I got into Primal Fear only a half a year ago, when I found their DVD for a suitably low price. It was the song 'Nuclear Fire' that burnt the hair of my balls and there was no turning back. And those shredding, shrieking guitars... Oh yes!!! The band didn't climb into my "must buy every album NOW" list, but I've bought three out of 8 full lengths thus far, in a totally random pattern. I've heard from people, that it's pretty much same what Primal Fear album to try at first, and if you like it, then get the rest of 'em. Now I apply this advice in my reviewing method. 'Devil's Ground', the band's 5th album shall be the first one with its head on a chopping block. So I am not going to compare this with those two other albums I've heard. Or neither am I guessing how the rest five albums might sound by reading stuff about them. So Please, keep that in mind.

'Metal Is Forever'. Damn right it is! This is what I want from Primal Fear: Shredding, shrieking guitars with great riffs, commanding bass lines and rolling beats. And of course those high-pitched yet extremely characteristic vocals by Ralf Scheepers (ex- Tyran' Pace, ex-Gamma Ray). His voice is a double-edged sword. Gladly I got into his voice as early as 1991, on Gamma Ray's classic 'Sigh no More'. This fella has a real high-pitched voice, but still it is sturdy as it does not break up even on the highest notes, which are close to falsetto. He uses a lot of vibrato. He also sings in lower notes than with glass-shattering voice, and that's where his natural voice really shines. It is so characteristic, if clearly from Rob Halford school (very much like Tim "Ripper" Owens, to tell the truth). But still, easy to dislike even though his technique is good. By the way, his English pronunciation is not bad at all, as it isn't too Deutsch. The lyrical topics cover what you'd expect them to cover: Metal, wars, religious illusions, demons etc. typical stuff. It's not too bad, it's just familiar.

The original guitarist Tom Naumann (ex-Sinner) and Stefan Leibing, who has been in the band since 1999's 'Jaws of Death', do what metal guitarists must do. They shred, use pinch harmonics (squeek!!!) and generally do it the heavy way. Totally solid riffage, enjoyable solos (even for a non-guitarist), total metal. Like Judas Priest at their most metal. Well, there's surely as much German metal there, believe me. Speed metal, power metal and heavy metal in one. Holy fucking trinity. The rhythm section, then. The bass first, as it is maestro Mat Sinner playing it. It is loud. It says "bang your head." And yes, Primal Fear also sounds a lot like Sinner, at least at times. But clearly this is different band, so no need to make bigger point of it. The drums by Randy Black (also known from e.g. Annihilator) are also solid with a lot of mid-paced double bass drumming. Nothing too fancy, as emphasis is clearly on "solid".

The album is more than half-filled with metal-to-the-bone anthems, but I am not complaining. 'Visions of Fate' is a bit darker, but still an anthem. 'The Healer' is the first slow song, and not a million miles from Gamma Ray's slower parts on 'Sigh no More'. And what's important, the song writing is still strong. 'Wings of Desire' is another slower one. These slower songs are more like epic songs, not ballads. The title track is a spoken piece, and very much needless. The production is fine with its clarity yet heavy and punchy sound, with loads of tasty intricacies to be heard all around the album.

The digibook's and Japanese edition's Dio-era Black Sabbath cover 'Die Young' works like hell. Led Zeppelin's song 'The Rover' can be found on the Japanese edition. There're two 5.1 mixes on the digibook ('Metal Is Forever' and 'The Healer'), but I can live without such fancy things as surround systems.

While being the first Primal Fear album I decided to review, and I haven't heard them all, I hoped I could leave more space, score-wise, for other Primal Fear albums. But well, 'Devil's Ground' is hot as... Ummm... Hell!

Rating: 8+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/10/2010 22:56