Axel Rudi Pell - *XX Anniversary Live

It’s always great to hear from an artist as Axel Rudi Pell specially in a moment like this; the 30th anniversary of career with a live album. Live albums, as we all know, are the greatest moment in a Heavy Metal artist career. Though they were much more important back then, live albums are still a staple in a well-suceeded career. Of course, the impact they make is not the same it was, but they are still important, specially for old school metallers as Axel Rudi Pell.

“XX* Anniversary Live” is an album which shows a great band even though it is an artist album. The great thing about Axel Rudi Pell is that it is his show, his band, his guys, his songs, but, there is a tremendous but, they work as a band. We know from other sources – I won’t point fingers – that there are artists that MUST shine more than the others. There are no others in the band. It is the opposite we feel here. Of course, I maybe wrong, but the band is very cohesive. Axel Rudi Pell doesn’t play the longest guitar solos as it would be expected. There are room for the other musicians with other solos. In fact, vocalist Johnny Gioeli has a great act into the show. No wonder he has been with the fold since 1998. I dare to say that he is on the highlight more than Mr. Pell. Unthinkable thing for some, am I wrong?

As many live albums, “XX* Anniversary Live” is a kind of greatest hits compilation. It is natural, though, as long as it is a 30th anniversary celebration. No wonder to be a hit parade of Mr. Pell’s best of. For real, the music herein is a great example of how a band can enhance their songs. “XX* Anniversary Live” is not a mechanical feature of album releases, it is an enhanced version of them as they must be alive. In fact, Mr. Pell follows a path that Rainbow have been before. I mean no disrespected with that, it is just that their music sound alike. By alike I don’t mean exactly the same; Mr. Pell is no copycat. I mean just that he’s got the idea and made it his own.

Axel Rudi Pell “XX* Anniversary Live” will be released on June 07th via Steamhammer / SPV.

Track Listing:

CD1