In times of short-lived trends and fashions, rapidly changing currents and a frequently almost inflationary hunt for radical stylistic changes, it's no easy feat to keep a rock band and their distinctive sound on course for over a decade. The preconditions for this phenomenon are a high degree of creativity, lots of perseverance and the unconditional ambition to draw audience interest to their music. With the experience of over ten years and undiminished joy in their own creative potential under their belt, Axxis recorded their seventh studio album Eyes Of Darkness in spring 2001, continuing their long tradition of melodic hard rock. Eyes Of Darkness is an unmistakable Axxis recording. All the important elements of the classic Axxis sound, i.e.: melody, catchiness, joy of playing, and the unmistakable voice of frontman Bernhard Weiss have resulted in thirteen new compositions, complemented by polished choir parts which have never been as apparent as they are in 2001. "I love melodies," defines Weiss the strength of a typical Axxis track, and he could quote all the current numbers to prove his statement, be it the anthemnic uptempo opener 'Eyes Of Darkness', 'Wonderland' with its catchy guitar groove, or the wonderful ballad 'Brand-New World'. Then there are solid rock cuts like 'One Million Faces', 'Larger Than Life' or 'Shadows Of The Light', and the successful cover version of the Aphrodite's Child classic 'The Four Horsemen', which Axxis kept as close to the original as possible. "We didn't want to change anything that's almost impossible to improve," explains Bernhard Weiss, whose voice surprises with new qualities, not only on this song. Eyes Of Darkness is rounded off by the wonderfully catchy 'Keep Flying' and 'Angel', dedicated to Weiss' daughter. As a special treat for the group's faithful fans, there's the bonus track 'Lost In Love (Musical Edit)', the 'Shadowman' video clip and a brand-new computer game called 'Rockmine' with the Axxis musicians as protagonists. It would seem that the term "good value for money" applies to this album in every respect. Eyes Of Darkness was produced by Weiss and Oellers at the band's own Soundworxx Studios, and the trio consisting of Weiss/Oellers/Max Volume mixed and mastered the material at the Skyline Studio in Düsseldorf, which is also popular with acts like Die Toten Hosen, Liquido or H-Blockx. Max Volume was also behind the controls during the recordings of the band's previous album, guaranteeing extremely enjoyable sounds once again. The success story of the band from Dortmund began in 1989 with the arrival of their debut Kingdom Of The Night, one of the most successful German newcomer albums with over 150,000 units sold. The release marked the beginning of a career that so far encompasses six studio albums, one live cut, one EP consisting of rare tracks, unplugged versions etc. and numerous highlights (like Rock am Ring, a tour with Black Sabbath, acoustic sets in Japan, to name but a few). Three years ago the core of the band, namely Bernhard Weiss (vocals), Harry Oellers (keyboards), and Richard Michalski (drums) parted ways with two long-term band members, enlisting two young, enthusiastic musicians, guitarist Guido Wehmeyer and bassist Udo Niemeyer. Their 2000 release Back To The Kingdom and the subsequent European tour were a veritable baptism of fire for this line-up, and now, almost eighteen months later, Axxis are proud to present their new album Eyes Of Darkness to the public, documenting impressively how well the new line-up has blended together. The question of current tour dates suggests itself, particularly after their mega-successful tour with Pink Cream 69 and Balance Of Power last year, since their impressive live shows are still fresh in their fans' memories. Axxis' supporters, however, will have to possess their souls in patience for the time being, but of course the band are eager to present their new album as part of an extensive tour. The latest news on the subject will be updated regularly on www.axxis.de. And now: let the eyes of darkness glow!
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