Axxis - "Coming Home"
The last hurrah of a legendary act
Axxis has been around for a while. They’re rooted in the hard rock of the 70s and 80s, and they’re often referred to as a Hard Rock band, but their sound also incorporates Electronic Rock and Heavy/Power Metal.
The band originally formed in 1980 as Anvil, then changed their name to Axis later the same year after learning of a Canadian band also called Anvil. The extra ‘x’ was added in 1988 to help differentiate them from one of their publisher’s subsidiaries, also called Axis. Their debut album released in 1989, and was an instant success in Europe.
Coming Home is Axxis’ 16th and final album. The band has announced retirement, thus “Coming Home” for the title.
They’re legends in Germany, and Coming Home truly feels like a final farewell from a legendary act. They throw themselves into each song. This album is a good listen, especially if you like old school rock and metal.
I do need to point out that the album has three versions for different formats: streaming, CD, and vinyl. This is most important for folks who rely on streaming, like myself, as the streaming version are labeled with a “cv” for “Compact Version”. Most of the songs here are in the three-to-four minute range.
The original versions of the songs are all on the CD version of the album, while the vinyl has a mix of both.
The album may be even better with the longer songs, but generally the album is solid start-to-finish. It’s just good music. Especially in contrast to the Empires of Eden album I just reviewed. Otherwise, there’s nothing unique or especially mindblowing; Axxis have been around long enough that their fans expect their sound, so there’s no need to innovate or play around. This is just one last hurrah — Axxis playing to their strengths, doing it well, and thanking their long-time fans.
Sometimes, that’s all a good album needs to be.
Rating: Green