The song "Dust" by Primitive Reason explores the relationship between humans and nature, and the consequences of our actions on the environment. The lyrics describe the beauty and power of nature, as well as the destructive impact of our society on the earth. The opening lines suggest a conversation about returning to the "accompliceness" of earth and man, perhaps suggesting that humans need to work with nature rather than against it. The reference to a shaman suggests a spiritual connection to the earth.
The lyrics then turn to the idea of flying for the lives of many minds despised, which could suggest a desire to protect and defend marginalized groups. The line "we'd not die, weed not die" could be interpreted as a reference to marijuana as a means of escaping reality, or as a metaphorical statement about the importance of holding onto one's spirit and inspiration despite adversity.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of allowing nature to be our destiny, rather than trying to control it. The line "they live as dust and grow as dust" suggests a humility and interconnectedness with the natural world, rather than a sense of superiority or domination.
The second half of the song delves into more abstract themes, such as the relationship between past and future, and the idea that each person is part of a larger energy. The final line brings the song full circle, suggesting that the "world is powerful" and that we should respect and care for it.
Line by Line Meaning
Can I get them word's out of you,
May I understand the message you are conveying?
You were talking about the accomplishment
You spoke about the attainment
Of returning to the accompliceness of earth and man, a shaman.
Of going back to the partnership between humans and nature, just like a shaman.
The daemon of constant creation is bringing in the nation of nature with imagination, hit, through nurture I found it, I am it.
The uncontrollable force of creating new things is introducing the power of nature with creativity, and I discovered it through gentle care; now I possess it.
Forever I will fly for the lives of the many minds despised,
I will always strive for the survival of the numerous ignored minds.
Taken from the ones that fly high with I, high, good high, I.
Stolen from those who used to soar with me, reach great heights, and experience the best ecstasy.
I am like them a mind with a spirit that inhabits all,
I am similar to them, with a soul that belongs everywhere.
Too right, were we to feel as it inside we'd not die, weed not die.
Correct, if we had the same sensation internally, we wouldn't perish, wouldn't whither.
Fierce are the dreams that awake,
The aspirations that awaken are intense.
Uplift, take the mind weight
They uplift and relieve the burden off our minds.
From body weight to travel lightly on high terrain.
From the heaviness of the body to lightly traveling on tall plains.
Main are the millions of mountain peaks
The mountain peaks are numerous
That marry the valley deeps and carry the trees that release seeds,
That mingle with the deep valleys and transport the trees that shed seeds.
And these stretch to the sun and breathe up a dream state.
And these extenda to the sun and breathe in a heightened sense of reality.
We follow these and wait.
We pursue these and be patient.
Well they shall love it and they shall leave it
Some will adore it, and some will walk away from it.
Let dream be their destiny.
Let their fate be determined by their ambitions.
The ground that they step
The soil they walk upon
Is the ground that they be.
Is the land that they belong to.
They live as dust and grow as dust and dust is what they be.
They exist as particles and die as particles, and particles is what they are.
They're living on and dying off their own mentality.
They're living and dying based on their way of thinking.
Circling past passed the man had lost the mask,
Going around, in the past, the person had discarded the disguise.
The glass had shattered.
The glass had broken
Now traveling negative acts
Now, taking part in negative behavior
He had lost the nerve to act untrue.
He had lost the willpower to be someone he's not.
Bothering news hard to choose
Disturbing reports, it's tough to pick
The truth and this illusion grew,
The truth and a lie got bigger
Disillusion kneeled that man,
Disappointment made that man submit,
Making him think he'd understand it.
Convincing him that he comprehends it.
So It came to him that night,
That night, he understood
That the past is past and the future's future.
The past is gone, and the future is yet to come.
One's made up and one's to make up,
One is determined, and the other is yet to be determined
Going from now to then awakened.
Going from present to the future had an impact.
Hey but if that ain't happened what has?
But if that didn't happen, then what did occur?
Who are these people wearing masks?
Who are these individuals disguising themselves?
They terribly look like monsters,
They appear extremely frightening,
Fierce are the dreams that awake,
The ambitions that come alive are intense.
Uplift, take the mind weight.
Elevate and relieve the burden off the mind.
From body weight to travel lightly on high terrain.
From the heaviness of the body to travel smoothly on elevated ground.
Main are the millions of mountain peaks,
There are countless mountain peaks.
That marry the valley deeps
That joins the deep valleys
And carry the trees that release seeds,
And convey the trees that shed seeds.
And these stretch to the sun and breathe up a dream state.
And these stretch toward the sun and inhale a fantasy-like state.
We follow these and wait.
We pursue these and remain patient.
Well they shall love it and they shall leave it
Some individuals will adore it, and some will abandon it.
Let dream be their destiny.
Let their fate be determined by their aspirations.
The ground that they step
The land they walk upon
Is the ground that they be.
Is the land that they are a part of.
They live as dust and grow as dust
They exist as dust particles and die as dust particles.
And dust is what they be.
Dust is what they are.
They're living on and dying off their own mentality.
They're existing and expiring based on their own mindset.
If each world is a place and each place is a world
If every locality is a world and every world is a place
Then where does that leave he
Then what will happen to him?
In a place in the ground in a group with they like he.
In a resting place in the soil with people like him.
In a group with they like he, he will share his energy.
Amongst a group like him, he will impart his vitality.
With the ones that are born to the kind that he be.
With those who were born with the same essence as him.
Shadows of deeds reflected upon…
Deeds cast shadows against
Like bong hits…
Similar to inhaling smoke from a bong
Religious and naked in this…
Devout and exposed in this.
Demons gang as packs…
Demons act as gangs, working together.
And fight for this world…
And fighting for this world.
For this world is powerful
Because this world possesses immense power.
Lyrics © Lusitanian, Unison Rights S.L.
Written by: GUILLERMO DE LLERA BLANES, JORGE FELIZARDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind