• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

Pell, Axel Rudi: Circle of the Oath

Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

Website Facebook
SPV/Steamhammer
by Craig Hartranft,  03.05.2012

If anything, resolute and constant guitarist Axel Rudi Pell is prolific and consistent. Largely, this is due to the simple fact that he lives and breaths guitar playing. Pell regularly, even daily, practices and writes new material. The result is his 14th studio album, Circle of the Oath.

Above, Axel Rudi Pell (2nd left): with his crew of large professional wrestlers.

Another strength for Axel is a consistent band; most have been with him for 14 years or better. But it's his name on the label, so any consideration of Circle of the Oath is essentially a referendum upon him. Then there's no disputing his guitar skills. And when it comes to song composition, Pell remains a player in the band. Not everything is a pure platform for his fret fireworks. That's a very good thing.

First spin of this disc made me think of Eighties Dio; there's something about the music, themes, and the timbre of Johnny Gioeli's voice that reminds me of the late great Ronnie James. But ultimately the comparison is likely futile.

The album starts strong with power metal of Ghost in the Black, rock metal of Run with the Wind, and the very accessible and catchy Before I Die. The title cut is signature Pell, simply epic and stirring. Fortunes of War turns, again, on that catchy sensibility, a fine tune.

Then listening is dragged down by the heavy and lumbering Bridges to Nowhere and an attempt at an anthem in Lived Our Lives Before. Hold on to Your Dreams attempts at positive thinking possibilities in melodic metal, and generally succeeds. But it doesn't quite match Before I Die. Circle of the Oath closes on another epic note, World of Confusion, a solid number that only reminds you of Pell's inherent extravagance in song composition.

The simple conclusion: Circle of the Oath is Axel Rudi Pell in his most consistent and grand form. Expect no less. Recommended.

Tweet

More Ways to Share This Review

Circle of the Oath is Axel Rudi Pell in his most consistent and grand form. Expect no less.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]