German power metal veterans PRIMAL FEAR have released “Tears Of Fire”, the third single from their upcoming album, “Domination”, due on September 5 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
After ascending with clear guitar leads, the song erupts for the first time before vocalist Ralf Scheepers calls out one of the struggle-packed verses in his unmistakable tone.
He explains the intention behind “Tears Of Fire”: “Heroic thoughts and words to make it clear that no one has to go through anything alone, but that there are always a few people by your side to go through thick and thin with you.”
But the presence of lament is of short duration: The energizing pre-chorus lifts up those in sorrow and paves the way to the track’s hymnic chorus, leaving all of us looking into the future determinedly. Simply put: “Tears Of Fire” is another proof of the group’s world-class when it comes to writing ear-splitting music with a sensitive yet overall positive message.
Continuing the band’s successful collaboration with rEvolver and filmmaker Patric Ullaeus, PRIMAL FEAR also shot a music video for their striking new single. The result picks up the lyrics of “Tears Of Fire” and shows the band in a rather dark setting combined with a hopeful blaze which portrays the song’s essence in a stunning way.
Joining Scheepers and Mat Sinner (bass, vocals) in PRIMAL FEAR‘s current lineup are the band’s latest additions, Italian/Cuban sensation Thalìa Bellazecca (ANGUS MCSIX, ex-FROZEN CROWN) on guitar and André Hilgers (AXXIS, RAGE, SILENT FORCE, SINNER, BONFIRE) on drums. Also appearing with the group is Swedish guitarist Magnus Karlsson, who has been primarily a studio member of the band for much of the past decade but who has now rejoined PRIMAL FEAR‘s touring lineup.
The “Far Away” music video, which was released in April, was filmed at Dennis Ward‘s Kangaroo Studios in Karlsdorf-Neuthard, Germany, where the “Domination” recording sessions took place in late 2024.
Picking up the dystopian theme of the second single, “The Hunter”, which came out in June, Ullaeus placed the band in a ruined environment to create a “metal-as-fuck” music video where they find themselves surrounded by hellfire.
Going strong for nearly three decades, PRIMAL FEAR was founded and is still led by Sinner and Scheepers, who have never let down their global fanbase. Relentless and constantly pushing their limits, PRIMAL FEAR ensure that no two albums ever sound the same. After “Code Red” (2023) hit some of the highest chart positions of their career, expectations for the next release were higher than ever. And as “Domination” makes clear, no obstacle is too great for PRIMAL FEAR‘s powerhouse songwriting trio — Sinner, Scheepers and Karlsson, who also rejoins the band’s live lineup after several years away.
From the hard-hitting opener “The Hunter” and first single “Far Away” to the uplifting mid-tempo anthem “Tears Of Fire” and the epic ballad “Eden” — featuring a guest appearance by AD INFINITUM‘s Melissa Bonny — “Domination” delivers on all fronts. Add in neck-breakers like “Scream” and “Crossfire”, and the reflective, string-and-piano-driven closer “A Tune I Won’t Forget”, and it’s clear: PRIMAL FEAR aren’t here to reclaim the crown — they’re here to prove they’ve never left the throne of heavy/power metal royalty.
“Domination” was recorded in autumn 2024, produced by Mat Sinner and co-produced by Ralf Scheepers as well as Magnus Karlsson. Rounded off by multiple PRIMAL FEAR mixing/mastering engineer Jacob Hansen at his own studios in Denmark, the album artwork was designed by Death.Milk.Designs.
“Domination” track listing:
01. The Hunter
02. Destroyer
03. Far Away
04. I Am The Primal Fear
05. Tears Of Fire
06. Heroes And Gods
07. Hallucinations
08. Eden (feat. Melissa Bonny of AD INFINITUM)
09. Scream
10. The Dead Don’t Die
11. Crossfire
12. March Boy March
13. A Tune I Won’t Forget
Bonus track (physical only, excluding jewel case CD)
14. Bridges Will Burn
PRIMAL FEAR‘s new lineup made its live debut on May 9 at the 2025 edition of the Rock In Rautheim festival in Braunschweig, Germany.
Sinner (a.k.a. Matthias Lasch),who also serves as PRIMAL FEAR‘s producer, reportedly suffered an extreme adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccination in 2021 and received treatment for eight months at various hospitals. As a result of Sinner‘s health challenges, PRIMAL FEAR canceled all of its planned shows in 2021 and 2022, eventually recruiting Alex Jansen as Mat‘s temporary replacement.
Warming up at five select summer festivals, PRIMAL FEAR will return to the live front with its longest European tour since 2018. Reigning Phoenix Music labelmates ELEINE have been confirmed as special guests.
In August 2024, guitarists Alex Beyrodt and Tom Naumann, drummer Michael Ehré and bassist Alex Jansen announced their departures from PRIMAL FEAR, writing in a statement: “Dear fans and friends of PRIMAL FEAR, we unfortunately have to inform you today that Alex Beyrodt, Tom Naumann, Michael Ehré and Alex Jansen, who helped us on bass for the last two years, are no longer part of the band PRIMAL FEAR. Triggered by decisions within the band that we do not agree with, this step was anything but easy for us to take. We would like to make it clear that despite the differences of opinion, there was no argument or bad blood.
“We would like to thank you for the time we spent together, the numerous albums, the tours, shows and festivals that have taken us around the world together, and of course for the love of the fans. We wish Mat and Ralf all the best for the future!”
Formed by Sinner in 1997 as an outlet for Scheepers (who had left GAMMA RAY and was a rumored candidate for the then-open JUDAS PRIEST vocal spot, but was considering early retirement from metal),PRIMAL FEAR has emerged as one of the most consistent European metal bands, rarely straying from its core PRIEST-styled power metal sound.
PRIMAL FEAR 2025 is:
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, vocals
Magnus Karlsson – guitars
Thalìa Bellazecca – guitars
André Hilgers – drums
Photo credit: Heiko Roith
