Passable concert and solid bonus material for fans - A review of Primal Fear's "Angels of Mercy: Live in Germany"

Angels of Mercy: Live in Germany is Primal Fear's first live record in seven years which is available as a set consisting of a CD and a DVD or alternatively as a set consisting of a CD and a Blu-ray. Despite a promising set list and an overall solid performance, this release is only average at best.

First of all, the sound is far from being perfect. In certain songs, the audience is almost inaudible but in others, the microphones got cranked up and the crowd sounds too noisy. The transitions between the songs aren't always perfect either. There isn't much communication between the band and its audience which decreases the record's live atmosphere. When the band communicates with the crowd from time to time, it is done in English even though the band is German and the concert took place in Germany. It becomes obvious that this was only done to release this live set internationally but I personally think that idea isn't very authentic.

Among the highlights of this release, let's underline the catchy and gripping opener ''Final Embrace'', the unusual bluesy ballad ''The Sky Is Burning'' that convinces with a skillful guitar play and the epic closer ''Fighting the Darkness'' which might be an unusual choice to finish the concert but manages to end it on a high note.

The DVD or Blu-ray includes some welcome additional gimmicks such as five recent video clips, another live track of a song that wasn't included in the set of the main show and an interesting tour documentary.

In the end, the concert is of a slightly above average quality and the bonus material is interesting enough to make this release acceptable. My final verdict is that only faithful fans of the band should pick this live package up. Occasional or new fans should only buy this for a reduced price or get a studio album or the great greatest hits album Metal Is Forever - The Very Best of Primal Fear instead.

Final rating: 60%