Review Summary: Less magic and more filler, but still enough quality to prove Axxis was no one-hit wonder.
Dear reader,
If "Kingdom of the Night" introduced Axxis to the world, then "Axxis II", released in 1990 just one year later, faced the unenviable task of proving that the band's promising debut had not been a fluke. Fortunately, the band passed the test with relative ease, as the final result is far from a flawless victory, but it is more than enough to confirm that Axxis was no one-album wonder.
What's most interesting is that Axxis II sounds less fantasy-oriented than its predecessor. The grand melodies and crowd-pleasing choruses are still there, but the atmosphere of distant kingdoms, warriors, and escapism that permeated Kingdom of the Night gives way to a more straightforward approach. The result is an album that continues to sail comfortably through traditional melodic hard rock waters without abandoning the identity established on the debut, although the choruses of "The World Is Looking in Their Eyes" and "Save Me" already hint at the melodic power metal direction that would later dominate much of the band's catalog.
Bernhard Weiss remains the show's undisputed star. His high-pitched voice, almost impossible to mistake for anyone else's, continues to drive the songs with a peculiar blend of technique, enthusiasm, and a touch of theatrical excess that, against all odds, works perfectly.
However, the production remains highly polished and the guitars, unfortunately, still lack much weight. Not that this significantly hurts the songs (the choruses continue to do most of the heavy lifting), but it's hard not to imagine how much stronger several of these tracks would sound with a less restrained guitar tone.
Musically, Axxis seems to have embraced the old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There are no radical changes, bold experiments, or attempts to reinvent the band's formula. Instead, the group focuses on refining what it already does well: accessible riffs, massive choruses, and irresistibly catchy melodies.
If "Kingdom of the Night" won listeners over immediately with a devastating opening trio, "Axxis II" takes a little longer to reach its peak. The first two songs do very little for me personally, and the album's true highlights arrive a bit later. In this case, the killer trio consists of "Touch the Rainbow," "Rolling Like Thunder," and "Little Look Back," three songs that perfectly encapsulate everything Axxis did best during this era.
"Touch the Rainbow" showcases the band's most dreamy and melodically exuberant side, a nice celebration of '80s escapism with a chorus that is as sugary as it is irresistible. "Rolling Like Thunder," on the other hand, brings more energy and attitude, functioning almost as a tribute to life on the road, driven by an especially passionate performance from Bernhard Weiss. "Little Look Back" reveals the group's more sentimental side and is arguably the most memorable of the three, thanks to an absolutely infectious chorus that would go on to become one of the band's signature songs.
And listen closely to those tracks: they could easily have appeared on the soundtrack to Rock of Ages and nobody would ever suspect they came from an obscure band from Dortmund, Germany.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the album (with the notable exception of the infectious "Get Down") struggles to maintain the same level of quality. There are no truly bad songs here, but many of them feel tailored primarily for die-hard fans. Even the ballads, which were among the highlights of the debut, sound somewhat lifeless this time around and occasionally feel a little forced.
Looking back, Axxis II represents yet another chapter in a very specific phase of the band's career. We are still hearing a group deeply rooted in the melodic hard rock traditions of the 1980s. The transformation that would later bring Axxis closer to German power metal (particularly beginning with Time Machine) was still very far away on the horizon. As such, the album serves as a snapshot of that original musical identity before the band began its gradual evolution.
In the end, Axxis II never quite matches the freshness or impact of its predecessor (although it tries!). Its mission was to consolidate the band's name, and in that regard it succeeds. It is a safe, competent album filled with strong melodies, even if it also contains more filler than its predecessor. Worth listening to? I would say yes to that.
