Axel Rudi Pell – XXX anniversary Live

The title of this album is fairly self explanatory – it’s a live album to mark 30 years since German guitarist Axel Rudi Pell released his first solo album. In the last 30 years he’s released 17 studio albums, various compilations and four live albums (6 if you include DVDs). Now he’s adding a fifth live album to that impressive catalogue of work.

This album wasn’t really planned – while he was on tour in October and November 2018 his sound engineer recorded several shows without the band being aware. He then gave the recordings to Axel Rudi Pell at the end of the tour and from that the idea to release a live album was born. This does mean that the recordings are of the band doing what they do naturally – when the band know the show is being recorded for release that must make them think differently and maybe alter what they do as they think about the fact it’s being recorded. The band are all in great form and it shows in the recording.

As you’d expect given the fact that the tour was to support the release of the last studio album, “Knight’s call”, that album is fairly heavily represented here – if you include the intro then six of the album’s ten tracks feature in this live album. Happily “Knight’s call” is a great album with strong tracks such as “Long live rock” that work well in a live setting.

The sound quality is very good with a good mix so everything is nice and clear and nothing is drowned out. The CD release is in a nice double gatefold pack and the booklet has some nice photos from the tour.

A very good live release from Axel Rudi Pell.

“XXX anniversary Live” will be released on 7th June 2019

Track listing:

CD1:

1. The medieval overture (intro)
2. The wild and the young
3. Wildest dreams
4. Fool fool
5. Oceans of time
6. Only the strong will survive
7. Mystica (including drum solo)
8. Long live rock

CD2:

1. Game of sins / Tower of babylon (including keyboard solo)
2. In the line
3. Warrior
4. Edge of the world (including band introductions)
5. Truth and lies
6. Carousel
7. The masquerade ball / Casbah
8. Rock the nation