PRIMAL FEAR
PRIMAL FEAR– “Code Red”
By Colonel Angus
This new album “Code Red” from German metal heroes PRIMAL FEAR is just one year past their 25th anniversary. I can’t believe that they have been consistently making records for over two and half decades and have amassed such a huge catalogue. I have said it before but I feel it is worth mentioning, PRIMAL FEAR have over the course of their career created a sound of their own that still exhibiting their influences here and there. Like AC/DC and MOTORHEAD you pretty much know what you are going to get but every so often they transcend their already high standard and come up with a collection of tunes that are inspired. I don’t know if the whole Covid lockdowns played a part in this but lately I have seen many established acts release albums that surpass their output for the last decade. PRIMAL FEAR is no exception to this as “Code Red” is their best work since “Delivering The Black”. And that is saying a lot since I really enjoy all of their disks. The one thing that also struck me were the lyrics and the topics covered within some of the tracks. While the band dabbled in topical matters in the past, this record sees more focus on today’s issues like “Cancel Culture” and “The World is on Fire” just to name a couple.
Quite honestly, “Code Red” contains eleven track s and not one of them is what I would consider a miss or just a competent tune. I have listened to this record many times straight through and I never reach for the “skip” button. Starting off the record, we get that JUDAS PRIEST “Painkiller”-era sound (this is where they show their influence) with “Another Hero”. There is such an infectious chugging riff on that track that it sets the tone for the rest of “Code Red”. Those chugging riffs are all over this record which gives it a familiarity and consistency giving the record a cohesive vibe. “Deep in the Night”, “The World is on Fire” and “Fearless” are these chugging metal anthems that are sprinkled in between full-on power metal tracks like “Cancel Culture” and NWOBHM inspired pieces like “Raged By Pain”. In fact, “Cancel Culture” and the ballad “Forever” sort of stand out a bit from the rest of the tracks as being slightly different but PRIMAL FEAR has always put a couple of tunes on all their records that venture ever so slightly from their metal formula. Even though both of them have a variation on the PRIMAL FEAR sound, they fit in with the rest of the material and create a nice flow to the album as a whole.
The band is the same as the one that released “Metal Commando” a few years back with drummer Michael Ehre making this his second full album recording with the band. Ralf Scheepers still has the voice after all these years and sounds fantastic throughout. Mat Sinner, bassist and producer, not only did a great job of capturing the sound but he also made sure that his driving bass kept the tracks moving in a chugging fashion. And last but certainly not least, the three guitar attack of Tom Naumann, Alexander Beyrodt, and Magnus Karlsson come up with catchy and melodic riffs that cause instant headbanging. I mentioned earlier that you know what you’re getting with a PRIMAL FEAR release but I feel “Code Red” is one of the albums that will stand out as one of their better records. I hate to say best just yet because I feel that they still have plenty of music to unleash on all of us so the “best” tag will have to wait. Until then, “Code Red” is a monster of a record and definitely in the top three form their catalogue.