_{My first album recommendation posted in 2016 is for “Game of Sins”, the latest release from Axel Rudi Pell. If every album we received at Rock Radio NI during 2016 was as good as “Game of Sins” I’d have an extremely busy year writing these recommendations; but it would definitely be a labour of love, listening to albums that appealed so much! A great album from Axel Rudi Pell is of course no rare thing and one would almost expect nothing less. “Game of Sins” is released through Steamhammer / SPV on 15th January.}

_{The digipak version of “Game of Sins” has 10 full length tracks and a short intro. The phrase “no fillers” is often thrown out there, but with this release it definitely applies. I’ve already played “The King of Fools” and “Falling Star” on the Friday NI Rocks Show over the past few weeks and more will follow. Normally I’d pick out a few tracks from the album as favourites but that’s really difficult with this album. Even the slower, more melodic “Forever Free” which lasts 8 ½  minutes is a great track! The title track which lasts about the same length of time might be worth a specific mention; as would the bonus track, which is an excellent cover of “All Along The Watchtower”.}

_{Joining guitarist Axel Rudi Pell on “Game of Sins” are vocalist Johnny Gioeli, drummer Bobby Rondinelli, Ferdy Doernberg on keyboards and Volker Krawczak on bass. Gioeli has been fronting the band since replacing Jeff Scott Soto in 1998 and this is his 22nd album with ARP.}

_{My last album recommendation for Axel Rudi Pell was for “Magic Moments” which was a recording of the Balingen concert hosted by ARP in 2014 to celebrate his 25th anniversary as a solo artist - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/1965-ni-rocks-recommends-special-anniversary-releases-by-freedom-call-and-axel-rudi-pell.html}

_{“Game of Sins” is the first ARP studio album since “Into The Storm” was released in January 2014 - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/1389-ni-rocks-recommends-qinto-the-stormq-by-axel-rudi-pell.html}

_{About “NI Rocks Recommends”}

_{The simple idea behind “NI Rocks Recommends” is to acknowledge and promote some of the great music being submitted to Rock Radio NI. I'll not be giving marks or ratings or analyzing the tracks in great detail; just telling you something about the artist and the album. It’s a personal recommendation, not a traditional “review”!}

_{My musical tastes cover most things rock; from the not too melodic to the not too heavy. The albums that I’ll be recommending are merely those that I would buy myself and which you’ll be hearing played on my shows on Rock Radio NI.}

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