ALBUM REVIEW: Primal Fear Gives Hard Rock, Metal Fans Even More To Celebrate With ‘Domination’

By: Philip Sayblack

​Roughly two years after the release of its then latest album, Code Red, Primal Fear has returned with its follow-up, Domination.  Released Friday through new label home, Reigning Phoenix Music, the 13-song record proves a strong new offering from the band.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany said content makes for its own interest.  The album’s sequencing puts the finishing touch to its presentation.  Each item noted is its own important part of the whole.  All things considered they make Domination yet another welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of impressive new hard rock and metal albums.
Domination, the latest album from Primal Fear (the band’s 15th full-length studio recording), is a solid new offering from the veteran hard rock outfit.  The record’s success comes in no small part through the featured musical arrangements that make up its 59-minute body.  From beginning to end, the arrangements do not necessarily break any new major ground for Primal Fear.  The blend of power metal, hard rock, and even thrash that has been a trademark of the band over the course of its nearly three-decade-long life is just as prevalent here as in each of the band’s existing records.  The thing is that even with that in mind, the band still manages with each song here, to make a song that holds its own identity.  Right from the album’s outset, ‘The Hunter,’ audiences get an immediate taste of that familiar power metal lean.  It makes itself easily comparable to works from the likes of the band’s fellow power metal contemporaries, such as Hammerfall and Helloween.  One could even argue a comparison to works from the likes of Saxon here.
In the album’s second offering, ‘Destroyer,’ those comparisons remain but quickly give way to a much heavier approach more in line with songs from another of the band’s power metal counterparts, Grave Digger.  Even more interesting here is that even with that in mind, the arrangement is just as modern in its sound as anything else in the album.  From there the noted comparisons to works from Hammerfall and others come back into play while still balancing with a unique identity for each work.  It is not until the album reaches its midpoint, ‘Hallucinations,’ that the band really notably changes things up.  While yes, there is still a power metal lean to this arrangement, there is also a distinct 80s hair metal influence present in this two-and-a-half-minute instrumental track.  Thankfully that influence is not of the sappy, bombastic nature of so much music from the 80s.  Rather, the mood set in this composition is quite contemplative.  The piano line, countered by the guitar line and the equally powerful rhythm section, makes for a whole that is fully immersive, and in turn engaging and entertaining.
The 80s influence continues in the song’s eighth entry, ‘Eden.’  In this case the arrangement does come across as being a little more over the top in its brooding 80s metal nature but thankfully not too much so.  From there the band picks things right back up, amping up the sound and adrenaline in ‘Scream.’  This arrangement is more hard rock than power metal in its style and sound.  From there, the band goes back and forth between its hard rock and power metal leanings right up to the deeply emotional closer that is ‘A Tune I Won’t Forget.’  This song is more in the vein of ‘Hallucinations’ and ‘Eden’ but even more emotional in its presentations.  It is definitely a tune that listeners will not soon forget and when it is considered alongside the rest of the record’s musical body, that whole makes Domination a record that audiences will not soon forget, either.
The musical arrangements featured throughout Domination give audiences plenty of reason to take in this latest album from Primal Fear.  They are only part of the record’s appeal, too.  The lyrical themes that accompany the record’s musical arrangements make for their own interest.  Case in point is the seeming social commentary featured in ‘Scream.’  The seeming commentary comes as front man Ralf Scheepers sings here, “The world is turning/The sky is burning/I’m looking to the other side/The land in ruins/Destroyed the future/And gone is every kind of pride/Doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich/In the end/We’re all the same/Scream/It’s raining fire/Scream/We’re going to extremes/Missiles/cruising over me/There is no democracy/Satellites are falling from the sky/The souls were sold by strategy/Money and conspiracy/One more last breath and we all die/Doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich/In the end/We’re all the same.”  This wording comes across as a seemingly clear discussion.  It is an addressing of the state of the world.  That note of missiles flying over could be any conflict around the world, as could be that mention of there being no democracy.  The note of “money and conspiracy” certainly sounds like what is happening here in the United States today from the highest political office to the halls of Congress and throughout the business world.  Keeping all of this in mind, it is a familiar theme whose easily accessible delivery will make it resonate with plenty of audiences.
On a separate note, a song, such as ‘Far Away,’ the album’s lead single, takes audiences in another familiar direction.  This time, the song’s theme is that all too familiar topic of romance and relationships.  As Scheepers said in an interview ahead of the single’s premiere early this spring, “It’s an expression of faith and trust, no matter where or what.  We all know this feeling of missing someone so much, not being able to see or hear him/her every day – especially as musicians whilst touring.”  Audiences will agree.  That human need for companionship is one of the most prominent basic human needs.  It generates that emotional state presented here and in far too many songs out there.  To that end, it is another theme that will resonate with listeners just as much as anything else here.  The result is that it further serves to show the importance of the album’s lyrical theme to the record’s overall presentation.
‘March Boy March,’ the album’s penultimate entry, is yet another example of that importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, the theme of perseverance is presented in something of an allegorical nature.  This as Scheepers sings to what must be a soldier to “March, boy, march” even through all of the difficulties and dangers that he faces.  Scheepers sings here, “Nothing and no one can stop you/There is no barrier/Fearless and faithful/Determined/You walk through walls/Steady/Endurance/A tough physical union/Muscles and tendons under maximum control/Chains and shackles/Thorns around your neck/Every step is torture/You don’t let it get you down/Your legend lives and lasts forever/In the books of history/Your legend lives and lasts forever/March boy march.”  Again, here is someone who is determined to succeed even in the worst situation.  Scheepers continues in the song’s second verse, “The scout/Trailblazer/Explorer/Courageous and so selfless/You are the one who saves us all/Nobly you clear the way/To destroy the enemy/The villain/Lurking in ambush/Like a martyr without any fear/In the morning haze/Sight and focus/Always clear/Your virtue is to fight for freedom/Driving out the enemy/Your legend lives and lasts forever.”  Once again, this is a figure who is so important to so many.  This is a person who impacts the lives of so many.  Once more, this really comes across as allegory of sorts, building on that reminder for people to press on.  Here the message to the listener is apparently that we all have an impact on people we may not even know.  If in fact everything interpreted here is the case then it is a powerful, welcome message that even further proves the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
When this seeming uplifting message is considered alongside the other themes examined here and that trio with the rest of the album’s lyrical presentation, that whole works with the album’s musical arrangements to make for all the more reason to take in Domination.
Putting the final touch to Domination is the sequencing of its presented content.  From beginning to end, the sounds and styles featured in the album’s arrangements change just subtly enough that it keeps the album’s energy flowing fluidly while also changing things up just enough to keep things interesting for listeners.  The sequencing also ensures that the lyrical themes change from one to the next enough that said change will also keep listeners engaged and entertained in its own right.  The overall impact is a positive aesthetic that will leave listeners with a positive mindset, knowing the nearly hour long time they have spent listening to Domination was well worth it.  In having that mindset listeners will agree that Domination is one more welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of top new hard rock and metal albums.
Domination is available now through Reigning Phoenix Music.  More information on the album is available along with all of Primal Fear’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.primalfear.de
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalfearofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matsinner1