PRIMAL FEAR (Eng.)
– First off, thanks for answering to our interview. How are you guys feeling toward the release of your new album?
Hi, I feel simply amazing as I just learned yesterday that we have achieved #31 in the german LP charts! That’s the best position in the history of Primal Fear and we are very proud!
– How have the recording sessions been? Tell us a bit how did this new PRIMAL FEAR’s album arise.
Everybody came up with ideas for UNBREAKABLE. It was pretty much composing over the internet as Magnus, Alex and I live too far apart from each other to team up in one room to compose. But after all those years of working together we have somehow developed a style and a system that really works out! (As you can hear on the album) We all know what works best for Primal Fear and we keep writing stuff that comes totally out of our imagination and fantasy.
– Listening to the record I can found a comeback to the roots of the band but without loosing that touch that albums as «Seven Seals» or «New Religion» had; was this the idea or things just came naturally?
Both. It came naturally as this is our style. We love this kind of heavy metal and we never tried to adapt to any trends. It was our intention to replace the keyboard and piano intros and effects into a more guitar orientated direction again. Which doesn’t mean that we didn’t like what we did on all the albums since Seven Seals but we just wanted to be a bit more heavy metal again.
– I also notice this is an effort full of mid tempos, and also with a couple of explosive tunes where double pedal is not that important, but guitars really take the biggest role.
Exactly. That’s what I have just said in the answer before… 🙂
– I want to highlight the track entitled «Where Angels Die»; an 8 minute song with a classy and grand songwriting. How did you come up with it and what’s this tune about?
Actually this one is written by Magnus and Mat. I like the atmosphere in that song and this is the best example how we exchanged the piano or keyboard sounds with the acoustic guitar again. The theme in that song is a mystic description of a desperate guy who sees himself lost in the shadows of the dark and wishes to be released that he can be there, where angels die….
– Looking back to the past, you are one of the most active bands since the late 90’s. Tell us a bit how did your friendship with Ralf started and how did the project of PRIMAL FEAR born.
Well uhm….. I am Ralf answering these questions! 🙂 Primal Fear was born after Mat and I met up in the studio while Sinner where recording an album. I was invited to sing some background vocals and it was exactly the time as I was rejected by Judas Priest. So Mat encouraged me to keep doing music as he was convinced that I can’t just call it a day with such a voice…:) So we have started to compose 4 tracks as a demo. At the same time a japanese record label (JVC) has asked to work together with me, so we sent the material and immediately had a new record deal. Very soon several European labels where interested to sign us….that’s what we did and the sails were set to start the journey with Primal Fear.
– Without any doubt, when we talk about PRIMAL FEAR we do always name your first 3 albums as the most important ones by the band; how was that period like? Do you think it was the best time for the band?
No. I think the best time is now! We always look into the future, not to the past! Of course we don’t want to miss any phase or any record we ever did but Primal Fear has always evolved and we still do.
– With «Seven Seals» and «New Religion» you tried to give a different approach to your music; are you satisfied with the outcome of albums like those compared to the previous ones?
Yes we are very satisfied with the result of these albums. Sometimes you just need to experiment a bit more with sounds and atmospheres. And we are by far not the only band which is creatively open to a wide range of style when writing music.
– Coming back to your present; how’s everything going with the promotion of the new opus? Will 2012 be a great year for PRIMAL FEAR?
Yes, we will start our European tour in the end of march and we will visit almost every country in Europe again. The tour lasts 3,5 weeks so far and further negotiations are in process. We also plan to go to North and South America again. Maybe Japan and maybe Australia for the very first time of our lifes.
– And talking about you and Ralf; do you have other projects in mind apart from this album, let it be with SINNER or a solo project like Ralf did a few time ago?
This year will be a Primal Fear year with a 100% focus on promoting the album and playing it live…. Then further steps will be discussed but this is way too early to talk about right now.
– After being so many years into the Metal world, both with SINNER and PRIMAL FEAR; what would you like to do (in musical terms) you haven’t done yet? Something conceptual? An Opera Rock? An album with an orchestra?
We will see…..as I have said above, we think from step to step and we make decisions after we have discussed certain topics in company meetings. One thing is for sure, we are open to everything but it must fit into Primal Fears’ concept.
– That’s all from our side: thanks for the interview and hope to see you in Barcelona; you already know you are always welcome. Best wishes.
Thank you very much! Cheers! See you in Barcelona for some seafood! 🙂 – Ralf
