Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Made in Germany (Live)’ (1995) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)

Axel Rudi Pell has had four solo albums so a live album was long over due. As a result, during two shows on February 4th & 5th of 1995, they were recorded so a live album could be released. They were recorded in Markthalle, Hamburg and Zeche, Bochum. There were three songs from the Markthalle show and five from Zeche. The band was of course Axel Rudi Pell on guitar, Jeff Scott Soto on vocals, Jorg Michael on drums, Volker Krawczak on bass and Julie Greaux on keyboards. It was the same band that recorded the previous album ‘Between the Walls’ for which they were now touring for that album, and it is a great, solid band.

1994 was an extremely busy year for Jeff Scott Soto and by the looks of it, 1995 was not going to be any different as we have 3 releases for this year and this being the first. For this album, Jeff felt the biggest fault was it was too short and he would’ve liked to have included a few more of the older tracks. With that being said, if that is the only fault, then we are in for a real treat. The show captures how much Jeff enjoyed working with Axel and it shows in his performance and everyone’s performance for that matter. The album came out around May 22, 1995 and is a great time capsule of a great period of Axel Rudi Pell.

The show kicks off with some riffing by Axel and then they go straight in to “Talk of The Guns” off their most recent album ‘Between the Walls’. Here is the song is sped up even faster and a lot heavier. It seems faster than speed metal here. The drums are pounding and relentless and Pell’s solo is pure Axel. Jeff does a great job keeping up with that pace and not losing his breath, but it was close.

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Axel Rudi Pell – ‘Eternal Prisoner’ (1992) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)

During 1991, Axel Rudi Pell wanted to go out and do some live shows for his most recent album, ‘Nasty Reputation’. There was only one problem. His lead singer, Rob Rock, left the band. That does cause a problem not having a singer. Axel started searching and one name was thrown out to him and that was Jeff Scott Soto. When Jeff found out that he could sing with a former guitar player from the band Steeler, he thought he was having de ja vu! Didn’t he just sing in a band with former Steeler guitar player…oh yeah…Yngwie Malmsteen. Soto couldn’t pass that up so he did it. He also couldn’t pass it up because his band, Slam, he was working with at the time hadn’t completely got off the ground so off he went.

After the tour, Jeff went on his way back to the Slam. That was until a short time later, Jeff got another call from Axel Rudi Pell. Axel was so impressed with Live Singer Jeff, why not have Jeff sing on his new album. Since Jeff really enjoyed working with Axel, why not and off he went. The result of that collaboration was the album ‘Eternal Prisoner’. Soto did more than just sing for Pell, he also co-wrote 6 of the 9 songs on the album. Along with Kai Raglewski on Keyboards, Volker Krawczak on Bass and Jorg Michael on Drums, the album was recorded at RA.SH Studio in Germany from June to September 1992. After a quick turnaround, the album saw the light of day on October 1, 1992.

We might be in the year 1992, but musically the music is still drenched in the 80’s rock and metal sound. If you like Black Sabbath, maybe some Deep Purple with a dash of Aerosmith and AC/DC there is going to be something on here you like. Axel is also a huge fan of Dio and Richie Blackmore and that influence is seeping from all corners of this album. Throw in the powerhouse vocals of Jeff Scott Soto and you have the making a damn fine album…but is it? That is what we are here to find out so turn it on, turn it up and I can’t think of of another turn it statement…oh well…on to the music.

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