CD REVIEW: S/T by RIK PRIEM'S PRIME

S/T by Rik Priem's Prime
(Avenue Of Allies)

Bursting onto the melodic rock scene is Rik Priem's Prime a powerhouse project from Belgium and Germany featuring guitarist, Rik Preim.  Some of you may recognize Rik Priem from his stint in the AOR project Frozen Rain. For his debut outing, Preim hooks up with that band's lead vocalist, the veteran, Carsten 'Lizard' Schultz to create his own project Rik Priem's Prime creating their own identity while creating a powerful recording in the process. Rounding out the band are, Vincent De Laat (bass), Geert Margodt (keyboard) and Ramy Ali (drums). The music served up here is a blast to the face of energy from the opening, "Sunset Over Agartha" to the melodic power metal vibe of, "Babylon Rising". Songs like, "The Future Is Now", "Hungry Heart",  "Flirting With An Alien" and "In With The Freaks" are instant melodic rock gems with an edge. Strong vocals, pounding drums, catchy keyboards, and ripping guitars throughout. Also worth noting is the production- crisp, loud, in your face. If you like melodic rock music, this album is worth checking out. Hard rock fans should love this. Metal fans should too. AOR purists may need oxygen after hearing it, but they'll probably love it as well. It's just that good. Rik Priem''s debut outing is a strong one. Fans of any of the bands like Last Tribe, Jorn, TNT, and Shy, will definitely want to check out Rik Priem's Prime. They are definitely another high quality melodic hard rock band that is worth watching in the future. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine