PRIMAL FEAR – Nuclear Fire (Remastered)

If you happen to find a Metal album with an iron eagle on the cover with a PF on its breast, that will likely be a Primal Fear release, so don’t get it mixed with Screaming For Vengeance by Judas Priest. Through a period of twelve years, Germany’s Primal Fear has become one of the Metal pillars of both their local scene and the European Metal scene. In that short period of time, Primal Fear released eight studio albums and has set the standard for 80’s influenced Heavy Metal; a proud success story. In 2001, the band released its third album, Nuclear Fire, under Nuclear Blast Records — probably still even today the band’s greatest album. Nine Years after Nuclear Fire was first released, and along with a broad campaign of re-issuing of four Primal Fear albums, Metal Mind Productions brought back the memories of this hellish release, including bonus tracks and a video clip of one of the album’s greatest hits, “Angel In Black”.

If you don’t know Primal Fear, some of the greatest hits from this album will aid you on getting to know what it is true German Heavy Metal.  With Primal Fear’s experience and dedication, the general production of the album by Mat Sinner, Achim Kohler, and the Hollywood Blasers was good and the album’s sound fit like a glove for the band. The powerful drive of Primal Fear was intensified by the depth and chunky sound that was reminiscent to the old Accept and Grave Digger sound of the 80s.

Nuclear Fire may have undergone the same tune-ups as albums before it, however, unlike other albums, not many were able to create a large amount of hits as this one. What was most amazing was the fact that “Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove”, the album’s top hit, was inserted as a bonus track. It was very odd how Primal Fear did not consider this track for the regular track list. Ralph Scheepers had his best performance on that track and nothing in the album or afterwards was identical or as highly rated in comparison to this one. “Nuclear Fire”, one of the best tracks, is filled with strong riffs and a catchy power chorus. “Back From Hell” and “Angel In Black” were like a Judas Priest onslaught from a German point of view. “Fight The Fire”, is the heaviest of them all and closer to Bay Area Thrash than Heavy Metal. “Bleed For Me” presented the rather softer face of Primal Fear, yet, don’t think this is soft as the intense emotions out of this one make it quite heavy. Lastly is the great performance of the cover, “Out In The Fields”, by Phil Lynott & Gary Moore, which is a classic never to be forgotten, and Primal Fear made that fact quite clear. Overall, Nuclear Fire is a hit machine that was forged in fire by one of the best Heavy Metal bands worldwide.

Tracklist

1. Angel In Black
2. Kiss Of Death
3. Back From Hell
4. Now Or Never
5. Fight The Fire
6. Eye Of An Eagle
7. Bleed For Me
8. Nuclear Fire
9. Red Rain
10. Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove
11. Fire On The Horizon
12. Living For Metal
13. Out In The Fields (Phil Lynott / Gary Moore Cover)

Lineup

Ralf Scheepers – Lead Vocals
Stefan Liebing – Guitars
Hendrik “Henny” Wolter – Guitars
Mat Sinner – Bass
Klaus Sperling – Drums