New Album: Axel Rudi Pell - Circle Of The Oath
Release Date: 26 March
Label: Steamhammer/SPV
I know we’re not far into 2012, but this is my favourite album so far this year - and it’s going to take a lot to beat it.
Axel Rudi Pell has sold 1.5 million records worldwide. He’s been in this business for over 30 years now, nearly a quarter of a century as a solo artist, writing, producing and recording records under his own moniker. The secret of his success is as simple as brilliant at the same time: He loves to play the music he grew up listening to and passes the torch to the next generation of rock fans around the globe.
Since leaving the influential German metal outfit Steeler in 1988 he’s recorded and toured with the finest bunch of singers in the world of rock: Charlie Huhn (Ted Nugent, Gary Moore, Victory, Humble Pie, Foghat), Rob Rock (Impelliteri, Driver, Joshua, Avantasia), Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen, Soul Sirkus, Talisman, Journey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and last, but not least the mighty Johnny Gioeli who’s has been working with Axel since 1998 (of course, being in Hardline before that, a project started by Journey’s guitar legend Neal Schon in 1991). There were great drummers as well, for example legendary Joerg Michael (Rage, Grave Digger, Saxon, Running Wild, Stratovarius), before the unbeatable Mike Terrana joined the Pell ranks in 1998 (being in Masterplan, Savage Circus, Rage and working with Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, Steve Lukather and Tarja). On bass we’ll find Axel’s good old friend from those old Steeler days: Volker Krawczak being the foundation that Axel’s sound is built on. Not to forget his musical partner in crime, the wizard on the black and white keys: Ferdy Doernberg who worked with Rough Silk, Helloween, Holy Moses, Therion and others.
Axel does not need to motivate himself, he’s one those guys that had to be stopped and sheltered from themselves. He’s too good in picking up ideas out of the blue; he’s always working on new songs. There’s not been a day in his life where he wasn’t playing guitar. No wonder he had a whole album written when his last effort „Ballads IV“ crashed into the German charts in September 2011, making it up to No. 29.
Works on this new album “Circle Of The Oath” started in November. It is – believe it or not – Axel Rudi Pell‘s fourteenth studio album! It is good - it’s ARP in its purest form, but also different. Especially lyrical wise, there’s more depths and craftsmanship. The kings and wizards are gone, the search for the meaning of life kicks in.
There’s an atmospheric intro called “The Guillotine Suite” and then it’s one of my favourites “Ghost In The Black“ - a classic ARP double bass opener with a guitar-keyboard solo that Blackmore and Lord could easily relate to. The drop-out hymn “Run With The Wind“ and the hard rocking masher “Before I Die” are also brilliant and have you hooked. Then there’s the album’s centerpiece: “Circle Of The Oath“ and its almost 10 minutes of acoustic guitars and oriental riffing is a tune, once heard, will never leave you.
The melodic anti-war cry “Fortunes Of War“ seems to be just one tremendous chorus. There’s also the fantastic ballad “Lived Our Lives Before“, which the publicity notes make clear “is not a bloody love song”. Tracks from this album will definately be making their way on to my playists over the coming weeks.
Tracklisting:
1. The Guillotine Suite (Intro) 01:52
2. Ghost In The Black 04:36
3. Run With The Wind 04:42
4. Before I Die 04:29
5. Circle Of The Oath 09:20
6. Fortunes Of War 05:19
7. Bridges To Nowhere 07:10
8. Lived Our Lives Before 06:31
9. Hold On To Your Dreams 05:47
10. World Of Confusion (The Masquerade Ball Pt. II) 09:30
Line Up:
Johnny Gioeli - Lead and Backing Vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - Lead, Rhythm and Acoustic Guitars
Ferdy Doernberg - Keyboards
Volker Krawczak - Bass
Mike Terrana - Drums
Tour:
20.04. D-Hannover – Capitol
21.04. NL-Weert – De Bosuil
22.04. GB-London - Underworld
24.04. D-Langen – Neue Stadthalle
25.04. D-Saarbrücken - Garage
27.04. D-Nürnberg – Hirsch
28.04. D-Kaufbeuren – All-Karthalle
29.04. CH-Pratteln – Z7
01.05. D-Erfurt – HsD
02.05. D-Berlin – Columbia Club
04.05. D-Bochum – Zeche (sold out)
05.05. D-Bochum – Zeche (sold out)
06.05. D-Bochum - Zeche
Festivals:
27.+28.07. D-Seebronn – Rock Of Ages Festival
02.08.-04.08. D-Wacken Open Air
