Jaws of Death

Jaws of Death is a fulfilling second album on which Primal Fear gathers thick guitar chopping, powerful drums and sharp, piercing vocals. It pushes the traditional heavy-metal direction established on the debut more powerfully and weightily. The songs proceed straight, yet the riffs’ sure weight and the melody’s lift always contend, by no means ending as merely simple power. A record where the band’s sure growth can be felt. From the aggression of the opening title track “Jaws of Death” and the drama of “Final Embrace” to a cut like “Church of Blood,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Play to Kill” and “Save a Prayer” convey the work’s fullness. Ralf Scheepers’s overwhelming high vocals are powerfully in sharp form throughout. A record that powerfully creates a sure tension and its release in the album by somewhat dark, serious themes and valiant, powerful choruses intersecting. It steadily shows power and traditional metal’s sure appeal. A powerful, engaging, fulfilling work that solidified the band’s position without losing the debut’s momentum in the least — a record where the band’s steady ability shines.