Both merciless double bass cracker "King for a Day" and "Rebel Faction" open up the plate. Testosterone impregnated, dark, full of energy. No Compromise. Who does not headbang, loses. Driven by Ralf Scheepers' harsh scream singing both songs burn immediately. In the past, the frontman bugged so frequently with too much whining, this time he caught the right mix between the higher and lower pitch. It is likely many Primal Fear-beginners still be too much. It's okay.
The (too long) first single "When Death Comes Knocking" turns out to be harder Kopfnicker with tremendous reef, which creates suction. Teutonic tamped metal, but lacking that certain something in my eyes.
I prefer the more compact "Alive & On Fire". Muscular Hard Rock with absolutely rousing chorus. Ideally suited for high-speed motorway driving. Rooted in the spirit of the 80's and yet pleasantly heavy. My Favorite.
The dashing uptempo banger "Delivering the Black" device no less strong. The guitars cut like there's no tomorrow and the polyphonic chorus mercilessly in a prime Accept-style destroys everything makes him in the way. Fat, fat, fat!
Also "Road to Asylum" makes no effort to reduce the double bass shares. Hits well into the ears and ballert pretty heavy.
The nine-minute "One Night in December" offers a variety of tempos and a hypnotic chorus. The number carries over the entire season and is considered by many critics and fans as the figurehead of the plate.
"Never pray for Justice" is again more in Hard to locate rock and impresses with an explosive Hook.
The only ballad on the album is titled "Born with a broken heart". Certainly not for everyone because well arranged bombastic and garnished with strings. I like it just fine.
Significantly dismissed Primal Fear not the handset with a slow song, but offer to the conclusion the board-like "Inseminoid". Sweaty speed metal with the Scheepers his vocal chords strained to the utmost. Not the most creative title of LP, but that's not the point, too. It rips and that's what matters.
Become that "Delivering the Black" is a hit (13th place in the German charts), probably due to the concentrated songwriting skills of the band. Bassist Mat Sinner and guitarist Magnus Karlsson publish for years masse solo albums and work for foreign artists and bands and also Axel Beyrodt (guitar) and Ralf Scheepers in this regard are truly no undescribed sheets. This team brings together all its strengths to the most consistent album in history of Primal Fear, which comes without any failure. In addition, the extremely powerful sound is a huge plus point. In times through styled, soulless mass productions a long-awaited ray of hope. Especially the rich percussion of now stepped out Randy Black stands out positively.
Sure, the wheel have Sinner and Co. not just reinvented unpredictability done differently. Through the courageous commitment to the innate virtues of the Power Metal and the almost complete absence of too much pathos, the compositions gain but to add value and simply a lot of fun. Does the end result earned four stars.
