Description

In the 1980s, Germany was a hotbed of heavy metal and hard rock action it was Germany that gave fans the Scorpions, Accept, and Warlock. Germany was also the home of Axxis, who was never as big as the Scorpions or Accept but made some decent contributions to the metal/hard rock field. Their debut was released in 1989, Kingdom Of The Night essentially falls into the fantasy metal category. Axxis had a certain amount of pop-metal gloss, and yet, it wasn't a Sunset Strip hair band a la Poison or D'Molls. Nor did it get into thrash or speed metal; Axxis was never as heavy as Metallica, Testament, or Motörhead. This album's lyrics are generally fantasy-oriented, and headbangers who get into larger-than-life fantasy lyrics should have no problem appreciating melodic tracks like Kings Made of Steel and The Moon. For the teenagers and young adults who acquired Kingdom of the Night back in 1989, this type of metal and hard rock was all about escape escaping into fantasy and temporarily getting away from the boring routines of everyday life. The lyrics and the big, glossy sound that goes with them aren't about reality; they're about getting away from it. In 1990, Axxis fans had no idea how dated this album would sound two and three years later; when alternative rock took over in 1992 and 1993 (thanks to the success of Nirvana and Pearl Jam), 1980s bands like Axxis suddenly sounded dated. But dated isn't necessarily a bad thing if one admires the music of a particular era; it can actually be a plus. And while Kingdom of the Night isn't among 1989's essential metal/hard rock releases, it is generally decent and respectable. Track listing: 1. Living In A World 2. Kingdom Of The Night 3. Never Say Never 4. Fire And Ice 5. Young Souls 6. For A Song 7. Love Is Like An Ocean 8. The Moon 9. Tears Of The Trees 10. Just One Night 11. Kings Made Of Steel 12. Living In A World-extended version