AXXIS – Doom Of Destiny

Veteran German Hard Rockers Axxis have been around for a while, having released thirteen albums since 1989. In that span of time they’ve assembled a strong fanbase who appreciate the band’s hard-hitting and melodic musical stylings. Doom of Destiny is Axxis’ latest output, and is seeing North American release several months after hitting stores in Europe.

The first of Doom of Destiny‘s 11 tracks is the short intro song “Voices of Destiny.” Usually these atmospheric tracks are throwaways as you wait for the first actual song to start. But with it’s over-the-top choral and orchestral arrangements, “Voices of Destiny” is 75 seconds well-spent, and it leads seamlessly into the title track, which is a fast-moving stomper with lots of heavy riffing and catchy singing. Subtle Arabian rhythms and female vocals are mixed in to good effect, making this one of the better songs on the album.

The rest of the album follows the pattern established by the first pair of songs: big loud riffs, rapid-fire drumming, strong, catchy vocal lines and choruses, well-placed keyboards, choral parts for that feeling of epic grandeur, very large production, and lots of energy and enthusiasm. If this isn’t the heaviest album Axxis has ever recorded, it’s pretty close to the top of the list.

Most of the songs on Doom of Destiny are speedy chuggers that zip along at a fast pace, and while they’re fast, they’re not so fast that you can’t keep up to them. And while there are a couple of slower tracks like “The Fire Still Burns,” ( a well-done power ballad) the better songs are the faster ones, like the title track, “Blood Angel,” “Father, Father,” “Revolutions,” “Devilish Belle,” and “Astoria.” Those are the best songs, but all the tunes on Doom of Destiny are solid. You won’t get bored listening to this album.

Doom of Destiny will be an automatic purchase for Axxis fans, but those who like heavy Hard Rock bordering on all-out Metal will get a kick out of it too.