Ralf Scheepers

Ralf Scheepers (born 5 February 1965) is a German singer and the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Primal Fear.^[1] He has also sung in Gamma Ray and Tyran' Pace. Scheepers has also provided guest vocals for the bands Avantasia, Xandria,^[2] Scanner, Therion, Ayreon and Shadow Gallery, and worked with Tom Galley on Phenomena's Blind Faith album. He currently provides instruction for all around singing, music, studio and recording/processing techniques at the RS Vocal Works in Baltmannsweiler, Germany.^[3] Writer Paul Stenning has described him as "the greatest example of strength in metal."^[4]

Ralf Scheepers
Scheepers performing with Primal Fear in 2016
Background information
Born	(1965-02-05) 5 February 1965 (age 60) Esslingen, West Germany
Genres	Heavy metal, power metal
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1983–present
Member of	Primal Fear
Formerly of	Gamma Ray

Trivia

The formation of Primal Fear (1997) coincided with the rumor that Scheepers was a candidate to succeed Rob Halford at Judas Priest the year before. In an interview from 2012, Scheepers confirmed that he knew of his name on the shortlist, but at the same time pointed out that he had never been invited to a rehearsal.^[5] The then Priest guitarist K.K. Downing explicitly mentions Scheepers in his autobiography ('Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest', 2018), as one of the few suitable candidates: "And there weren't many candidates. Ralf Scheepers, who at that time was singing in Gamma Ray, was definitely a possibility, but nothing came of that." .^[6]

Discography

Studio albums

• Scheepers (2011)

Primal Fear

Studio albums

• Primal Fear (1998)
• Jaws of Death (1999)
• Nuclear Fire (2001)
• Black Sun (2002)
• Devil's Ground (2004)
• Seven Seals (2005)
• New Religion (2007)
• 16.6: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2009)
• Unbreakable (2012)
• Delivering the Black (2014)
• Rulebreaker (2016)
• Apocalypse (2018)
• Metal Commando (2020)

EPs

• I Will Be Gone (2021)

Live albums

• Live in the USA (2010)
• Angels of Mercy: Live in Germany (2017)

Tyran' Pace

• Eye to Eye (1983)
• Long Live Metal (1984)
• Watching You (1986)

Gamma Ray

Studio albums

• Heading for Tomorrow (1990)
• Sigh No More (1991)
• Insanity and Genius (1993)

F.B.I.

• Hell on Wheels (1993)

Blackwelder

• Survival of the Fittest (2015)

Enzo and the Glory Ensemble

• In the Name of the Father (2015)
• In the Name of the Son (2017)
• In the Name of the World Spirit (2020)

Filmography

As actor

• Dreath: Sidestories Underground (short, 2012) – Soldier
• Devil's Five (2021) – Ansel Schneider

Soundtrack

• Gamma Ray: Skeletons & Majesties Live (video 2012) (lyrics: "The Spririt", "Brothers") / (writer: "Brothers")

References

1. Sharpe-Young, Garry (2007). Metal: The Definitive Guide : Heavy, NWOBH, Progressive, Thrash, Death, Black, Gothic, Doom, Nu. Jawbone Press. pp. 346–347. ISBN 9781906002015. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
2. "XANDRIA Share Music Video For New Single "You Will Never Be Our God" Feat. PRIMAL FEAR's RALF SCHEEPERS". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
3. , Scheepers. www.ralfscheepers.com/Home.html.
4. "BravePicks 2020 - the Scribes Speak! Paul Stenning".
5. "PRIMAL FEAR VOCALIST RALF SCHEEPERS - 'I WAS NEVER INVITED TO REHEARSE WITH JUDAS PRIEST'". 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
6. K. K. Downing (2018). Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest. London: Little, Brown Book Group. p. 227. ISBN 978-1-472-12870-6.

External links

• Media related to Ralf Scheepers at Wikimedia Commons