This is the 13th studio album from ” Teutonic rockers ” Primal Fear , the band consisting of Ex Gamma Ray stalwart , Vocalist Ralph Scheepers who is joined on this album by his former colleague drummer Michael Ehre , co founding member Mat Sinner on bass and vocals and the triple pronged guitar skills of Magnus Karlsson , Alex Beyrodt and Tom Naumann.
I will admit right off that I don’t have a lot of prior knowledge of Primal Fear despite them not being far off their silver anniversary as a band ,I can only apologise as I am now kicking myself that I haven’t.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReyDqJIxx5g&w=560&h=315]Lead track on the album is “I Am Alive ” and a stonking opener it is as well , an immediate assault on your lugs with the triple guitars and battering bass & drum attack complemented with the screaming vocal of Scheepers .
The lead single from the album was “Along Came The Devil” which had massive airplay on Planet Rock and was the song that grabbed my attention when I heard it .It has massive guitar riffs and an uncanny resemblence to Avenged Sevenfold throughout the song .
Halo’ and ‘Hear me Calling ‘ which is one of the more gentle album tracks and easy listening. The next song for me is definitely the heaviest track of the album with a definite Judas Priest vibe ‘ The Lost & The Forgotten, ‘It has a Halfordesq scream as it opens with heavy chugging guitars which continue throughout the song and will be a great live track.
My Name Is Fear ‘ and ‘I Will Be Gone’ follow the tried and tested route of the rest of the album and will no doubt make their way onto many music streaming “Playlists” with the latter could we say a ballad.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7171SvM-Ouk&w=560&h=315]Raise Your Fists ‘ , ‘Howl of the Banshees’ and ‘Afterlife’ in all honesty are great songs but perhaps with the album being nearly an hour long one of them could maybe have been dropped , bearing in mind album closer ‘Infinity ‘ with it’s single tolling bell opening and gentle guitars with vocalist Scheepers showing his vocal ranges, being quieter and more mellow on the track , however it does last a tad over 13 minutes which in this day and age maybe debatable as just a little too long for me.
All in all a good album well worthy of forking out for and as I mentioned earlier I’m glad I’ve discovered Primal Fear and will dig out their back catalogue for a listen.
Review by Craig Cooper for MPM
