{"id":16458,"date":"2012-01-06T18:15:42","date_gmt":"2012-01-06T23:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=16458"},"modified":"2013-01-19T08:05:00","modified_gmt":"2013-01-19T13:05:00","slug":"primal-fear-unbreakable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2012\/primal-fear-unbreakable\/","title":{"rendered":"Primal Fear | Unbreakable<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Justin Gaines<\/span>
\n Staff Writer —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Easily one of the most highly anticipated power metal releases of 2011 (or 2012, depending on the release schedule in your part of the world), Unbreakable<\/em> is the ninth studio album from German power metal veterans Primal Fear. In the past few years \u2013 specifically since the release of their amazing 2007 album New Religion<\/em> \u2013 Primal Fear has vaulted into the top tier of active power metal bands, and where we used to know exactly what to expect from the band, it was starting to seem like the sky is the limit. Adding to the already high expectations is the fact that both Alex Beyrodt and Magnus Karlsson are now on guitars, and Eric Martenssen (Eclipse) and Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance) lend a hand on backing vocals.<\/p>\n

With Unbreakable<\/em>, the band comes back to Earth, at least a little bit. Primal Fear toured relentlessly in support of New Religion<\/em> and 16:6 \u2013 Before the Devil Knows You\u2019re Dead<\/em>, and was apparently inspired by the crowds\u2019 reaction to their older material. So instead of the more aggressive, more epic sound of the last two albums, Unbreakable<\/em> goes back to the tried and true formula of the first 5-6 (your mileage from Seven Seals may vary) Primal Fear releases. Now, the band does this kind of Dio and Priest-inspired power metal very, very well, so even a relatively safe, predictable Primal Fear album is going to be pretty damned good. Unbreakable<\/em> is no exception, and can easily stand toe-to-toe with anything the band released prior to New Religion.<\/p>\n

If the band set out to write an album full of crowd-pleasing metal anthems, then mission definitely accomplished. The first single from the album, \u201cBad Guys Wear Black,\u201d is essentially an ode to headbanging, and it totally sets the tone for the rest of Unbreakable. \u201cGive Em Hell\u201d and the very melodic anthem \u201cMetal Nation\u201d also deliver a hefty dose of metal energy, and the rest of the album follows along the same lines. There are a couple of heavier, faster songs, and the slower-paced \u201c\tWhere Angels Die,\u201d but by and large Unbreakable is the fairly straightforward melodic power metal offering.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard not to be at least somewhat disappointed after the sheer power and scope of the last two Primal Fear albums, but Unbreakable<\/em> is still a better than average power metal album, and is definitely at the quality level Primal Fear is known for. Sure, they played it a bit safe this time around, but you really can\u2019t help but bang your head and sing along to these songs.<\/p>\n

Edition Notes: The digipack version of Unbreakable features the bonus track \u201cNight of the Jumps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Genre: Power Metal<\/p>\n

Band:
\nRalf Scheepers (v)
\nAlex Beyrodt (g)
\nMagnus Karlsson (g) (k)
\nRandy Black (d)
\nMatt Sinner (b) (v)<\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n1.\tUnbreakable (Part 1)
\n2.\tStrike
\n3.\tGive \u2018em Hell
\n4.\tBad Guys Wear Black
\n5.\tAnd There Was Silence
\n6.\tMetal Nation
\n7.\tWhere Angels Die
\n8.\tUnbreakable (Part 2)
\n9.\tMarching Again
\n10.\tBorn Again
\n11.\tBlaze of Glory
\n12.\tConviction<\/p>\n

Label: Frontiers<\/p>\n

Website: www.primalfear.de<\/a><\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.25\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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