SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMAL FEAR – CODE RED

PRIMAL FEAR
CODE RED
ATOMIC FIRE RECORDS

Primal Fear formed in 1997, and their self-titled debut album was released in 1998. Since then, they have released 13 studio albums and two live albums. Code Red is their first studio album since 2020’s Metal Commando. The core of the band are the three original members, Ralf Scheepers on vocals, Mat Sinner on bass and vocals, and Tom Naumann on guitar. Alexander Beyrodt and Magnus Karlsson on guitars have been with the band since 2010 and 2008 respectively. New addition Michael Ehré on drums rounds out the band.

Primal Fear is not breaking new ground, lyrically or musically, with Code Red. The music is what you have come to expect from the band. This is not a walk in the park, well, at least not a park in which one would want to walk. It is very doom and maybe post-apocalyptic, and the music matches the lyrics throughout perfectly. This is pure hard rock or heavy metal, whatever term one prefers, but make no mistake. Primal Fear has not slowed down or mellowed out. This is hard driving music with even harder lyrics.

There are a couple of surprises on the album. “Their Gods Have Failed”, has a beautiful acoustic and orchestrated opening, complete with choir, before launching into a gut punching song. And “Forever” gives a breath of peace before the screaming conclusion, “Fearless”. “Forever” does show a different and more melodic/mellow side to the band. Again, as with “Their Gods Have Failed”, their use of orchestra and choir is quite brilliant and does bring something different to the table. “Fearless”, on the other hand, ends the album with a great deal of power and bravado.

Code Red is a heavy album from a very heavy band. They are not trying to reinvent the wheel, nor are they trying to win over new fans but are doing what they do best. They rock out but with intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics. This is a band that knows their audience, knows what they do well, and continues to do so. Primal Fear have delivered another classic album to their catalogue.

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