"Only genuine thoroughbred musicians with substantial creative talent succeed in staying at the top of their game as long as Axel Rudi Pell has. For more than thirty years, the guitarist and songwriter from Bochum, Germany, has released new albums at regular intervals with his ARP band. Reactions from fans and media alike have been consistently positive while impressive record sales, high chart positions and ever-increasing audience numbers at his concerts and tours say it all.
LOST XXIII is a very special album in Pell’s longstanding career, extremely varied, consisting of ten deeply melodic hard rock songs (plus intro) in typical ARP style, as well as a number of fast-paced highlights and surprising compositions. Among the focal points is the title track with its chorus featuring Arabic scales – as Pell explains “a longer, epic track that’s pretty characteristic of me”.
At the same time, LOST XXIII sees Pell welcome a number of familiar faces, underlining his consistency both on a musical and on a personal level: As on his previous four studio recordings INTO THE STORM (2014), GAME OF SINS (2016), KNIGHTS CALL (2018) and the highly acclaimed SIGN OF THE TIMES (2021), which made no. 5 of the German charts, plus the covers album DIAMONDS UNLOCKED II (2021) and two live releases, the ARP band mark 2022 continues to consist of singer Johnny Gioeli, bassist Volker Krawczak, keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg and drummer Bobby Rondinelli (ex-Rainbow), a perfectly oiled hard rock machine that never fails to deliver Pell’s compositions outstandingly and at the same time enhance them with each musician’s own trademarks. Even more enduring than his current line-up is Pell’s 33(!)-year collaboration with Steamhammer/SPV (in the 33rd year of his solo career!). A real exception in a profession characterised by discontinuity and short-lived trends.
1. Lost XXIII Prequel (Intro)
2. Survive
3. No Compromise
4. Down On the Streets
5. Gone With the Wind
6. Freight Train
7. Follow the Beast
8. Fly With Me
9. The Rise of Ankhoor
10. Lost XXIII
