THE AXXIS CIRCLE IS CLOSIN With their new album “Coming Home”, the band heralds their end „Coming Home“ will be released on 12.07.2024.
If there’s a band that has managed to be associated with positive energy and captivating live shows, it’s AXXIS, formed in 1989.
Their debut album “Kingdom of the Night,” released in 1989, immediately catapulted them into the spotlight, earning critical acclaim and a dedicated, loyal fan base. The work, now awarded a gold album for 250,000 units sold, became one of the most successful hard rock debuts by a German band ever. Songs like “Living in a World” and the title track became classics, showcasing the unmistakable mix of driving rhythms and impressive vocals.
The band solidified their success with performances at all major festivals such as Rock am Ring, Wacken Open Air, or Sweden Rock, and TV appearances on shows like “Samstag Nacht,” “Rockpalast,” and with Stefan Raab and Harald Schmidt. This was followed by album recordings in North America with Keith Olsen, and in 1993, the fastest vinyl pressing in the world at the legendary EMI pressing plant, earning them a spot in the Guinness Book of Records: Just under 100 minutes after their live performance at the EMI pressing plant in Cologne, three of the songs were already pressed on vinyl. This maxi single was the last record produced by their former record company EMI-Electrola in their own vinyl pressing plant.
In the 1990s, AXXIS evolved their sound and integrated new elements into their music. Albums like “The Big Thrill” and “Matters of Survival” showcased the band’s versatility and musical prowess, earning them a reputation as innovators in the hard rock genre. By now, the band has sold millions of records, celebrated top-chart entries, and vocalist Bernhard Weiß was awarded the Cultural Prize of the City of Lünen. In early 2011, Axxis founded their own label, Phonotraxx Publishing, on which they have since released all albums.
Live, they provided worldwide entertainment with numerous tours and shows alongside bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Helloween, and many more.
Despite some lineup changes and evolving trends in the music industry, the band has always been present. They released a series of successful albums in the 2000s, from the powerful “Paradise in Flames” to the epic “Utopia,” staying true to their roots while expanding the boundaries of their sound.
Today, AXXIS stands as one of the most enduring and influential hard rock bands in Germany. Their sixteenth studio album once again cements the band’s exceptional status. And: with COMING HOME, the AXXIS circle is closing.
The two masterminds, Bernhard Weiß and Harry Oellers, have led AXXIS through highs and lows since the 1990s, so that today they can look back on a solid 35-year career and, above all, on an eventful, successful time with their loyal fans. With the release of the new album on 07/12/24 on their own label, this era comes to an end. AXXIS will release their final album and go on tour in the fall of 2024 – including two major anniversary shows – to come home. COMING HOME indeed.
The album is rounded off by the epic cover artwork by Thomas Ewerhard. “As always, the song lyrics have been incorporated into the cover graphically,” explains singer Bernhard Weiß. “The Dark Angel, a being composed of machinery, animal head, and warrior human, holds a baby protectively in its arms. The idea behind it: AXXIS is our baby, which in the arms of AI in animal form and a world of destruction, fake news, untruths, hardly sees a chance to creatively reach or improve this world with their texts full of messages about peace, climate protection, freedom, and justice, as we imagined it as young people in 1989.”
“It’s obvious,” concludes Oellers, “to solemnly end the 35 years of AXXIS and close the AXXIS circle in 2024 with the album ‘COMING HOME.’ So this production was something special for us. It was important for us to pack all facets that make up Axxis musically into the songs. We took our time to produce the songs optimally in our in-house Soundworxx Studios.”
With a discography spanning over three decades and a reputation for unforgettable live experiences, the quintet has left an indelible mark on the world of music. As they continue to rock stages and inspire people around the world, their legacy remains as vibrant and powerful as ever.
The album “Coming Home” will be released on 07/12/24 via Phonotraxx/Broken Silence/The Orchard as CD, vinyl, digital, and as a limited box set (vinyl, CD, flag, poster, autograph card, patch, and bonus mini-CD with two exclusive bonus tracks).
Tracklist:
01 – Blackest Vision 4:14
02 – Coming Home 3:32
03 – Atlantica 4:31
04 – Moonlight Bay 4:22
05 – Dark Angel 5:22
06 – Love will shine for everyone 3:51
07 – Irish way of Life 3:29
08 – Legends of Phantasia 4:25
09 – Lord of Darkness 3:56
10 – Ready to burn 3:55
11 – Tears of a Clown 4:48
Line-Up:
– Rob Schomaker (bass)
– Dirk Brand (drums)
– Matthias Degener (guitar)
– Bernhard Weiß (vocals)
– Harry Oellers (keyboards)
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- by Thomas Ewerhard
