ALBUM REVIEW: Axel Rudi Pell - Risen Symbol

At the age of 63, German guitarist Axel Rudi Pell shows no sign of slowing down. His 22nd album is as vibrant as much of his previous 21, full of anthemic European style hard rock with superb guitar work as one has come to expect. A pleasing and enjoyable listen, Risen Symbol is probably one of his best works in recent times.

Alongside Pell, the reliable team of vocalist Johnny Gioeli, drummer Bobby Rondinelli, keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg and bassist Volker Krawczak ensure that everything is tight and professional. There isn’t a dropped note in an album that is three minutes shy of a full hour. It’s a solid opening with the vibrant shredding on Forever Strong kicking things off in grand style. A stirring cover of Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song doesn’t do anything wrong, indeed, it’s one of the better versions of a song that’s been recorded many times. Pell explains his choice, not that the self-confessed Jimmy Page fan needs to do that. “I discussed the idea with our drummer Bobby Rondinelli, who also drums in a Led Zeppelin cover band. Bobby thought it was great and agreed with me that to get away with a number like that, you need an outstanding singer like Johnny Gioeli. Johnny can sing Robert Plant’s high notes, rising to that challenge with flying colours".

It’s a fact that Gioeli can hit all the necessary points, and he brings his usual flair to the album throughout. Talking of Zeppelin, the central pillar of Risen Symbol has a definite feel of the legendary band. Ankhaia is the song, and at ten-minutes in length it’s by far the longest song here. For me there’s plenty of classic influences, from the Dio era of both Rainbow and Sabbath, through to the Page / Plant oriental flair. “To me, Ankhaia is the number that Led Zeppelin forgot to compose” Pell says in his promo pack, no doubt with tongue firmly in cheek. “Although of course, Ankhaia doesn’t come with a 70’s sound, but has a contemporary flair and an awesome drum groove. I’m sure Page and Plant will love it when they hear it”. It’s certainly the epic that every album demands.

With an eye-catching piece of art on the album cover, which links back to the 1996 album Black Moon Pyramid, and a contemporary production, this is an album that works from start to finish. Even the grand finale, Taken by Storm, a mere seven-minutes in length, brings something excellent to the party.

I’ve been critical of ARP in the past, noting his quality but also the rather generic style he brings. Whilst there is nothing ground-breaking here, the quality and playing is certainly enough to catch the ear. If you enjoy some classic hard rock and metal, then Risen Symbol is well worth a listen.

Risen Symbol is released on 14th June via Steamhammer/SPV

Review by Hutch