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Album Review – Primal Fear / Domination (2025)

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The Teutonic eagle of Heavy Metal strikes again with a thunderous 13-track opus, a masterclass in sonic warfare offering an unrelenting barrage of soaring vocals, earth-shattering riffs, and battle-hardened anthems forged in fire and steel.

Spanning more than 25 years of pure Heavy and Power Metal, having faced numerous challenges since their formation in 1997, and having repeatedly risen from their lowest points like a phoenix from the ashes, Germany’s own metal commando Primal Fear is finally back into the battlefield with their fifteenth studio opus, simply titled Domination, following up on their successful 2023 album Code Red. After a recent line-up change, which saw the incredible Thalìa Bellazecca join on guitar and André Hilgers on drums, alongside the iconic frontman Ralf Scheepers, the unbreakable bassist Mat Sinner, and the unstoppable guitarist Magnus Karlsson, the band will strike again with a thunderous 13-track opus, a masterclass in sonic warfare offering an unrelenting barrage of soaring vocals, earth-shattering riffs, and battle-hardened anthems forged in fire and steel.

The album kicks off with the striking The Hunter, with Ralf delivering pure adrenaline through the song’s classic words (“Through the labyrinth of fear, you’re lost and alone / A primal force unleashed a river of blood / This is the part / When you will run for your life / And every step you take / Leads closer to my knife / Blood stains the ground / The hunt never ends”); and  Magnus and Thalìa showcase their passion for shredding in the excellent Destroyer, a pure Primal Fear extravaganza with Mat and André keeping the rhythm flowing in great fashion. The band then goes full Melodic Power Metal in Far Away, where Thalìa proves why she was chosen as the new band’s guitarist as her dexterity is impressive, followed by I Am the Primal Fear, and as cheesy as the song title might sound, the music is a great mid-tune party by the band, with Mat kicking some ass on bass. Needless to say, it’s great to have him back in action. Tears of Fire is another song with a classic title following a similar pattern as the previous song, with Ralf’s soaring vocals adding an extra touch of epicness to the overall result; whereas back to a heavier, faster and more dynamic sonority we face Heroes and Gods, with André crushing his drums while Ralf pierce our minds with his undisputed screams.

Hallucinations is a smooth, melodic instrumental piece where Thalìa once again steals the spotlight with her flammable axe, warming us up for Eden, a dark and enfolding power ballad by those Teutonic metallers led by Ralf’s passionate vocal performance. In Scream the name of the song says it all, demanding us to jump up and down with Primal Fear and simply scream together with Ralf. Furthermore, the heaviness flowing from the guitars by Magnus and Thalìa is truly awesome, boosted by Mat’s thunderous bass. The Dead Don’t Die brings forward another blast of razor-edged riffs and blast beats that reek of Rock N’ Roll, perfect for some wild headbanging, and get ready to be caught in a crossfire of pure Heavy Metal to the sound of Crossfire, where André pounds his drums nonstop for our total delight. March Boy March is a song that gradually evolves into a metal attack led by Ralf’s piercing vocals while the band’s guitar duo keeps delivering sheer electricity through their axes, and ending the album we have the melancholic ballad A Tune I Won’t Forget, which is fine for what it is despite taking away some of the power blasted in all previous songs.

Recorded by Dennis Ward at Kangaroo Studios, produced by Mat Sinner and co-produced by Ralf Scheepers and Magnus Karlsson, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Domination reeks of classic Primal Fear while at the same time sounding fresh and unique, proving why the band has been on the road for so many years against all odds. You can check what the German eagle is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their breathtaking live performances, stream their incendiary discography on Spotify, and above all that, put your metallic hands on Domination by clicking HERE. Primal Fear are more than ready to spread their metal wings once again all across the globe and dominate the world of heavy music armed with their new album, a new chapter in the career of this Teutonic eagle that refuses to die, forever fighting in the name of our beloved Heavy Metal.

Best moments of the album: Destroyer, Heroes and Gods, Scream and Crossfire.

Worst moments of the album: A Tune I Won’t Forget.

Released in 2025 Reigning Phoenix Music

Track listing
1. The Hunter 4:21
2. Destroyer 4:31
3. Far Away 4:19
4. I Am the Primal Fear 5:41
5. Tears of Fire 5:14
6. Heroes and Gods 4:10
7. Hallucinations 2:37
8. Eden 7:25
9. Scream 4:27
10. The Dead Don’t Die 4:27
11. Crossfire 4:12
12. March Boy March 5:01
13. A Tune I Won’t Forget 3:32

Band members
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, vocals
Magnus Karlsson – guitars
Thalìa Bellazecca – guitars
André Hilgers – drums

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023

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“Whatever your age may be, when you go to a heavy metal gig, you’re a teenager again.” – Rob Halford

I believe that quote from the Metal God himself perfectly represents the year of 2023 for most of us metalheads, including of course myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi as we’ve been to countless metal gigs this year (and you can see detailed reviews with amazing professional photos for each one of them HERE), keeping our inner fires burning during such difficult times for the entire world. A never-ending economic crisis that’s dragging tons and tons of people to poverty everywhere, the Russo-Ukrainian War that persists for almost two years now, the extremely sad and inhumane Gaza–Israel conflict, all environmental disasters that in the end are all mankind’s fault, and so on. On the heavy music side, we witnessed the final concert ever by KISS, the end of great bands like The Agonist and Betraying the Martyrs, and the deaths of Sebastian Marino (former guitarist of Overkill and Anvil), Michael “Majk Moti” Kupper (former guitarist of Running Wild), Jon Kennedy (former bassist of Cradle of Filth and former vocalist of Hecate Enthroned), Hiroshi “Heath” Morie (bassist of X Japan), Charlie Dominici (former vocalist of Dream Theater), and several other talented musicians.

Despite all those losses, it was a very good year for heavy music, as bands kept fighting for rock and metal no matter what, putting on fantastic albums and memorable tours for us fans, with some already voicing their dissatisfaction against Live Nation and Ticketmaster for their sky-rocketing ticket prices, shady fees, and an obscure ticket reselling “mafia” running in the background that inflates those prices even more. In 2024 we’ll surely (and hopefully) see more of this insurgence against their ticket monopoly, and while we wait for that let’s enjoy The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2023, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, offering our avid ears the perfect soundtrack to every single moment in our lives, even if that moment is the apocalypse.

1. UADA – Crepuscule Natura (REVIEW)
One of the rising stars of the current Melodic Black Metal scene returns with their majestic fourth album, unleashing upon us five sonic vessels.
Best song of the album: Retraversing the Void

2. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite (REVIEW)
Fear the devourer of earth in the form of the brand new and absolutely majestic album by California’s own Deathgrind masters.
Best song of the album: We Eat Our Young

3. Overkill – Scorched (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of old school Thrash Metal will scorch the earth to the sound of their breathtaking new album.
Best song of the album: The Surgeon

4. Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags (REVIEW)
Behold this infernal storm of Blackened Thrash Metal by a one-man army deeply rooted in his Scottish origins.
Best song of the album: Goat Vomit Nightmare

5. Viscera – Carcinogenesis (REVIEW)
UK’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster returns with their striking sophomore album.
Best song of the album: Sungazer

6. Cannibal Corpse – Chaos Horrific (REVIEW)
The mighty Corpse is back with another pulverizing album of old school, undisputed Death Metal, blasting gore, blood and violence.
Best song of the album: Chaos Horrific

7. Primal Fear – Code Red (REVIEW)
German Power Metal masters are back with their thirteenth opus, a hard-hitting metal lesson and living proof of the healing power of music.
Best song of the album: Play a Song

8. Werewolves – My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (REVIEW)
The most savage Blackened Death Metal band from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.
Best song of the album: I Hate Therefore I Am

9. Vomitory – All Heads Are Gonna Roll (REVIEW)
All heads are gonna roll to the sound of the infuriated new album by one of the most important bands in the history of Death Metal.
Best song of the album: Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead

10. Marduk – Memento Mori (REVIEW)
One of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal is back with a devilish new album, reminding us that we all must die.
Best song of the album: Blood of the Funeral

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Angelus Apatrida – Aftermath (REVIEW)
12. Immortal – War Against All (REVIEW)
13. Blackbraid – Blackbraid II (REVIEW)
14. 4ARM – Pathway to Oblivion (REVIEW)
15. When Plagues Collide – An Unbiblical Paradigm (REVIEW)
16. Hrothgar – Rise of Ragnarök (REVIEW)
17. Mystic Prophecy – Hellriot  (REVIEW)
18. Tsjuder – Helvegr (REVIEW)
19. Hyperia – The Serpent’s Cycle (REVIEW)
20. Sarcoptes – Prayers to Oblivion (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2023 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Imperial Demonic – Beneath the Crimson Eclipse (REVIEW)
2. Spectral Lore – 11 Days (REVIEW)
3. Admire the Grim – Rogue Five (REVIEW)
4. Saint Vermin – Together as None (REVIEW)
5. Lost Brethren – Dimensional Rift (REVIEW)
6. Cryptosis – The Silent Call (REVIEW)
7. Nemesism – Nemesism (REVIEW)
8. Decompose To Ashes – In The Eternal Silence (REVIEW)
9. Dysease – Era of Decay (REVIEW)
10. Throat Locust – Dragged Through Glass (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2023? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some of our latest special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2023 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2024!

And before I go, I need to talk once again about Savage Lands, a nonprofit featuring members of Megadeth, Sepultura, Obituary and other legends of metal to support forests in Costa Rica, who released an amazing single titled The Last Howl back in November. The Last Howl is a howling tribute to the howler monkey, which are endangered in Costa Rica. The song features Savage Lands co-founders Sylvain Demercastel and Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), as well as support from John Tardy (Obituary), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Poun (Black Bomb A) and Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A). 100% of the song royalties will help fund nature sanctuaries, establish green zones and other land preservation projects in Costa Rica. Having said that, why don’t you go and make a nice donation to the cause, and learn more about Savage Lands on their official website? I’m sure Sylvain and Dirk, plus everyone else involved in this magnificent project, will love to receive that Christmas gift from you!

Album Review – Primal Fear / Code Red (2023)

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Like a phoenix arising from the ashes, the Teutonic masters of Power Metal are back in action with their thirteenth opus, a hard-hitting metal lesson and living proof of the healing power of music.

The phoenix arising from the ashes is a much-cited motif in cultural history; it seldom fits as well as it does with the triumphant return of Esslingen, Germany-based Power Metal masters Primal Fear armed with their thirteenth studio opus, titled Code Red, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2020 album Metal Commando. Recorded and mixed by Sebastian Roeder, Mitch Kunz and Ralf Scheepers at Backyard Studios, mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, and displaying a triumphant eagle of steel rising from the ashes in the artwork, which could definitely represent the rebirth of our beloved Mat Sinner, who almost lost his life a couple of years ago, Code Red is a hard-hitting metal lesson and living proof of the healing power of music and the brotherhood behind the riffs where vocalist Ralf Scheepers, bassist (and survivor) Mat Sinner, the triple guitar phalanx of Tom Naumann, Alex Beyrodt and Magnus Karlsson, as well as drummer Michael Ehré, blast us with a zeitgeisty manifesto that provides eleven essential arguments of why power metal will simply never go under.

Their Power Metal feast begins in full force with the headbanging Another Hero, where Ralf already showcases all his vocal range, not to mention the song’s catchy, singalong chorus (“Where is the savior who shows us the way / We need a guide back to sanity / In times like these without piece of mind / We need someone who stops this inhumanity / Another hero”); whereas Bring That Noise (originally called “The Flood” when details of the album were revealed) sounds even more melodic thanks to the great guitar job done by Magnus, Alex and Tom with their incendiary riffs and solos. Needless to say, it should work perfectly if played live. The second single of the album released a few weeks ago, the mid-tempo tune Deep in the Night, focuses on the power of the riff while Michael keeps pounding his drums with tons of precision, followed by Cancel Culture, where we face modern-day words roared by Ralf (“Into the circus of life we were pushed out of nowhere / Growing, maturing and loving and hating the game / Saddle the horse for a future that’s basically unknown / We procreate, viciate, twisting the facts without shame / Manipulating”) in almost seven minutes of classic, hammering Heavy and Power Metal for the masses. And those German metallers invest in a fun and vibrant Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll vibe in the dancing and thrilling Play a Song, showcasing striking riffs and the always rumbling bass lines by the one and only Mat Sinner, proving why heavy music will always have a healing power for all of us metalheads.

It’s then time for a more introspective, darker song titled The World Is on Fire, with the band’s guitar triumvirate once again distilling their sharp and caustic riffs for our total delight. Put differently, it’s classic Primal Fear with no shenanigans spearheaded by Ralf’s trademark soaring vocals. Acoustic guitars then set the tone in Their Gods Have Failed, before the music evolves into a Doom Metal-infused sound that reminds me of some of the best Black Sabbath songs with Dio on vocals; whereas another epic intro explodes into sheer Power Metal magic in Steelmelter, with Magnus, Alex, Tom and Mat kicking some serious ass armed with their stringed weapons, making it clear why Primal Fear always thrive when they focus on a more straightforward sonority. They keep blasting their instruments in great fashion in Raged by Pain, where Ralf will pierce your ears with his high-pitched screams, resulting in another strong contender to be part of their upcoming live performances. The band slows things down and brings forward a power ballad titled Forever (by the way, one more ballad named “Forever” in the rock and metal world), a decent song where Ralf steals the spotlight as usual, although not as good as all of their other ballads form previous albums. Last but not least, those Teutonic rockers get back on track with their metallic, razor-edged Power Metal in Fearless, led by the classic beats by Michael and, therefore, positioning it as an excellent tune for some vigorous headbanging.

In a nutshell, Code Red (which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify) represents much more than just another powerful album in their undisputed career; it’s an inspiring and emotional opus for everyone who follows Primal Fear and was extremely worried about the health and the fate of the band’s mastermind Mat Sinner. Fortunately, the gods of metal seem to be on Mat’s side, allowing him to be the band’s own phoenix and get back in action alongside his loyal bandmates to provide us with more of their electrifying Heavy Metal. Hence, don’t forget to give the guys form Primal Fear a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to grab your copy of another incendiary blast of heavy music by those German metallic eagles from the Atomic Fire Records website or by clicking HERE. A lot of people thought this Power Metal steel eagle was dead and gone after what happened with Mat, but of course they were absolutely wrong, and Code Red is among us to remind us why they’ve been one of the most powerful names of the scene since their inception back in the 90’s. As they say in their new album, when the whole world feels wrong, just play a song (by Primal Fear)!

Best moments of the album: Bring That Noise, Play a Song, The World Is on Fire and Steelmelter.

Worst moments of the album: Forever.

Released in 2023 Atomic Fire Records

Track listing
1. Another Hero 4:59
2. Bring That Noise 4:49
3. Deep in the Night 5:47
4. Cancel Culture 6:48
5. Play a Song 4:15
6. The World Is on Fire 5:01
7. Their Gods Have Failed 7:23
8. Steelmelter 4:46
9. Raged by Pain 3:22
10. Forever 5:12
11. Fearless 5:29

Band members
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, backing vocals
Magnus Karlsson – guitars, keyboards
Alex Beyrodt – guitars
Tom Naumann – guitars
Michael Ehré – drums