AXEL RUDI PELL
’Ghost Town’
Steamhammer
https://www.axel-rudi-pell.de

AXEL RUDI PELL isn’t exactly a household name in North America, but the tales of his exploits have been well documented overseas. The guitarist got his start in the band STEELER around 1984. Not the one with Ron Keel and Yngwie Malmsteen. The German one.

Pell went solo in 1989 with the release of ‘Wild Obsession’ and hasn’t looked back. In their earlier years, AXEL RUDI PELL found themselves trying to find just the right vocalist for the job, and they have had some notable ones.

Charlie Huhn (TED NUGENT, VICTORY, FOGHAT), Rob Rock (IMPELLITERI), and Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEM, TALISMAN, W.E.T.) have all fronted the group. In 1998 ARP found their longtime vocalist Johnny Gioeli (HARDLINE).

‘Ghost Town” is the latest album by AXEL RUDI PELL and it is their 21st studio release. The album kicks off as most ARP albums do, with a brief instrumental track, entitled “The Regicide”. The piece is tranquil with its soft keyboard tones and Pell’s soulful note picking.

Axel cranks up the distortion and guitar vitality on “Guillotine Walk”. Gioeli’s trademark vocal inflections tell the story of a man looking back on the mistakes in his life. Pell keeps things simple and repetitive during his guitar solo.

I did not have Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., ex-ACCEPT) appearing on an AXEL RUDI PELL song on my Heavy Metal bingo card for 2026, but here we are. “Breaking Seals” is loaded with riffs that are as crunchy as Dirkshnider’s notorious vocal delivery. The contrast between Udo and Johnny is certainly noticeable, but also in a strange way complementary. It would be foolish not to mention the similarities to “Balls to the Wall” in the chord changes.

Generally when you think of a ghost town you imagine an abandoned area in the old west. ARP has a different take on “Ghost Town”. This energetic, guitar heavy track is about a haunted town. Pell throws down the speed during his solo, while Gioeli remains his melodic, yet edgy vocal self.

AXEL RUDI PELL are known for their ballads. In fact, they have released at least six ballads compilations over the years. “The Enemy Within” is a dark ballad that starts off a bit ominous and transitions to something even more foreboding musically. Johnny Gioeli is a man struggling with his inner demons lyrically.

“Hurricane” takes off with Bobby Rondinelli’s rapid fire drums and Pell’s driving riffs. Gioeli delivers with fury and melody. This one is sure to rock you like a… oh nevermind. Rondinelli shifts to a marching beat on “Sanity”, as Johnny begs to keep his cool while love drives him mad. This track could be considered an unconventional ballad.

Now, “Towards The Shore” is what most would call a conventional ballad, with the emphasis on vocals, accented slightly by guitars, a mild tapping drum beat, and gentle piano. “Higher Call” starts off with a nice bowed instrument piece, followed by a vocal focused section. When the guitars and drums kick in, it feels like a lost LED ZEPPELIN song. The song criss-crosses emotions and key shifts, before resting on a big finish.

They say bands like AC/DC and MOTORTHEAD make the same album over and over again. This can also be said for AXEL RUDI PELL. I’ve heard nearly the entire catalog, and there were no surprises on ‘Ghost Town’. However, I have also enjoyed every album I’ve heard from the AXEL RUDI PELL catalog. Except the covers albums ‘Diamonds Unlocked’. Please don’t make a third.

Over the last few AXEL RUDI PELL albums the group have dropped the dragons, castles, and fantasy themes in favor of material that the average listener can relate to. This was a notable change for them. While ‘Ghost Town’ doesn’t break any new ground, it still maintains the same quality of musicianship and knack for presenting a catchy tune, that is also found throughout the ARP albums that came before it.

4.0 Out Of 5.0