German power metal veterans Primal Fear will celebrate 30 years with three Australian shows in May 2027, with the band scheduled to perform material from their forthcoming album Shadowriders.
by Paul Cashmere
Primal Fear will return to Australia in May 2027 for three shows marking the German power metal band’s 30th anniversary, with concerts confirmed for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
The tour will take place shortly after the scheduled release of Shadowriders, Primal Fear’s sixteenth studio album, which is due on 23 April 2027. The Australian performances will therefore give audiences an early opportunity to hear material from the new record alongside songs from across the band’s catalogue.
The Australian dates are the first three shows announced for the tour, with Primal Fear scheduled to perform at Brisbane’s Crowbar on 6 May, Sydney’s Crowbar on 7 May and Melbourne’s Croxton on 8 May.
The current Primal Fear line-up features founding vocalist Ralf Scheepers and bassist Mat Sinner, alongside guitarist Magnus Karlsson, guitarist Thalìa Bellazecca and drummer André Hilgers.
Scheepers has been associated with German heavy metal since the 1980s, including periods with Tyran Pace and Gamma Ray. His reputation was such that he was considered for the Judas Priest vocalist position following Rob Halford’s departure in the 1990s. Sinner, meanwhile, established his career with Sinner before forming Primal Fear with Scheepers.
Primal Fear was formed in October 1997 after Scheepers and Sinner had worked together through the German metal scene. The band secured a record deal with Nuclear Blast later that year and released its self-titled debut in February 1998.
The album reached No. 48 on the German LP chart, establishing Primal Fear immediately within the country’s metal market. The band subsequently built an international touring career and developed a catalogue spanning more than two decades.
Their early run included Jaws of Death in 1999, Nuclear Fire in 2001 and Black Sun in 2002. The latter featured guitar contributions from Mike Chlasciak and reached No. 55 in Germany. Devil’s Ground followed in 2004, with the album featuring “Metal Is Forever”, one of the band’s best-known songs.
Seven Seals was released in 2005 before the band moved from Nuclear Blast to Frontiers Records in 2006. Further albums included New Religion in 2007, 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead) in 2009, Unbreakable in 2012 and Delivering the Black in 2014.
The band continued to undergo line-up changes while retaining Scheepers and Sinner as its central figures. Magnus Karlsson joined the touring and recording line-up in 2008 and remains with the band.
Primal Fear’s more recent catalogue includes Rulebreaker from 2016, Apocalypse from 2018, Metal Commando from 2020, the 2021 EP I Will Be Gone, Code Red from 2023 and Domination, released in September 2025.
The current line-up was established following significant changes in 2024. Alex Beyrodt departed that August, followed by Tom Naumann and drummer Michael Ehré. Bellazecca was announced as the new guitarist, while Hilgers subsequently joined on drums.
Shadowriders will be the first Primal Fear studio album featuring the current line-up and is scheduled for release on 23 April 2027 through Reigning Phoenix Music. The record will follow Domination, which was released in September 2025.
For the Australian shows, the timing places the new album at the centre of the anniversary celebrations, while the band’s established repertoire will provide the historical component of the set.
The Australian tour is being presented by Hardline Media. Limited earlybird general admission and VIP meet and greet tickets go on sale Thursday 17 September at 11:00am AEST through Hardline Media. General public tickets follow on Tuesday 22 September at 11:00am AEST via Oztix.
The VIP package includes a meet and greet and photograph with Primal Fear, a VIP laminate and lanyard, an Australian tour poster and the opportunity to have up to three additional personal items signed by the band.
Tour Dates
6 May 2027, Brisbane, Crowbar
7 May 2027, Sydney, Crowbar
8 May 2027, Melbourne, Croxton
Ticket Details
Limited earlybird general admission and VIP meet and greet tickets go on sale Thursday 17 September at 11:00am AEST via Hardline Media.
General public tickets go on sale Tuesday 22 September at 11:00am AEST via Oztix.
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