PRIMAL FEAR — Primal Fear (review)

PRIMAL FEAR — Primal Fear album cover Album · 1998 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
RuneWalsh2112
After covering most of the post Scheepers Gamma Ray albums, you might be asking why I completely ignored the first three albums featuring Ralf Scheepers on vocals? This has merely to do with the fact that I got acquainted with Gamma Ray pretty late into their career and never really felt the urge to go back and explore the band's early discography. I never had a problem with Scheepers as a front man, on contrary, I consider him an idol of Heavy Metal considering that the man's voice is still as powerful as ever after nearly 30 years in the music business!

Right after quiting Gamma Ray on the pretense of hoping to land a gig with Judas Priest, after Rob Halford quit the band, Ralf Scheepers was left out in the cold. Judas Priest went on to hire Tim 'Ripper' Owens as their new front man while Kai Hansen-fronted Gamma Ray finally broke through to the masses with the release of the acclaimed "Land Of The Free", making it nearly impossible for Scheepers to retrace his steps. Instead of crying over spilled milk, Ralf Scheepers decided to put his bitterness into music and formed Primal Fear!

The band-titled debut album had an uncanny resemblance to the "Painkiller"-era Judas Priest sound. Featuring the same heavy twin guitar action (one of which belongs to Kai Hansen) and the high pitch vocals, making this record the follow up to "Painkiller" that Judas Priest have never delivered on! The album kicks off with the now classic "Chainbreaker" which features everything that you need to know about this band, making it a perfect introduction to Primal Fear.

The rest of the album comprises of a solid mix of tracks that range between the sound of NWoBHM and Power Metal, even though the latter doesn't really manifest itself as much as it will on the band's later releases. The album features a somewhat unnecessary cover of Deep Purple's "Speedking" which really doesn't fit in with the rest of the material, even though it's fun to hear Scheepers covering Gillans classic screams.

If you're a fan of Heavy Metal and are interested in hearing how Judas Priest might have sounded like have Rob Halford not quit the band on the height of their career, then this is definitely a must have album for you! Everyone else should also give it a spin merely out of curiosity, just don't expect the album to be more than the sum of its parts.

***** star songs: Chainbreaker (4:25) Silver & Gold (3:13) Nine Lives (3:08)

**** star songs: Promised Land (4:25) Dollars (3:59) Speedking (4:01) Thunderdome (3:45)

*** star songs: Primal Fear (0:34) Formula One (4:57) Tears Of Rage (6:48) Battalions Of Hate (3:51) Running In The Dust (4:38)
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