Axel Rudi Pell – The Ballads IV
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Highlights: Where The Wild Waters Flow, Holy Diver, Northern Lights, Noblesse Oblige, Love Gun, Glory Night, In The Air Tonight, Touching My Soul, No Chance To Live, Haunted Castle Serenade, The Curse of the Damned
“The Ballads IV” is, you guessed it, the fourth installment of “The Ballads” series by Axel Rudi Pell. First off, I’d like give a big fuck you to MetalSucks for saying this was a candidate for “Worst Album of the Year.” I love MetalSucks but to them and anyone else, if you don’t like ballads, don’t listen to this album. One of the things I love about Axel Rudi Pell and Co. is that they do the metal ballad better than anyone out today. The album opens with a brand new track called “Where The Wild Waters Flow” which once again proves that Johnny Gioelli is one of metals best kept secrets. Axel isn’t re-inventing the wheel with this song and that’s fine. He has a formula that has turned out some of the most tasteful metal in the past 15 years so no need to go changing things up now is there?
One of the things I love about heavy metal is the ability to wear many different masks. The ballad is a hard thing to pull off and Axel and his crew always do an amazing job. It’s hard not to hear the Rainbow and Richie Blackmore influences all over place with songs like “No Chance To Live” and “Touching My Soul” and I love the choice of covers for this collection as well. The humor of the Kiss classic “Love Gun” done in acoustic form is nothing but hilarious but still a really fun listen. The asinine lyrics are even more so when you hear them sung in mellow acoustic mode but their rendition of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight is something to really hear. It’s so dark and moody and it really makes for quite a great metal ballad.
Axel really took a huge chance with releasing a piano ballad version of the Dio classic “Holy Diver” which is what I think is responsible for a lot of the backlash. I’ve heard people bitch and moan that they made it a “pussy song”. Well, I happen to think they did an amazing job with it and I think Dio himself would’ve approved of his good friend Axel’s version. Does the world really need another note for note and not as good cover of “Heaven and Hell?” I don’t think so. They took a great song and did something unique and different with it to pay their respects. Like it or not, it was bold, unique and really thoughtful so I give it a thumbs up. Too bad I can’t say the same for the cover of “Hallelujah.” That song is a real stinker but then again, I never liked that song to begin with so sue me.
“The Ballads IV” is a great collection of songs to bring it down a notch and really showcase what a great and versatile musician and songwriter Axel Rudi Pell is. Along with lead singer Johnny Gioelli, these two can really deliver a heartfelt and moving heavy metal ballad. This is without a doubt a mood piece that should be owned and loved by any fan of great melodic guitar oriented metal with outstanding vocals. Go and get this one!
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