PRIMAL FEAR play Grove of Anaheim May 12
Power metal is reviving from the depths of the European metal era and reaching out to U.S. crowds with an aggressive vibe that poses as a hit of nostalgia with an injection of industrial metal-fueled guitar solos. German power metal band, Primal Fear is coming to the Grove of Anaheim on May 12 for their co-headlining show with Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody.
During this tour, Primal Fear will be playing five songs off of their newest album, Rulebreaker, along with many classics.
“Each set ends with “Metal is Forever” (Devil’s Ground), it’s kind of a tradition, and we’re starting the set with “Final Embrace” (Jaws of Death). This is a kind of Primal Fear trademark, in between we change songs, though,” Mat Sinner (bass / vocals / producer) said.
Although the band formed in late 1997, they are becoming a newly-beloved metal band in the U.S., hitting the charts with their 2016 album Rulebreaker. The album was No. 11 for “Current Hard Music Albums,” No. 38 for “Top Current Rock Albums,” No. 159 for “Top 200 Current Albums” and No. 8 for “Top New Artist Albums.”
“It was a nice step ahead for us in a difficult time, and overall it’s positive progress for Primal Fear. We really showed we are willing to tour more in the U.S. than ever and I think with the new album it worked out,” Sinner noted.
From the first fist-pounding guitar riffs of “Angels of Mercy” (recorded over some ass-slapping found in only the most classic metal music videos) to the final notes of “Don’t Say You’ve Never Been Warned,” Primal Fear continues their year-after-year pattern to success.
The newest album, features Ralf Scheepers (vocals), Magnus Karlsson (guitars), Mat Sinner (bass / vocals), Alex Beyrodt (guitars), newcomer Francesco Jovino (drums) and the return of Tom Naumann (guitars). Even with a seemingly over-filled studio, Primal Fear uses the multiple guitarists to their advantage, giving Rulebreaker a depth that past albums haven’t been able to reach. During their 2016 tour, Naumann will be on stage as Karlsson is currently not performing.
This tour is reaching all over the world, from the U.S. to Europe to South America and more, and not stopping until November, making it Primal Fear’s longest tour to date.
“If the audience is nice, I think it makes it really fun to play all over the world,” Sinner observed.
“I think, for example, on this U.S. tour, the people in New York or in Cleveland were really, really into it, they gave us a great time. So it doesn’t matter if you’re in New York, or Sao Paulo in Brazil, or Tokyo, it really depends on the reaction and the feeling of the audience,” Sinner said.
Since their self-titled debut release in 1998, the band has continuously released new material no more than two years apart. Unlike most bands that slow once they reach popularity, Primal Fear shows no signs of halting as they continuously release albums, DVDs and music videos through Frontier Records.
“If you are happy with your life and doing this with passion and you really like your job, you can do this. I see that I really like what I’m doing and I’m really blessed and I work really hard to be in this position,” Sinner said.
Even with a hefty tour ahead, along with constant new releases, Primal Fear isn’t taking time off. During this tour they are recording a live album that is to be released sometime March or April of 2017.
Once you introduce Primal Fear to your music collection, “You [get] the taste of blood / You just can’t get enough / And now it’s time to call the beast / You can’t control your lust.”