Hot off the success of “Unbreakable”, Primal Fear has
returned just a couple of years later with “Delivering The Black”. The band’s
formula of Judas Priest/Accept worship mixed with power metal is incredibly
potent. The image of a giant eagle adorning each album cover couldn’t be more
appropriate, as Primal Fear consistently present music so fierce and epic that
each track feels as though you’re riding an eagle into battle, particularly
when Ralf Scheepers unleashes some of his higher notes.
“Delivering The Black” picks up exactly where the last
record left off. It has plenty of energetic, upbeat riff-laden tracks, such as
the opening duo of “King For A Day” and “Rebel Faction”. This latter track
shows the band at their thrashiest, and they put up riffs that would compete
with many new school thrashers. Seriously, this track is a kick in the face
that is a bit unexpected, but somehow entirely appropriate for the record. These
speedy riffs are accented by the fantastic production, which is incredibly
thick and powerful. The main riff of “When Death Comes Knocking” best displays
this guitar crunch. And speaking of this great track, what will keep you coming back
to this album is the band’s unbelievable ability to write a mid-paced lengthy
epic. Both “When Death Comes Knocking” and “One Night In December” fill this
role on this offering, and they both showcase Scheepers’ incredible vocal
talents. His skill has never been in question, but it’s amazing how well he
delivers album after album of quality performance. Further, the lone ballad,
“Born With A Broken Heart” shows that has more than that balls out
Painkiller-esque screaming in him. Of course, that’s a huge part of what makes
Primal Fear great, but hearing the control he shows in his voice on this ballad
adds some nice variety on a lengthy record.
Beyond the brilliance of Scheepers, “Delivering The Black”
still has a lot else to offer. Guitarists Magnus Karlsson and Alex Beyrodt
deliver some fantastic guitar solos. The aforementioned single, “When Death
Comes Knocking”, has a section where these shredders unite into a harmony that
would make Iron Maiden proud. By the end of the track, they unleash a
magnificent guitar solo that really completes the song. The rhythm section of
the legendary Mat Sinner and Randy Black don’t stand out in the sense that
they’re overly technical, but they get the job done. The opening of “Alive and
on Fire” shows them lock into a groove that drives the entire track. Amazingly,
despite all of the praise I have heaped onto “Delivering The Black”, I haven’t
even brought up one of the absolute highlights: “Road To Asylum”. No power
metal fan needs more proof that a great chorus can make a song, but “Road To
Asylum” is yet another track that will deliver just that.
“Delivering The Black” is exactly what every Primal Fear fan should want at this point. It’s a great representation of their sound and is a lot of
fun. The only criticism I have (as always) is that the album is a couple of
tracks too long. At this point in their career, however, Primal Fear has pretty well set their course, and it seems clear they have no intention of
changing it. When a band is this dedicated to their craft and this good,
complaining about an extra track or two seems silly. Instead, pick up the
album, headbang along, and scream out every insanely catchy chorus on this
masterpiece!
Highlights
"When Death Comes Knocking"
"Road To Asylum"
"One Night In December"
"Born With A Broken Heart"
Final Rating
4.6/5 or 92%.
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