PRIMAL FEAR – Unbreakable CD Review

ARTIST: Primal Fear
TITLE: Unbreakable
YEAR: 2012
LABEL: Frontiers
REVIEWED BY: John Roach

Germany’s Primal Fear has been around since I was 6 years old and I haven’t listened to them until now. A name I’ve heard and seen around a lot but never looked into it. To be honest the album cover is what sucked me in at first with a “Whoa! Who are these guys?”. The destruction coupled with a solid gold logo and a bird soaring through the smoke and chaos. A symbolic image that reflects the music contained within. The buildings and destruction became the guitars and drums creating the distorted landscape as to where the vocals and solos can fly atop and resonate in the clouds. Along with the recognition of the name “Primal Fear”, I just had to lend an ear. God damn, I’ve been missing out on one hell of an act!

A chill from the past comes over me from this band with a sound that I thought to be lost in the depths of time and shitty cover bands. An intro track slowly introduces you to one of the more traditional sounding tracks of the album. I let this album run from start to finish and never got bored with it. I even caught myself head banging and singing along to songs once I got a couple of choruses in. The songs aren’t really fantasy based as a lot of other related bands tend to be. Lyrically they, to me, break the forth wall and talk about metal music in general and this fucked up world we live in. I know there isn’t really a “forth wall” to break but I guess I’m not used to hearing metal bands sing about things like head banging and never turning down the music, along with talking about watching the world on T.V. In all seriousness I am a fan of the lyrics which contain very true and honest statements worth an audience. The album musically is very diverse from hard driving power metal battle cries (“Strike”, “Marching Again”) to slowish, melodic ballads (“Born Again”).

Everything about this record should SCREAM cliche to me but it doesn’t at all. It’s completely fresh to my ears. It is a familiar experience but still as a whole remaining new. I would also say that it’s comforting and empowering to listen to this record. The opening distorted riff to “Where Angels Die” or the chorus to “And there Was Silence” for example. How can you not hear that and not want to stand up with horns held high? It is so up lifting and refreshing to hear such a polished, full, and modernized take on such a tried and true sub-genre in metal. Primal Fear may have always been like this but being a first time listener, it is what is so appealing to me! The vocal harmonies, the epic riffs backed by driving drums and bass. What’s not to like about Primal Fear?

This will surely kick off the 2012 metal releases with a good ole bang! If you’re stuck on making New Year’s resolutions then I’m urging you to add “check out Primal Fear” to that list! Being such a big name I wouldn’t be surprised if you were reading this as a fan to see if it measures up to previous releases. If it means anything take this into consideration: you just read a review from a brand new Primal Fear fan!

TRACKLISTING:

01. Unbreakable (Part 1)
02. Strike
03. Give ‘Em Hell
04. Bad Guys Wear Black
05. And There Was Silence
06. Metal Nation
07. Where Angels Die
08. Unbreakable (Part 2)
09. Marching Again
10. Born Again
11. Blaze of Glory
12. Conviction
13. Night of the Jumps