AXEL RUDI PELL - "KNIGHTS CALL" (2018)

AXEL RUDI PELL - "KNIGHTS CALL"
(Running time: 58:12 minutes; 10 songs)
("Steamhammer"/"SPV"; 2018; CD):

Oh boy, is this little piece here'n'now now already long, long overdue, yes, for a really damn pretty long while now already anyhow'n'anyway but, okay, finally here it is, yes, my record-review on the new AXEL RUDI PELL full-length-album "KNIGHTS CALL" released at the 23rd of March of 2018 via "STEAMHAMMER"/"SPV" on CD and LP, yes, and it is in sort of 30 years of the band's existence now already the 17th album released by AXEL RUDI PELL in sort of in a 'straight row'. Two years ago in 2016 AXEL RUDI PELL released "GAME OF SINS" and conquered me pretty much completly with it and so I was more than very happy and damn curious when I finally got "KNIGHTS CALL" in my mailbox the day it was finally released and, yes, again AXEL RUDI PELL conquered me massively and this time in 2018 even more than with the fantastic "GAME OF SINS" back then in 2016. (I did my review on it up here last year in August of 2017, so why not read it as well.) On and with "KNIGHTS CALL" AXEL RUDI PELL deliver us again a huge dose of this/their very unique style of heavily by crispy and cutting Heavy Metal fueled hard hitting, sharp whipping, heavy thundering and yet at the same time and especially and above all absolutely majestic, melodic, symphonic, and hymnal Hard Rock (or Heavy Rock) with a strong epic note to it all and that's still breathing here'n'there a fresh and very independently delivered and whirring and scenting RAINBOW vibe and this bred on huge doses of a nutritious honest and authentic Heavy Metal diet and all enriched and/or cultivated with that typical and very unique 'totally own' AXEL RUDI PELL identity that especially shines through, and this very bright and clear, in that special and unique guitar tone, vibe, and playing and in the rich and multi-facetted as well as multi-layered arranged and composed songwriting with that certain unique vibe that grants AXEL RUDI PELL's songs also and maybe especially even more on "KNIGHTS CALL" a very own chracter, note, and dynamic as well as a surely larger than life and epic identity, yes, and so any sort of 'further-going' comparisions to/with any other bands/artists would be and simply are nonsense and so I will spare me anything like this here and now. What is also total nonsense is the bullshit talking of 'If you know one AXEL RUDI PELL album you know them all.' because just by looking at "GAME OF SINS" from 2016 and "KNIGHTS CALL" in 2018 the differences are pretty clear, take for example just the much stronger focus on fresh and very alive-lively done impressions of 1970's Vintage Rock or Classic Rock and the very strong and present Hammond-Organ here on "KNIGHTS CALL" or that far more playful arrangements of the songs here on "KNIGHTS CALL" in contrast to the much more straight ahead metallic onwards rocking and herad-banging approach of "GAME OF SINS" to name just this two or three pretty obvious differences between just this two albums. Also, just by the way, a specific and own 'musical-character' and sticking true to/with it is not the same as repeating your own work again and again, yes, and I always thought that would be clear to anyone anyhow… or shoul be, at least. Beside this expect with AXEL RUDI PELL's "KNIGHTS CALL" an album that's nothing less'n'but incredible rich on/in facets and heavily diverse and filled with great and multi-layered rhythmic arrangements and stunning varying pace work and much, much more, yes, and all really, really fresh and alive-lively done and delivered and full of exciting and grapping twists and turns all along the ride from start to finish and that's packed to the max with huge and honest emotions that blissfully shower you in goosepimples again and again withpout end or stop, oh hell yeahr, very diverse and masterly skillfull on all levels. Brilliant and highly rousing guitar work delivering fantastic riffs and in general absolutely larger than life and massively forceful rhythm arrangements as well as absolutely breathtaking leads and truly majestic-masterly solos absoultely to the max and all with a fantastic epic approach to it all, yes, surely the biggest trademark again here on and with AXEL RUDI PELL's "KINIGHTS CALL". The fantastic and highly skilled and charismatic lead vocals surely are next to be named, as well as here on and with "KNIGHTS CALL" especially the fantastic Hammond-Organ. The punch- and powerful bass and the smashing drumming then only back it all massively up and this in a damn fantastic way, yeahr, and all pushed onwards by very forceful galloping rhythmic accentuations. Strong and thoughtful as well as interesting lyrics and a pure gorgeous beauty of an artwork, and a truly heavy bombing hard and clear widescreen production-sound then finally round it all up. AXEL RUDI PELL delivered with "KNIGHTS CALL" not only one of the very strongest albums in their already 30 years spanning career but also one of the clear highlights of and in and for 2018 and this without the slightest single doubt and so to any Hard Rock and Heavy Metal fan out there I can only calmly, clearly, and enthusiatically recommend this fantastic and brilliant, masterly album, yes, and so if you are into the above mentioned target-group and really still don't have or even know AXEL RUDI PELL's "KNIGHTS CALL", why the damn fucking bloody hell ever, you should change this finally as soon as possible, point and fact.

(10 of 10 points)

https://www.axel-rudi-pell.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

AXEL RUDI PELL - "THE CRUSADERS OF DOOM" (2018, "KNIGHTS CALL")

AXEL RUDI PELL - "GAME OF SINS" (2016)

AXEL RUDI PELL - "GAME OF SINS"
(Running time: 64:21 minutes; 11 songs)
("Steamhammer" & "SPV"; 2016; CD):

So guys, back again, doing what I use to do up here, yes, and so next post, next record review, and next... okay, okay, okay... I'm about to trick you with this one because before a next new 2017 album will be reviewed by me for you up here I'll anyhow do a review on another 2016 album "just" because, yes, damn it, I have this one now already sort of one-and-a-half year and I finally want to get the review on it done and after this month is sort of an "unofficial-official" (Hard) Rock/(Heavy) Metal month (more or less...) up here this certain or particular album is also a perfect match to the current "monthly theme", and, yes, so here we go again (-but you can be sure about that the next review up here the coming days will be one on a 2017 album, definitely, trust me): Here now comes my review on the 2016 full length release "GAME OF SINS" by the german legend(s) AXEL RUDI PELL for you, okay, it was released @ the 15th of January of 2016 via "STEAMHAMMER" and "SPV", yes, and for all what I know it's still the current proper full length album of/by AXEL RUDI PELL because since "GAME OF SINS" so far 'only' a sort of a compilation (?) album titled "THE BALLADS" was released more or less recently this very year, yes, and so you see that there's still anyhow enough of justification to still do a review on it up here for you anyhow anyway. So, okay, with this 'general-information-talking' out of the way let us now have some more precise and intense looks and 'listens' on and in AXEL RUDI PELL's "GAME OF SINS", the 16th full length album in sort of over 25 years. AXEL RUDI PELL and 'his crew' deliver here on and with "GAME OF SINS" again a 'brilliantly' done heavy and stunning as well as also a 'larger than life' very hymnal and melodic/symphonic Hard Rock (or Heavy Rock) album close to the border of/to Heavy Metal and it's crossing this thin border more than just one time. A very unique and 'stunningly' hard and heavy yet 'fantasticaly' melodic and symphonic guitar work with a strong (very) own character to it all and pretty much sort of highest skilled done, yes, rich on variations, very diverse and working in a 'compositorial-damn-great-way' a lot of different and varying moods, emotions, and tones/tonings into the songs as well as also great 'twists-and-turn' and smart changes; and, yes, I'm pretty sure you guessed it already so far and if you did/do so you would (have) be(en) right with thinking, saying, and stating that the guitar work is the definite keyelement of the music and songs of/by AXEL RUDI PELL and so also on "GAME OF SINS" and this (one more time again) in a very impressive way the guitars are delivering a just outstanding strong and also nicely diverse and varying rhythm work full of grapping arrangements and rousing a massive load of tension all the way, yes, and then above all shine the truly larger than life guitar leads and guitar solos and they are also adding to the very own and pretty or very unique character of AXEL RUDI PELL's music and this in a massive way. Also adding up to this all and also doing this in a massive way are the phenomenal strong lead vocals that also shine in a very self-contained/independently (bright) light and have a very own tone/toning and so also a very own character and are also just done 'impressively' strong. The rhythm section is then the final precious gem that "GAME OF SINS" offers to us all, yes, and the harsh and definitely stunning, dustdry, and bonecracking heavy and very tight and consequent to the point played yet very dynamic and diverse performance of bass and drums really "just" conquer and this in an absolutely impressive and massive, yes, 'simply' totally conquering way and style. The atmospheric arranged and working keyboard also is 'just' absolutely pure gold. That the "musical delivery" is 'just' absolutely top notch and definitely highest skilled should need no further explanations and so I won't babble on and on about it. To or about the songwriting I more or less said some lines above (when I was praising the outstanding "trademark-guitar-work") quite a bit and so I will here and now just say that it is nothing but grapping and exciting, intense and emotional'n'atmospheric, very tight and also very dynamic, yes, and definitely also very diverse and varying, pretty multi-layered and offering a lot of (very) precious treasures to discover while the level of power and energy is always very high, no matter if we get soulful ballads, heavy rockin' stompers, epic masterpieces, catchy anthemic hymns, or hard slashers, yes, so for sure the quality as well as the intensity is always very high. A big load of great lyrics, a fantastic beautiful artwork, and a first class production sound finally round it all succesfully up. The whole album is a damn great piece of art and music and so I am really not so sure if listing my favorite songs here and now for you as sort of "informations-where-to-start-your-journey-to-discover" the "GAME OF SINS" by AXEL RUDI PELL but if you're really interested in it then I'll name you the (al)mighty "FIRE", "SONS IN THE NIGHT", "GAME OF SINS", "LOST IN LOVE", "THE KING OF FOOLS", "BREAKING THE RULES", and the breath-taking and amazing cover version of BOB DYLAN's almighty "ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" (the bonus on the limited (?) digi pack version of the album, that I thankfully call my own), so maybe start your "discovering journey" of AXEL RUDI PELL's "GAME OF SINS" maybe first with the here mentioned songs, yes, all true and pure great ones. Any fans of AXEL RUDI PELL definitely (so I am very sure) have (and love) "GAME OF SINS" already for quite a while since it was released one or one and a half year ago and so I don't need to praise it anymore to you, yes, but to any Hard Rock (or Heavy Rock) and also Heavy Metal fans out there that maybe still don't have or even know AXEL RUDI PELL's "GAME OF SINS" I can only highly recommend this truly great album and so you best go out and get your hands finally on a copy of it as soon as possible, yes, because otherwise you would really miss out on one hell of a top notch release; so, yes, now just go and get it. And I'm already stoked and pretty excited for the new AXEL RUDI PELL album  to finally be released and maybe I'll also finally grab a copy of "THE BALLADS" album that I've mentioned above one (soon) day, yes, and maybe you should do so, too.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.axel-rudi-pell.de/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

AXEL RUDI PELL - "FIRE" /live\ (2016, "GAME OF SINS")