Pell, Axel Rudi - The Masquerade Ball

Year of Release: 2000
Label: SPV/Steamhammer
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 67:55:00

Well, for those familiar with Axel Rudi Pell, you know what to expect, and you know what you get. And there is nothing new under the sun this time around either. Those new to this guy can expect classic, up-tempo, guitar-dominated melodic metal. It's hard not to notice the great line-up of this band. You have Mike Terrana (Artension) on drums, Johnny Gioeli (Hardline, Brunette) on vocals, Ferdy Doernberg (Rough Silk, Storyteller's Rain) on keys, and Volker Krawczak on bass. With such a line-up, this CD is bound to be of high quality, right?

This CD is filled to the core with great songs. Songs like "Earls Of Black," "Voodoo Nights", "The Masquerade Ball", will most certainly not disappoint fans of Mr. Pell. You have all the classic ingredients: huge, catchy guitars, pounding drums, and fantastic, slightly hoarse, mid-ranged vocals. The melody-lines and choruses are very accessible and easy to sing along to. Only a couple of songs fail to interest me, lacking interesting melody-lines and choruses. The instrumentation is of course very good. At the same time I feel that where Axel fails to deliver is in his solos. He can produce killer riffs after killer riffs, but the solos lack variety and, more importantly, melody. It might just be my personal preferences on my part but to me it sounds like he's repeating himself. Again.

The arrangements are good, and the compact and powerful production is flawless. The best songs on this CD can easily match the best of his previous work and there are quite a few killer songs on this CD. Fans of traditional melodic metal and fans of Axel can buy this one unheard!

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
The Arrival (Intro) / Earls Of Black / Voodoo Nights / Night And Rain / The Masquerade Ball / Tear Down The Walls / The Line / Hot Wheels / The Temple Of The Holy / July Morning

Musicians:
Johnny Gioeli - vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - guitars
Volker Krawczak - bass
Ferdy Doernberg - keyboards
Mike Terrana - drums

Discography:
Wild Obsession (1989)
Nasty Reputation (1991)
Eternal Prisoner (1992)
The Ballads (1993)
Between The Walls (1994)
Made In Germany (1995)
Black Moon Pyramid (1996)
Magic (1997)
Oceans Of Time (1998)
The Ballads II (1999)
Masquerade Ball (2000)
The Wizards Chosen Few (2000)
Shadow Zone (2002)
Knights Live (2002)
Kings And Queens (2002)
The Ballads III (2004)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin DE

Added: November 26th 2004
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Artist website: www.axel-rudi-pell.de
Hits: 2433
Language: english