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Review: Axel Rudi Pell - Lost XXIII
Axel Rudi Pell
www.axel-rudi-pell.de
Lost XXIII

Label: Steamhammer
Year released: 2022
Duration: 54:43
Tracks: 10
Genre: Heavy Metal

Rating:
4/5


Review online: April 12, 2022
Reviewed by: MetalMike
Readers' Rating
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Rated 4.33/5 (86.67%) (3 Votes)
Review

Guitarist Axel Rudi Pell has consistently released new albums with his eponymous band for over 30 years, and 2022's Lost XXIII is (strangely, given the title) his 21st. I've never reviewed nor in fact listened to one of his albums before, so I'm coming into this with few preconceived notions and what I hear is just straight up, no frills, '80s-style heavy metal with maybe some hard rock leanings. The riffs are suitably heavy and when combined with a catchy chorus make songs such as "Survive," "No Compromise" and "Follow the Beast" solidly enjoyable. I think the lighter material is the album's weak spot. "Fly With Me" has some really saccharine piano and vocal bits and "Gone with the Wind" has depressing and heavy-handed lyrics. Lost XXIII closes out on the upswing with the instrumental "The Rise of Ankhoor" which has Hammond-style keys and neoclassical guitars that remind me of Deep Purple and the title track with an epic, Middle Eastern melody and rhythm like Rainbow's "Stargazer." Reading reviews of previous albums, it seems like Lost XXIII probably fits Pell's M.O. for his last several albums and maybe if you've been following him for a while, this one will sound the same. Honestly, there's nothing here anyone with even the slightest interest in '80s heavy metal hasn't heard before, but I find the songwriting consistently engaging and, apart from the ballads, I really enjoyed Lost XXIII. Fans of current groups like Firewind and Burning Point and especially classic Dio should give it a listen.

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