Even live records should do a little moreWhen is it a goodtime for a band to put out a live CD? It is anybody’s guess. Some do it after the first CD, and some wait until well into their career before they pull the trigger. Primal Fear is one of those bands that have waited until their 12th year to release a live recording. The band flirted with it, with the DVD release of a A History of Fear in the late 90’s, but it wasn’t until now, that the band had decided to put out an official live recording. These recordings were taken from the bands last tour, for The Devil Knows Your Dead. This live recording has been issued in CD and DVD, but separately. For the purposes of this review, only the CD portion was reviewed. Primal Fear is on of those bands that seem like they would be amazing live, so this combo should be a real treat.
The CD starts off with the high energy track Under the Radar, which is high impact and a good way to start off a live show, with a bang. The track is cool, but the first real track to get my head banging is the live version of Battalions of Hate, from the first record. The band sounds killer and is pretty true to the album version. The next track to catch my ear was Angel in Black off of the Nuclear Fire CD. Vocalist Ralf Scheepers sounds amazing, as usual, and re-assures us that he can deliver the goods live.
Live in the USA is a good representation of the band and show that they can deliver. There are a few things that did bother me about this CD though; the set list and one the lack of mixing things up, leaves things a bit stale. The set list isn’t that bad, but there is one glaring omission, which is the lack of material from Black Sun. How can this band go on stage and not play Armageddon? This is a travesty. The joy I get out of a live album is when a band mixes things up, and adds to the tunes live. If the songs sound exactly like the studio version, then what’s the point of buying a live CD? Not a bad CD but not a great one either. Only for the true PF fans.
Bottom Line: PF mix it up a little, but for the most part regurgitate the songs, just as they were recorded in the studio. Not a bad thing, but when I look at getting a live record, I look for a little more.
Standout Tracks: Sign of Fear, Battalions of Hate, Angel in Black and Fighting the Darkness
- Ragman totally wants to see this DVD.