When it comes to classic-sounding heavy metal, Germany’s Primal Fear have every box ticked: battle-ready epics that balance heroic melodies with ferociously galloping rhythms, complex lyrical themes informed by fantasy and sci-fi, and a multi-octave powerhouse in Ralf Scheepers. He’s one of those rare screamers for whom comparisons to Judas Priest’s Rob Halford are never hyperbolic. And Primal Fear are a textbook example of headbanger proficiency. Since their founding in 1997, they have created a string of expertly sculpted albums that have won over not just fans of old-school sounds but people into modern European power metal as well.