Primal Fear (band)
Encyclopedia
Primal Fear is a German
power metal
and speed metal
band formed in 1997 by Ralf Scheepers
(vocals, ex-Gamma Ray
) and Mat Sinner
(bass and vocals, Sinner
). Sinner & Scheepers formed the band after Ralf was not hired as Rob Halford
's replacement in Judas Priest
. Their latest album called 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
was released in 2009 and will be supported with a headlining European tour - the Viva La Swabia European Tour, later All Over the World tour, named after their 2010 released new concert DVD/CD.
. After a gig with his Judas Priest
cover band Just Priest in which Mat Sinner and Tom Naumann helped out the idea arose to found Primal Fear. They signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast Records in late 1997. Their debut album Primal Fear
was released in February 1998 and entered the German LP charts at place 48 thus making it one of the highest chart entries of a debut album in German metal. The same year they toured with German Metal veterans Running Wild
and HammerFall
.
In July 1999 the 2nd album Jaws of Death
was released. Shortly after its release guitarist Tom Naumann left the band due to health problems. During the tour through Europe, Brazil and Japan he was replaced by Alex Beyrodt. In January 2000 Henny Wolter joined the band as a permanent replacement. In early 2001 the third album Nuclear Fire
was released. At the following world tour the band played in the USA for the first time and were guests at the Metal Meltdown Festival and the Milwuakee Metalfest.
The next album Black Sun was released and entered the German LP charts at place 55. Halford
-Guitarist Mike Chlasciak contributed the guitar solos for the songs "Fear" and "Armageddon". The highlight of the following double-headliner tour with fellow band Rage
was a gig at the Scala
in London. The same year Henny Wolter left the band and was replaced by the returning Tom Naumann. With this line-up the band again toured through Brazil and ended the Black Sun tour. In April/May 2003 the band participated in the Metal Gods tour together with Rob Halford
, Testament
and a few other bands and toured through the USA and Canada. During the Tour drummer Klaus Sperling was replaced by Randy Black. After the Tour Randy joined the band permanently.
In February 2004 the 5th album Devil's Ground
was released and entered the German LP charts at place 67. April of the same year the band started another world tour in which the band toured through Europe, Japan, the USA and South America incl. one of the band's biggest hits "Metal Is Forever". Directly after the tour the band recorded their 6th album Seven Seals
in Vancouver and Stuttgart. It was released in Fall of 2005 mixed by Mike Frazer in Vancouver. To promote the album the band went on Europe and Japan tour together with fellow Power Metal band Helloween
.
In July 2006 the band surprisingly left Nuclear Blast Records and signed a long-term contract with Frontiers Records. As a "parting gift" Nuclear Blast released the best of compilation Metal is Forever
.
In February 2007 during the recordings for the next album New Religion
the band decided after long discussions about the future of the band that Henny Wolter will return as 2nd guitarist and Tom Naumann will leave the band. The album was finished under the direction of producer Mat Sinner and engineer and co-producer Charlie Bauerfeind and was mixed by Roland Prent in the Galaxy Studios in Belgium. It was released in September 2007 and entered the German LP charts at place 60. They started their New Religion tour as co-headliner of the sold out Power Prog VIII festival in Atlanta, USA. Afterwards they toured together with U.D.O.
through Europe. They continued the tour in January 2008 due to the band's 10th birthday and once again toured through Europe.
Early March 2008 the band announced that long time guitarist Stefan Leibing had left the band because he wants to spend more time with his family and his business. On future releases and tours he will be replaced by a excellent Swedish guitar wizard Magnus Karlsson, who already contributed 2 guitar solos for the New Religion album. In December 2008 the band entered the House of Music Studios to record their next album 16.6
. They say that "the music includes a lot of the vibe of our very first albums" and that "a new Primal Fear album always contained some new musical challenges, real surprises". The Album was released on May 22 in Europe and June 9 in the USA. The Video for the song Six Time Dead (16.6) has premièred on May 8 on the band's official MySpace channel. The Album reached #46 on the German, #52 in Swedish and 28# in the Japanese album charts. The band started their longest tour ever in South America, North America, Canada, Europe and Japan to promote their new album. A new live CD and DVD was recorded during every leg on the tour. In 2010 the band spent their longest time on the road in North America tour, followed by another European Tour in September–November 2010.
On 8 July 2011, the band announced their next album, titled Unbreakable
, was scheduled to be released on 20 January 2012.
, government
and other highly controversial issues. An example would be Black Sun. It can be considered a concept album about a space exploration mission. They visit a new, before unseen, planet (Black Sun), have a crew member who can see the future (Magic Eye), and end up blowing up when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere (Armageddon). (The person or thing they are speaking to in Armageddon is often considered by fans to be the birds of prey on the covers of their albums.) Though some may analyze the album to contain songs of the before mentioned themes, including Fear, a song about the relationship between politics and war, or Armageddon, sometimes thought to be about certain religious beings, and the person being spoken to, in this case, would be "God". Because no real lyrical meanings have been discussed with the writers, there is still much controversy on the issue.
, though some elements of pure thrash metal
, and traditional heavy metal
are often included in the music.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
and speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
band formed in 1997 by Ralf Scheepers
Ralf Scheepers
Ralf Scheepers is the current vocalist for German power metal outfit Primal Fear. He has a relatively high-pitched tenor-esque singing voice and sometimes uses a shriek reminiscent of Judas Priest's Rob Halford, although it is his baritone lows which give him a near 4 octave range in the modal...
(vocals, ex-Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
) and Mat Sinner
Mat Sinner
Mat Sinner is a bassist, vocalist and record producer from Stuttgart in Germany.His main bands have been Sinner since 1982 and Primal Fear since 1997, which he formed with Ralf Scheepers. He has been involved in numerous other projects throughout his musical career...
(bass and vocals, Sinner
Sinner (band)
Sinner are a German heavy metal band formed by vocalist and bassist Mat Sinner in 1982 . They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene. Their latest album, One Bullet Left, was released in 2011.-History:...
). Sinner & Scheepers formed the band after Ralf was not hired as Rob Halford
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. He is nicknamed the "Metal God" as a tribute to his influence on metal, and after the Judas Priest song of the same name from 1980's...
's replacement in Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Their latest album called 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
16.6 is the eighth studio album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. It is the first album by the band not featuring guitarist and founding member Stefan Leibing and the first album featuring new guitarist Magnus Karlsson...
was released in 2009 and will be supported with a headlining European tour - the Viva La Swabia European Tour, later All Over the World tour, named after their 2010 released new concert DVD/CD.
Band history
Primal Fear was founded in October 1997 by singer Ralf Scheepers and Mat Sinner. Scheepers and Sinner have been constants in the heavy metal scene before the band was founded. Ralf Scheepers sang in the bands Tyran Pace, F.B.I. and the internationally successful band Gamma RayGamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
. After a gig with his Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
cover band Just Priest in which Mat Sinner and Tom Naumann helped out the idea arose to found Primal Fear. They signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast Records in late 1997. Their debut album Primal Fear
Primal Fear (album)
Primal Fear is the debut studio album by the German power metal band Primal Fear, released in 1998.- Track listing :All songs by Primal Fear, except "Speedking" by Ian Gillan, Richie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and "Breaker" by Accept...
was released in February 1998 and entered the German LP charts at place 48 thus making it one of the highest chart entries of a debut album in German metal. The same year they toured with German Metal veterans Running Wild
Running Wild (band)
Running Wild is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under...
and HammerFall
HammerFall
HammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...
.
In July 1999 the 2nd album Jaws of Death
Jaws of Death (album)
Jaws of Death is the second album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear, released in 1999.-Track listing:#Jaws of Death - 0:22#Final Embrace - 5:07#Save a Prayer - 3:37#Church of Blood - 5:14#Into the Future - 4:05#Under Your Spell - 5:36...
was released. Shortly after its release guitarist Tom Naumann left the band due to health problems. During the tour through Europe, Brazil and Japan he was replaced by Alex Beyrodt. In January 2000 Henny Wolter joined the band as a permanent replacement. In early 2001 the third album Nuclear Fire
Nuclear Fire
Nuclear Fire is the third album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. It was released in 2001.-Track listing:# Angel in Black # Kiss of Death # Back from Hell # Now or Never # Fight the Fire...
was released. At the following world tour the band played in the USA for the first time and were guests at the Metal Meltdown Festival and the Milwuakee Metalfest.
The next album Black Sun was released and entered the German LP charts at place 55. Halford
Halford
Halford may refer to:Places:*Halford, Shropshire, England*Halford, Warwickshire, England*Halford Island, Nunavut, CanadaPeople:* Alison Halford , Welsh former senior police officer and politician...
-Guitarist Mike Chlasciak contributed the guitar solos for the songs "Fear" and "Armageddon". The highlight of the following double-headliner tour with fellow band Rage
Rage (band)
Rage are a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.-Background:...
was a gig at the Scala
Scala (club)
Scala is a nightclub in London, England, near King's Cross railway station.-History:The Scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of H Courtney Constantine, but construction was interrupted by the First World War and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a...
in London. The same year Henny Wolter left the band and was replaced by the returning Tom Naumann. With this line-up the band again toured through Brazil and ended the Black Sun tour. In April/May 2003 the band participated in the Metal Gods tour together with Rob Halford
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. He is nicknamed the "Metal God" as a tribute to his influence on metal, and after the Judas Priest song of the same name from 1980's...
, Testament
Testament (band)
Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
and a few other bands and toured through the USA and Canada. During the Tour drummer Klaus Sperling was replaced by Randy Black. After the Tour Randy joined the band permanently.
In February 2004 the 5th album Devil's Ground
Devil's Ground
Devil's Ground is an album by German power metal band Primal Fear. It was originally released on 24 February 2004.-Track listing:# "Metal Is Forever" - 4:46# "Suicide and Mania" - 4:03# "Visions of Fate" - 4:49# "Sea of Flames" - 4:00# "The Healer" - 6:40...
was released and entered the German LP charts at place 67. April of the same year the band started another world tour in which the band toured through Europe, Japan, the USA and South America incl. one of the band's biggest hits "Metal Is Forever". Directly after the tour the band recorded their 6th album Seven Seals
Seven Seals (album)
Seven Seals is the sixth album by the German power metal band Primal Fear, released in November 2005. Seven Seals is the first album with artwork which does not contain a scene depicting their bird-of-prey mascot, but instead a logo based upon it...
in Vancouver and Stuttgart. It was released in Fall of 2005 mixed by Mike Frazer in Vancouver. To promote the album the band went on Europe and Japan tour together with fellow Power Metal band Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
.
In July 2006 the band surprisingly left Nuclear Blast Records and signed a long-term contract with Frontiers Records. As a "parting gift" Nuclear Blast released the best of compilation Metal is Forever
Metal Is Forever - The Very Best of Primal Fear
Metal is Forever, is the first best-of album released by the German power metal group Primal Fear.-CD 1:#"Metal Is Forever" - #"Chainbreaker" - #"Seven Seals" - #"Nuclear Fire" - #"Final Embrace" - #"The Healer" -...
.
In February 2007 during the recordings for the next album New Religion
New Religion (album)
New Religion is Primal Fear's seventh full length album, released on September 21, 2007. The promo version of the album was leaked onto torrent websites on August 10, 2007....
the band decided after long discussions about the future of the band that Henny Wolter will return as 2nd guitarist and Tom Naumann will leave the band. The album was finished under the direction of producer Mat Sinner and engineer and co-producer Charlie Bauerfeind and was mixed by Roland Prent in the Galaxy Studios in Belgium. It was released in September 2007 and entered the German LP charts at place 60. They started their New Religion tour as co-headliner of the sold out Power Prog VIII festival in Atlanta, USA. Afterwards they toured together with U.D.O.
U.D.O.
U.D.O. is a German heavy metal band founded by lead singer Udo Dirkschneider in 1987.-1987–1992:After Udo Dirkschneider left Accept in 1987, a large fan community followed him to U.D.O....
through Europe. They continued the tour in January 2008 due to the band's 10th birthday and once again toured through Europe.
Early March 2008 the band announced that long time guitarist Stefan Leibing had left the band because he wants to spend more time with his family and his business. On future releases and tours he will be replaced by a excellent Swedish guitar wizard Magnus Karlsson, who already contributed 2 guitar solos for the New Religion album. In December 2008 the band entered the House of Music Studios to record their next album 16.6
16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
16.6 is the eighth studio album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. It is the first album by the band not featuring guitarist and founding member Stefan Leibing and the first album featuring new guitarist Magnus Karlsson...
. They say that "the music includes a lot of the vibe of our very first albums" and that "a new Primal Fear album always contained some new musical challenges, real surprises". The Album was released on May 22 in Europe and June 9 in the USA. The Video for the song Six Time Dead (16.6) has premièred on May 8 on the band's official MySpace channel. The Album reached #46 on the German, #52 in Swedish and 28# in the Japanese album charts. The band started their longest tour ever in South America, North America, Canada, Europe and Japan to promote their new album. A new live CD and DVD was recorded during every leg on the tour. In 2010 the band spent their longest time on the road in North America tour, followed by another European Tour in September–November 2010.
On 8 July 2011, the band announced their next album, titled Unbreakable
Unbreakable (Primal Fear album)
Unbreakable is the upcoming ninth studio album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. The album is slated to be released on 20 January 2012 and recording is due to begin on 10 July 2011 at House Of Music studios in Winterbach, Germany....
, was scheduled to be released on 20 January 2012.
Lyrical themes
Lyrical themes in Primal Fear is often a very controversial issue. Though main lyrical themes in Primal Fear's works are science fiction, it is often thought to be metaphorical, portraying images of science fiction, but often thought to be referring to themes of religionReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and other highly controversial issues. An example would be Black Sun. It can be considered a concept album about a space exploration mission. They visit a new, before unseen, planet (Black Sun), have a crew member who can see the future (Magic Eye), and end up blowing up when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere (Armageddon). (The person or thing they are speaking to in Armageddon is often considered by fans to be the birds of prey on the covers of their albums.) Though some may analyze the album to contain songs of the before mentioned themes, including Fear, a song about the relationship between politics and war, or Armageddon, sometimes thought to be about certain religious beings, and the person being spoken to, in this case, would be "God". Because no real lyrical meanings have been discussed with the writers, there is still much controversy on the issue.
Genre
The primary genre associated with Primal Fear is power metalPower metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
, though some elements of pure thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, and traditional heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
are often included in the music.
Mainstream Success
The band had their highest chart entires with their third album Nuclear Fire, followed by their latest release 16.6 - their 2011 album will be released in the US by the newly formed alliance of Frontiers records/EMI.Band members
- Ralf ScheepersRalf ScheepersRalf Scheepers is the current vocalist for German power metal outfit Primal Fear. He has a relatively high-pitched tenor-esque singing voice and sometimes uses a shriek reminiscent of Judas Priest's Rob Halford, although it is his baritone lows which give him a near 4 octave range in the modal...
, lead vocals (1997-) - Magnus KarlssonMagnus Karlsson (guitarist)Magnus Karlsson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is currently one of the guitarists of the band Primal Fear.-Biography:...
, guitars (2008-) - Alexander Beyrodt, guitars (2007-)
- Mat SinnerMat SinnerMat Sinner is a bassist, vocalist and record producer from Stuttgart in Germany.His main bands have been Sinner since 1982 and Primal Fear since 1997, which he formed with Ralf Scheepers. He has been involved in numerous other projects throughout his musical career...
, bass, vocals (1997-) - Randy BlackRandy BlackRandy Black is a Canadian-born rock drummer and recording artist known best for his stints as the drummer for Bif Naked, Annihilator, and Primal Fear...
, drums (2003-)
Former members
- Henny Wolter, guitars (2000–2002, 2007–2010)
- Tom Naumann, guitars (1997–2000, 2003–2007)
- Klaus Sperling, drums (1997–2003)
- Stefan Leibing, guitars, keyboards (1998–2007)
Discography
- Primal FearPrimal Fear (album)Primal Fear is the debut studio album by the German power metal band Primal Fear, released in 1998.- Track listing :All songs by Primal Fear, except "Speedking" by Ian Gillan, Richie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and "Breaker" by Accept...
(1998) - Jaws of DeathJaws of Death (album)Jaws of Death is the second album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear, released in 1999.-Track listing:#Jaws of Death - 0:22#Final Embrace - 5:07#Save a Prayer - 3:37#Church of Blood - 5:14#Into the Future - 4:05#Under Your Spell - 5:36...
(1999) - Nuclear FireNuclear FireNuclear Fire is the third album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. It was released in 2001.-Track listing:# Angel in Black # Kiss of Death # Back from Hell # Now or Never # Fight the Fire...
(2001) - Horrorscope (5-track EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) (Shaped CD) (2002) - Black Sun (2002)
- The History of Fear (DVD + CD Bonus) (2003)
- Devil's GroundDevil's GroundDevil's Ground is an album by German power metal band Primal Fear. It was originally released on 24 February 2004.-Track listing:# "Metal Is Forever" - 4:46# "Suicide and Mania" - 4:03# "Visions of Fate" - 4:49# "Sea of Flames" - 4:00# "The Healer" - 6:40...
(2004) - Seven SealsSeven Seals (album)Seven Seals is the sixth album by the German power metal band Primal Fear, released in November 2005. Seven Seals is the first album with artwork which does not contain a scene depicting their bird-of-prey mascot, but instead a logo based upon it...
(2005) - Metal Is Forever - The Very Best of Primal FearMetal Is Forever - The Very Best of Primal FearMetal is Forever, is the first best-of album released by the German power metal group Primal Fear.-CD 1:#"Metal Is Forever" - #"Chainbreaker" - #"Seven Seals" - #"Nuclear Fire" - #"Final Embrace" - #"The Healer" -...
(2006) - New ReligionNew Religion (album)New Religion is Primal Fear's seventh full length album, released on September 21, 2007. The promo version of the album was leaked onto torrent websites on August 10, 2007....
(2007) - 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)16.6 is the eighth studio album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. It is the first album by the band not featuring guitarist and founding member Stefan Leibing and the first album featuring new guitarist Magnus Karlsson...
(2009) - Live in the USA (2010)
- 16:6 - All Over The World (DVD, 2010)
- UnbreakableUnbreakable (Primal Fear album)Unbreakable is the upcoming ninth studio album by the German heavy metal band Primal Fear. The album is slated to be released on 20 January 2012 and recording is due to begin on 10 July 2011 at House Of Music studios in Winterbach, Germany....
(2012)