Finally, a real LIVE CD.
George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 10/21/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Pell's music tends to focus on Medieval themes, and our journey begins on "The Edge of the World". A flashy riff starts things off. It will remind you of early eighties metal, melodic and harmonic. Vocalist Johnny Gioeli pumps up the crowd to make way for "Tear Down the Walls", a great `pump your fist' anthem. The band gives off a lot of energy, and the crowd just eats it up. The production is flawless, as if it were a studio track. If it weren't for a few equipment problems, you'd think it was. The fourth track is a medley three popular Axel Rudi Pell songs, "Masquerade Ball", "Casbah", and "Stargazer". Gioeli does a little improvisation throughout the track. Some of it can be quite funny. Axel jumps in with his two cents as well. This witty banter does not take away from the songs. The inclusion of the drum solo does however.The second disc is the best of the two. Axel Rudi Pell and company hammer away on "Carousel", but slow it down for "The Clown Is Dead". It may have a funny title, but it's very well-written and poignant. Pell's sets the tone with such fluid guitar mastery. Gioeli hammers the message home with his heartfelt, tuneful vocals. The group fires the amplifiers back up for the last three tracks on the disc. "Call Her Princess" is a great in-your-face track about a stuck up girlfriend, "Snake Eyes" follows the same vein, and "Warrior" closes out the disc. All the songs clock in at ten minutes plus (except "Warrior"). Hey, Pell's a guitar virtuoso. You have to let him show it off! His solos are never boring. I'm going on record to say, SPV records have the BEST heavy metal artists today! Knights Live is indeed an authentic live recording. They left in everything. There is a few times where you can hear the group mess up, or hear the feedback from the speakers. These are some of the little things that are a part of the intimate live experience. They even left in the drum and keyboard solos. This kind of slowed things down, but solidified the continuity of the show. Pell and his band have great chemistry on stage and sound like their having a blast. The songs are well written and arranged. I thought the album was a bit short (11 tracks) for a career that spans 13 albums, but what Axel Rudi Pell lacks in quantity, they make up for in quality. It's time for the U.S. to hear what's tearing up the metal world overseas."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1