PRIMAL FEAR have a title, a release window and a producer who is entirely unbothered about keeping any of it quiet.
Speaking to George Dionne of KNAC.COM, bassist and producer Mat Sinner confirmed that the German power metal veterans are already deep into the follow-up to last September's "Domination" — and then simply handed over the name.
"The [new PRIMAL FEAR] album will be released in April [of 2027], but before, as always, we have two singles and videos, and this can start also in January," Sinner said. Asked whether he could reveal the title, he did not hesitate: "Yes. I tell you. I don't care. The album is called 'Shadow Riders'. Dark. Yeah, it's also a track on the album. Great track. Yeah. Let's start the buzz."
The confidence is not unfounded. "Domination", issued via Reigning Phoenix Music, has outperformed its predecessor in an era when that almost never happens. "The latest reports of the record company is that 'Domination' overall sold more copies than the one before, which is not so common in these days," Sinner said. "Everybody is complaining, 'Oh, nobody buys CD anymore or vinyl anymore,' blah, blah, blah."
He is content to let the streaming economy pass him by. "I think the super young kids [don't] listen to our music anyway, so the streamers, they are not our priority. Our priority are people who enjoy the music, who give the music time, put it on, crank it up, listen. These albums also, they're not made for an iPhone. They are made for a proper system that you can really enjoy the music. And this is important. So for me, I still make music not for iPhones."
"Domination" was tracked at Dennis Ward's Kangaroo Studios — the room behind records by HELLOWEEN and ANGRA — in autumn 2024, produced by Sinner with Ralf Scheepers and Magnus Karlsson co-producing, then mixed and mastered by longtime collaborator Jacob Hansen in Denmark. In February the band released "One", an unused track from those sessions.
Nearly three decades into the project, founders Sinner and vocalist Ralf Scheepers now front a lineup rounded out by guitarist Thalìa Bellazecca, drummer André Hilgers — previously the band's touring drummer — and the returning Magnus Karlsson, back in the live lineup after several years away.
PRIMAL FEAR 2026:
- Ralf Scheepers — vocals
- Mat Sinner — bass, vocals
- Magnus Karlsson — guitars
- Thalìa Bellazecca — guitars
- André Hilgers — drums
Source: blabbermouth.net