Axel Rudi Pell tends to release a new studio album every two year and in the short time that I’ve been posting these recommendations I’ve done two for his studio albums, as well as one for the live 25th anniversary album. Every 5 or 6 years we get a compilation from ARP referred to as The Ballads. Since the release of “The Ballads” in 1993 we’ve progressed to “The Ballads V” which was released by Steamhammer/SPV on 21st April. So far I’ve played three tracks from the album on the Friday NI Rocks Show – “Love’s Holding On” on 31st March, “When Truth Hurts” on 21st April and “I See Fire” on 28th April.


 

“The Ballads V” is not simply a compilation of ballads from the last few ARP albums – amongst the 10 tracks there are actually 3 new tracks and a previously un-released live track. Those new tracks include “Love’s Holding On” that features Bonnie Tyler on guest vocals and a great cover version of the Ed Sheeran track “I See Fire” that featured in “The Hobbit” trilogy. The other new track is “On The Edge of Our Time” and there is a live version of “The Line” which hasn’t previously been released. The other tracks come from the studio albums “Circle of the Oath”, “Into The Storm” and “Game of Sins” or the live album “Magic Moments: 25th Anniversary Special Show”. I was particularly pleased to see the ARP cover of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey My My” make an appearance.


Guitarist Axel Rudi Pell started the band back in 1989. There were a couple of singers prior to Jeff Scott Soto being in the band from 1992-97 and since then Johnny Gioelli has been the vocalist. Those two are joined by Ferdy Doembery on keyboards, Volker Krawczak on bass and Bobby Rondinelli.


“Into The Storm” (2014) - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/1389-ni-rocks-recommends-qinto-the-stormq-by-axel-rudi-pell.html

“Magic Moments” (2015) - 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” (2016) - http://www.rockradioni.co.uk/back-stage/music-reviews/2432-ni-rocks-recommends-qgame-of-sinsq-by-axel-rudi-pell.html

 

{youtube}fB19LCpsrpI{/youtube}

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 to go check something out, 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 those that you’ll hear me playing tracks from on my shows on Rock Radio NI.


Check out NI Rocks on Facebook – www.facebook.com/NIRocks or Twitter - www.twitter.com/NIrelandRocks