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With 12 albums of thunderous, none-more-classic heavy metal under their collective, studded cummerbund, you might forgive Primal Fear for running out of steam at this point.

Fortunately, Metal Commando noisily suggests that founders Ralf Scheepers (vocals) and Mat Sinner (bass) have been newly plugged into the old-school mainframe, via some of the strongest and most unashamedly balls-out anthems the Germans have written in years.

Always far grittier than the average Euro power-metal band, Primal Fear specialise in brutish, anthemic material like I Am Alive, Along Came The Devil and Raise Your Fists, all three of which are nailed-on future live favourites.

In contrast, 13-minute closer Infinity reveals progressive instincts and a knack for pummelling melodrama that Primal Fear would do well to explore further.

Dom Lawson began his inauspicious career as a music journalist in 1999. He wrote for Kerrang! for seven years, before moving to Metal Hammer and Prog Magazine in 2007. His primary interests are heavy metal, progressive rock, coffee, snooker and despair. He is politically homeless and has an excellent beard.

Primal Fear's Metal Commando: unashamedly brutish and balls-out

Lucky thirteenth for German pure metal stalwarts Primal Fear on Metal Commando