Review Summary: Racing toward Utopia.
After transforming its musical identity from a melodic hard rock/AOR band into a melodic power metal act with the release of Time Machine (2004), Axxis apparently decided that slowing down was no longer an option. If Time Machine was the great transformation and Paradise in Flames the consolidation of that new identity, Doom of Destiny showed the band becoming increasingly comfortable with the formula. Utopia followed in the footsteps of its predecessors, with a few small changes along the way.
The album is probably the last great example of Axxis going all-in on this particularly fast and energetic version of melodic power metal. The formula is already familiar: thick, heavy guitars (something that had been a weakness during the band's AOR phase), powerful drumming and double-bass pedals, prominent keyboards, huge choruses, and Bernhard Weiß singing as if he had no vocal cords to spare. What this guy have for breakfest??!
As usual, there is very little here that could be described as revolutionary, but that was never really Axxis' game. They know exactly what they are good at, and Utopia is yet another highly competent demonstration of it.
There is, however, an interesting change compared to the previous albums. Lakonia is no longer the female voice behind the band's songs. In fact, Weiß explained at the time that the female vocals had been deliberately reduced, and that Natalie Mol, from Bochum, rather than Lakonia, provided the female vocals on Utopia. Her role is much more discreet, basically serving as vocal support within the arrangements rather than engaging in the vocal duels that had become such an important part of Paradise in Flames and Doom of Destiny. Personally, I missed Lakonia's vocals and those duels.
After the epic introduction of “Journey to Utopia,” Utopia comes crashing in with speed, melody and grandeur. “Utopia” is late-period Axxis in its purest form, with the band firing on all cylinders and the keyboards adding that unmistakable European power metal flavor. The steady double-bass pattern gives the song plenty of weight, while the chorus is ridiculously catchy. It's easily one my favorite song in their entire catalogue.
“Fass mich an” is the album's German-language surprise. It is a particularly interesting track because the band manages to sound unmistakably like Axxis while taking a small step outside its usual formula. The guitars and keyboards create an interesting doubling of the main riff.
“The Monsters Crawl” is another highlight of the album. The song starts with steady double bass, a chugging riff and a subtle keyboard layer hovering over the whole thing. Believe it or not, there are even a few touches of growled vocals, something that sounds almost bizarre coming from Axxis! The transitions between the different sections are very well executed and give the song a pleasant sense of breathing room. It is not a fast song by any means, but it is excellent nonetheless.
And then we have “For You I Will Die,” another song that demonstrates how comfortable Axxis had become with combining melody, grandeur and keyboards. The arrangement gradually builds throughout the first part of the song before reaching a double-bass pre-chorus, with the vocals emphasizing the song's tonic. Kudos to you, guys. It may not be the most straightforward song on the album, but it certainly adds some variety to the record.
Of course, Axxis cannot make an album without a power ballad. They have been doing this since the beginning, and “My Father's Eyes” continues that tradition. It is also one of the most personal songs in their catalog, written by Bernhard Weiß in memory of his father, Eduard, who died in November 2008. Musically, it follows the familiar Axxis recipe: emotional verses, beautiful melodies, keyboards supporting the arrangement, and a prominent lead-guitar part carrying the main riff. It may be a little sentimental, but that is hardly a crime when the band has always been particularly good at this kind of song.
Another interesting aspect of Utopia is the 12:18 long “20 Years Anniversary Song,” included as a bonus track. Axxis celebrated two decades of existence by creating an extended medley of several songs from its own catalog, including “Little Look Back,” “Flashback Radio,” “Kingdom of the Night,” “Heaven Is Black,” “Ships Are Sailing” and “Stay Don't Leave Me.” And apparently, one vocalist was not enough for a 20th-anniversary party, so the track features an impressive list of guests: Andi Deris, Doro Pesch, Schmier, David Readman, Claus Lessmann, Rolf Stahlhofen and former Axxis guitarist Walter Pietsch.
It is obviously more of a celebration than a conventional album track, but it is a genuinely interesting way of looking back at the band's career. The medley works almost like a condensed history lesson: melodic hard rock, AOR, power metal and everything in between, all squeezed into one gloriously excessive anniversary track.
The remaining songs are solid Axxis material. “Last Man on Earth,” “Heavy Rain,” “Taste My Blood” and the rest continue to follow the same formula, with varying degrees of inspiration. There are no real disasters here, but neither do all of them reach the level of “Utopia,” “The Monsters Crawl” or the album's strongest melodic moments. And that is once again the Axxis tradition: a handful of excellent songs surrounded by perfectly acceptable fillers.
And perhaps that is ultimately the best way to describe Utopia. It is not a revolution, nor does it represent another transformation in the band's musical identity. By 2009, Axxis had already spent years trying to figure out what it wanted to be. Now, it simply delivered another well-produced, energetic and highly melodic power metal album.
