Beyond the Axel Rudi Pell fans, melodic metal fans should be happy because we don't count albums anymore and ‘Sign of the Times’ is the last of this long series. After, a fifth compilation of their ballads (see here) and a last album 'Knights Call' in 2018, the Germans come back with an album that the we could qualify as classic with melodies still as effective in a heavy register. We do not change a winning team because it is the same line up which officiates from several albums with always 'Johnny Gioeli' who also continues in parallel his project with 'Alessandro Del Vecchio', 'Hardline' with a last album released in 2019 (see here) and who also released an opus with 'Deen Castronovo' (see here).
Not surprisingly, after the short instrumental introduction in which Axel has fun on the guitar, we find our five lads with new unstoppable compositions whether in fast tempos like 'Gunfire', 'Bad Reputation', ' The End of the Line 'or' Waiting for Your Call 'or in powerful but more mid-tempo titles like 'Sign of the Times', 'Wings for Your Call' or 'Into the Fire' and, of course, without forget one of their specialties, beautiful ballads with this time only one but devilishly effective, 'As Blind As A Fool Can Be'. Also note ‘Living in a Dream’ with its reggae rhythm in the introduction which metallizes quickly enough for a new title close to ‘Rainbow’.
In summary, as you will have understood, 'Axel Rudi Pell' keep doing 'Axel Rudi Pell' and this for our greatest happiness, reminding us of the great hard rock and metal bands of the years 70 and 80 like 'Deep Purple' which will release a new album very soon... | |
