Devil's Ground was Primal Fear's fifith album, originally released in 2004 on Nuclear Blast and now reissued and remastered by Metal Mind Productions. By this time, the line-up of vocalist Ralf Scheepers, bassist/vocalist Mat Sinner, drummer Randy Black, and guitarists Tom Naumann & Stafan Leibing were firing on all cylinders (though Naumann's 'in and out' status would permantly be 'out' shortly after), as Devil's Ground contains plenty of crunchy power metal anthems that are still beloved by fans to this day.
When you have tracks such as "Metal Is Forever", "Suicide and Mania", "Visions of Fate", "Sea of Flames", "The Healer", "Sacred Illusion", and "In Metal" on an album together, it' s hard not to deem that particular release as an instant classic. Yes, I realize I mentioned practically the entire CD, but these tracks are that damn good, filled with Scheepers' inhuman vocal histrioncs, plenty of riff-o-rama, and rock solid & thunderous rhythms. You also can't discount the fact that each and every song is just perfectly memorable. Let's not forget the chugging "Soul Chaser", and the brooding classic "Wings of Desire", which showcases the mighty vocal skills of Scheepers. Fans of Painkiller era Judas Priest will love the rampaging "Heart of a Brave", a crushing piece with monstrous riffs and Black's relentless drum barrage.
Metal Mind's reissue comes with the cover versions of Black Sabbath's "Die Young" and Led Zeppelin's "The Rover", both given an entirely new spin by the band. There are also 5.1 mixes of "Metal Is Forever" and "The Healer" for you to check out on your home theater system. All housed in a lovely digipack complete with photos, lyrics, and an essay on the band. Devil's Ground is an essential purchase for those who have yet to hear it or for the loyal fan who wants to upgrade to this new edition with all the extras. And yeah, it sounds great too!
Track Listing
1. Metal is Forever
2. Suicide and Mania
3. Visions of Fate
4. Sea of Flames
5. The Healer
6. Sacred Illusion
7. In Metal
8. Soulchaser
9. Colony 13
10. Wings of Desire
11. Heart of a Brave
12. Devil's Ground
13. Die Young [*]
14. Metal is Forever [5.1 Mix] [*]
15. The Healer [5.1 Mix] [*]
16. Rover [*]
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