Name: Axel Rudi Pell
“Operation” Code Name: “XXX Anniversary Live”
Location : Budapest, Bochum etc (?)
Desirable final result: Unique (/or Memorable) “depiction” of a live performance.
Needed/necessary “ingredients”: Passion, emotion, enthusiastic crowd, meticulous setlist, satisfactory depiction of sound.
Don’t be fooled by the title! The songwriter, has not decided at the “end of the world”, a change of carrer (lol), nor does this project have anything to do, with a production of “strange” American or French studios, in the format of a parody! So XXX, is a symbolic depiction of a 30 years anniversary.
It’s the most recent project, a product of experience and pure love, led by hard rock and “exported” from their last tour, on the occasion of the recent LP “Knight’ s Call”.
Indisputable truth, is the quality of the band’s musicians, which succeed in performing and delivering through this album, an impressive live(-es), that “intrigued” me numerous times to push again and again the play button and such one, that the audience would surely enjoy, if they came from our country…….. JUST DO IT, man………!!
Besides the riff-machine of German credibility, Axel Rudi Pell, what can someone say about one of the most important and special voices in hard rock, Gioelli, who touches you, whatever and however he sings, the drummer (ex-Black Sabbath και Rainbow) Rondinelli, and generally the whole band, that doesn’ t make you “drop down” or get tired, even in the necessary musicians’ live solos.
Some of the reasons to acquire the LP, could be the five (+1-it starts with the intro from their recent) beautiful songs from “Knight’ s Call” album alone, for the first time performed and produced live. “The Wild and the Young”, “Wildest Dreams”, “Truth and Lies”, the “anthemic” “Long Live Rock” and certainly “Tower of Babylon”, which in a medley with “Game of Sin”, offer a Dio-(n)isian, unique, “orgasmic nature” to its hearing.
But it’s not just that. Besides the “blowout/upsurge” moments of the more powerful songs, as amongst others, “Mystica”, “Edge of the World”, “Only the Strong Will Survive” and “Rock the Nation”, there are intensely emotional times, like those in “Oceans of Time” and “The Line”.
Attempting to evaluate a fulfilment’ s percentage, for the necessary elements of a successful live as mentioned above, we end up without doubt, that YES it did succeed! A clear YES, with no controversy/dispute, like one worded answers of recent referendums in northern or southern countries. Passion and emotion exist in huge amounts, an enthusiastic crowd can obviously be heard in the live songs’ performances, the setlist is sophisticated and really trying to cover a “best of”, of their numerous productions and, finally, very nice acoustic depiction of the performance! Spontaneous is the need for a replay of the tunes that have just “intruded”/entered our ears. And an enormous “hunger” for a live performance of a such a set, in front our eyes! Highly recommended for hard rock fans, not just band’s supporters!
Tracklisting:
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 (incl. Drum Solo)
8. Long Live Rock
CD2
1. Game Of Sins / Tower Of Babylon (incl.Keyboard Solo)
2. The Line
3. Warrior
4. Edge Of The World (incl. Band Introduction)
5. Truth And Lies
6. Carousel
7. The Masquerade Ball / Casbah
8. Rock The Nation
707 
