Power Metal fans must be ecstatic. Last week was Helloween that released their latest top notch album celebrating their wondrous multi-year career. Now we get back with one of the most awaited albums of the year. Primal Fear with “Domination” is now on with their unique combination of melodic tunes with the scary speed and force Power Metal was once known. Melodies combined with the raw power of the band is the invitation card of this album. Some bands are like wine, the older, the better. That’s what “Domination” delivers the ecstatic Power Metal fan.
As usual to opening tracks, “Domination” is opened by the power of “The Hunter“ a guitar driven track which shows everything Primal Fear got. Following track “Destroyer” changes the pace a little with some more flamboyant guitars instead of the raw power the band is known. But it is “Far Away“ which brings the killer combination Primal Fear are known for, that is, the melodic guitars with the stunning speed of the drums. From where I am standing, my guess is that all bands with more than 20 years of career deserve, ergo, with “I Am The Primal Fear” the band decided to make itself a well-deserved homage. Ok, so far, “Domination” would be a standard album of a fantastic band that would be prone to that critique that ‘it does not update itself,’ ‘it is always the same,’ ‘more of the same’ and on and on. But things started to change with the Primal Fear watermarked beauty of “Heroes And Gods” with catchy and emotional chorus. With “Heroes And Gods” the band opens a sequence of tracks that changed totally my perceptions about it. “Hallucinations” adds some unusual – to the band – effects to make it sound fancier. The tracks like a bridge to the emotional “Eden” showing an expected connection with Edenbridge, a band known for its melodic verve. A total point out of the curve on the band’s career. On the other hand, “March Boy March” showcases a total dissonant aggression. It totatlly outstands other fast tracks from the album being fair to say it dissonates from the album. The grand finale is with the classical violin inspired “A Tune I Won’t Forget” again a track that dissonates from the rest of the album belonging much more to Edenbridge than to Primal Fear.
We all know aging is something that changes people’s lives and with it comes what some might call maturity, a phase of life when the sense of experience dominates. So, it is fair to say “Domination” is the product of Primal Fear’s maturity. Maybe “Domination” is career changing album. Maybe not. Maybe it is only the will of making something different. A will that usually comes with time, but I have to admit this album is very good just because.
Primal Fear “Domination” will be released on September 05th via Reigning Phoenix Music.
Track Listing:
1. The Hunter
2. Destroyer
3. Far Away
4. I Am The Primal Fear
5. Tears Of Fire
6. Heroes And Gods
7. Hallucinations
8. Eden
9. Scream
10. The Dead Don’t Die
11. Crossfire
12. March Boy March
13. A Tune I Won’t Forget
Watch “Far Away” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!