Axxis is another one of those bands that I had never heard of prior to their latest CD, Doom of Destiny, arriving on my doorstep. They are a power-metal band, hailing from Germany, in the tradition of Helloween and Gamma Ray. The band is a veteran of the scene, having made their debut way back in 1988 with Kingdom of Night. Here they are, two decades into their career which has spanned eleven albums, an EP, and a "best of" collection, and I am just learning of their existence. Of course, that feat is not hard to accomplish, what with my late start in music, and the large number of bands that I have not yet had time to search for. It is unbelievable how many quality (and not so quality) bands are out there, it is impossible to find and keep up with them all, but I do what I can. Enough about me, I am sure you are all eager to know what I think of Doom of Destiny. Well, I like it. More? Okay.
The album begins with an orchestral intro with a choir singing about sacrifice, the world going up in fire, and destiny. It is quite the stage setter as it leads into the energetic opening song, and title track, "Doom of Destiny (Arabia)."
This first song gets the album off to a strong start with crisp guitars leading a catchy melody. The song is very easy to get into, and features male and female vocals from band-leader Bernhard Weiss and female vocalist Lakonia. Weiss' voice is not the strongest, but it is distinctive and helps focus the sound of the band (he is the primary songwriter as well). Behind him delivering a solid metal unit are Henry Oellers on keyboards, Rob Schomaker on bass, Andre Hilgers at the drum kit, and Marco Wriedt on guitar. They all make this opening a strong experience that leads through most of the rest of the album.
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