The Masquerade Ball

Axel Rudi Pell is back with his new opus.... no doubt about that we have a typical Axel album. But that's what is slowly starting to bother me with Axel is.. Again the artcover is nice, but you never now which one you are grabbing out of your collection... they're all purple and alike... anyway. I think Axel is turning in circles with his music and we still don't see any signs of something new... okay I don't ask him to change his music completely (perhaps let the amazing musicians forming his lineup compose some tunes)... but this album is typical... you've got 10 songs you ALREADY heard before if you have the other albums !! period ! And if you don't believe me put track 8 (Hot Wheels), then put Fool, Fool... and tell me about it okay :) ? or the Masquerade Ball and The Gates Of The Seventh Seals. But let's go back to the matters at hand, the review itself. The album is very melodic as always, same magical potion, use easy but extremely catchy melodies, let the maestro play and temper with them adding nice soli, serve hot and you have a very good album. Production is impeccable like always with Axel Rudi Pell. This album is the second one with Johnny Gioeli on vocals... and it confirms what I already thought with last album : this guy is a hell a of a singer !! For those of you stitching your head trying to know where the hell you heard about this singer before, don't search no more, it's Hardline' singer. And perhaps Axel should let him compose a bit cause those Hardline songs were damn good if you ask me. As always Axel is mastering is guitar talent, even though it's more melodic than it is technical, but I prefer somehow, of course you can do both but then you have to change your name to Joe Satriani :). Little detail, guess who's on the drums : Mike Terrana ! Uh Mike ? when do you find time to sleep :) ?, same for Ferdy Doernberg which participate to so much projects on keyboards aside from Rough Silk. I'm really disappointed by this album which is good but absolutely nothing new to hold on to... and I'm sure I can find you a double for everyone (or almost) of the songs in this "new" opus.