Munich and Heavy Metal - a difficult subject, mind me, that's what it's said. And well it is indeed in some prospects, but not for all. Because Thrashmetal, New Metal, Metal Core and Gothic Metal goes really well down and takes care for sold out venues with a rather young audiance. The suffering subject is the so called Power Metal, which often comes from this country here - Germany. And many of them have been founded in the Eighties or Nintees. I personally hate this categorising of styles into single draws. Because Rock is Rock music and Metal is Metal - it's as easy as that. But I don't really know how to describe this phenomen of the  lack of audiance in some cases - any other way. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying, that german power metal is bad. Actually there are some pretty attractive artists, who are extremly underrated. The point is more or less, that 1) this kind of heavy metal is not timeless, exept you are a cultband, whereby the word 'cult' is pronounced. 2) it's a very small community and 3) having a wrong selfassessmet.
How often did I hear the statement: we don't care about conventions and flavours of the month and only do our own thing. Yeah well, that's fine, and everybody has the right to do so. But then you shouldn't complain, when your popularity doesn't grow any further at some point. Primal Fear is such a case, though the name is well known in Metal circles with Mr. Sinner holding the robe and Mr. Scheepers oweing a respectable vocal volume. In other cities in Germany this band might do a little better with maybe 150 or even 200 audiance And what's up to oversea's I can't tell you about figures. But what's up to our bavarian capital, these 35 or 40 kids here tonight are indeed rather poor. And please don't blame the current Octoberfest for that. Steel Panther 2 days before this had 250 people. Limp Bizkit were sold out and even Supertramp (or what's left of it) counted 5.000 people. So what's the real problem? 
I leave it up to you to think about it and I just go for the facts and finish my philosophy about german 80s Metal, which goes down much too serious.  



The magic starts with italien rockers  Elvenking, who I did miss unfortunately.  

This group, going since 1997, has just put out their sixth album entitled 'Red Silent Tides' a few days ago, and try's now to promote this piece of music on the opener slot on this tour. Mind me, that's the usual way to do so. Of what  I heard, some people did like their show, other's didn't. I for myself can't give you any comment on that - sorry. 

Further infos to  Elvenking at: http://www.elvenking.net/index.htm   

The second act tonight is ‚Kissin’ Dynamite’ from Germany, currently one of the youngest Metal acts around

Whereby these guys don't go for the same style as Primal Fear, but rather, how shall I describe it, a more international line, - what's up to the music as well as what's up to the visual aspect. Kissin Dynamite are really young indeed. All boys are below 20. and weren't born, when Mötley Crüe celebrated their first success with 'Shout At The Devil'- Although brother's Johannes and Ande Braun, Jim Müller, Steffen Haile and Andy Schnitzer go exactly for this style. And they do it with a hell of a selfconfidence and ego, including youthful high energy. That's the best description of Kissin' Dynamite. 

Surely they still need one or the other polish and the usual experience. But in the end, I can only say: Respect for whatever this band puts out on stage for their ages. Well done Boys, well done. And maybe in a few years, if this band does establish themselves as a long living project, then we continue our discussion. I can only give you one hint out there. Go and check out Kissin' Dynamite - you won't regret it. The new tourdates are already out.  


http://www.kissin-dynamite.de/kd/



Unfortunatly the number of people in the audiance has not increased 'till Showtime of the headliner 

And from now on, there are strict rules for photographer's like: 3 songs only, no flash etc. (we are 2 photographer's here no more)
Yeah well, they have to defend their superstar status of course. But thanks god, this circumtances ain't no problem, as the light is okay and the tracks beeing played are long enough to get some decent shots. Mind me, you don't need 150 shots of a band like Primal Fear anyway. In adition to that, these musicians up there apparently have undergone a cat walk trainingh with some fashion-model coach. Because the posing is nearly perfect. Well then - a great focus for my cam, ain't it....

This group does exist now for a dozen years and is going for for this statish dead serious Heavy Metal transferred from the glory Eighties and beeing adopted. Let's put it that way, they've gotta be grateful in the end, that there are actually some fans left (mostly people, who have grown up with this style) and who adapted Melodic Power Metal to their favorite music. But most of those few lest relicts are situated in Hamburg or Cologne, and not here in Munich. 
However, the big plus in Primal Fear is their singer, who's voice could easily go for an olympic record. 

So no surprise, that Ralf Scheepers has already got a name on his own and is currently working on a soloalbum, which is scheduled for January 2011. What I should maybe mention as well, is the fact, that recently guitarist Henny Wolter has left the band out of personal reasons (also the band Sinner) and for him came Alexander Beyrodt who I don't have to introduce to all fans of this genre. So he already played in Sinner, Silent Force, Voodoo Circle and still does. On the other hand, who cares, as both bosses Sinner and Scheepers write the rules. Everybody else is exchangeable. 

Anyway, long talk, short sense and to get back to the action here tonight, one thing is for sure, a rockband can be as great as whatsoever and energetic. But if the sparkle doesn't jump over as it doesn't here, the venue rather seems like a pensioniers club praying their evening prayer. All aura and efforts are senseless. And you can send a Snail to the iron Man on Hawaii. 

At least here at the Backstage there are a dozen or so faithful fans in the frontrow, making some noise and stretching their arms far out to save the comic situation. Ralf Scheepers himself has realised the situation very well by saying: 'well I guess I can welcome everybody in here personally'.... which means, it's always the same odd fans here coming along. But okay, rather those then none at all, Because otherwise my dear friends and readers of this review, it would seem very bad here in Munich. I for my part draw the line and say good bye after about 6 or 7 songs, so I have no more comment on the musical performance. 
http://www.primalfear.de/