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Primal Fear: Live in the USA

Heavy/Power Metal

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Frontiers Records
www.myspace.com/primalfearofficial
www.primalfear.de
Review: Craig Hartranft,  06.21.2010

The golden age of live albums was probably from the mid-Seventies to the mid-Eighties, with classics from Frampton, Thin Lizzy, and UFO among others. Not everybody can get to show, you know. But it's still a fine tradition in the realms of hard rock and, especially, heavy metal. Enter German metal commandos Primal Fear, after eight studio albums, they bring forth a live CD and DVD. And it pretty much kicks ass, capturing the band with full energy and enthusiasm, and knobs to Eleven. Recorded in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles, Primal Fear bascially delivers a live version of their greatest hits. Pure Primal Fear fans will probably piss their pants while raising the horns and banging their heads. It's all good stuff.

The clarity of production is quite good making me wonder what overdubs or other post production wizardry Matt Sinner (b) and Dennis Ward (yeah, that Dennis Ward) may have done after the show. Yet, this isPrimal Fear at their best, and every member performs and stars throughout. Let's note one: Ralf Scheepers is brilliant, proving once more he could be the heir apparent to both Ronnie James (RIP) and Rob Halford in the heavy metal realm. He's flambouyant and persuasive. Otherwise, every member has a stingy and memorable performance. It's really hard to pick favorites here, but certainly Fighting the Darkness, Six Times Dead, and Metal is Forever are primo stuff.

I didn't get the DVD yet, but I'm sure I'll be impressed. My only request is that they would had more from Seven Seals, but that's only because it's my personal favorite (no dis to the older stuff). If you're Primal Fear fan, or simply dig classic melodic heavy/power metal, then scoop this baby up and blow out your speakers!

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Primal Fear's Live in the USA pretty much kicks ass, capturing the band with full energy and enthusiasm, and knobs to Eleven.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]