The new PRIMAL FEAR record “16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead)” opens with an intro that brings a spiritual sense, well, until “Riding the Eagle” starts and all hell breaks loose! Head-bangers will rejoice as neck snapping posses your senses. What can you say about PRIMAL FEAR except they hold the torch for metal to high standards. I love these guys as they have not bowed to any kind of pressure in the music industry, they hit with powerful hammers as guitarist Magnus Karlsson and Henny Wolter display some whoop-ass licks. And Ralf Scheepers is simply put, a premiere entity among vocalists and stands above many others.

“Six Times Dead” (16.6) sure does give the taste of ACCEPT with the hard-edged power chords. Raise your fist and listen to the knockout punch of Mat Sinner’s bass lines.

At first listen “Black Rain’s” Arabic-culture sounds as the soft voice of Scheepers appears as this sensational rock ballad overthrows PRIMAL FEAR’s hair standing metal. Death and destruction can’t even fade the realms of PRIMAL FEAR with this heart-throbbing lyrical masterpiece that dims the hopes of humanity as the “Black Rain” falls prey to the metal gods.

The guitar shreds on “5.0 /Torn” and the vocals remind me of the eighties band LEGGS DIAMOND, who I loved. The melodic side of PRIMAL FEAR is intense and the symphonic sounds are an added bonus, plus that little ecstasy of acoustic guitar makes the track special.

“Soar”, do I hints of KORN on a PRIMAL FEAR track, complete with some scratching? Nah, can’t be but yeah even though the track is one of the harshest tracks it has it moments.

ACCEPT sounds appear once again with “Killbound”. This one could be a great live track for the metalheads. Man, can Scheepers hit those high notes!

I really love when a band can be Metal and yet show a sensitive side with their heads still up and PRIMAL FEAR do that with “No Smoke Without Fire” which is my highlight track. Vocally it is phenomenal in the vein of Dennis DeYoung and then halfway through the track all hell breaks loose yet the conclusion is settling again.

If you’re looking for annihilation and ridding the demons of hell then check out “The Exorcist”. Fast, hard and heavy and the ripping guitar ala Eddie Van Halen are amazing…

It’s hard for me to believe that’s Scheepers on “Hands of Time”. This might be the softest you will ever hear PRIMAL FEAR. They can actually reach the AOR crowd with this one.

The last two tracks “Cry Havoc” & “Scream” are exclusive digipak bonus tracks. Both tracks are heavy duty PRIMAL FEAR metal. I particularly liked “Scream” a bit better. All in all this is a metal dream come true. You got some killer tracks along with a few surprises. This is one to add to your collection for sure!!!