Many bands have been releasing cover albums during these crazy couple of years, and German guitar hero Axel Rudi Pell would not be left behind.
Now, I’ve listened to quite a bunch of his albums from the last 20 years or so to know that I generally like his stuff. If you don’t know him, Axel Rudi Pell (along with a very solid lineup of musicians) plays pretty straightforward Heavy/Power with a classic Hard Rock edge. A few of his originals are staples in my playlists, so I was curious when I heard he did a Cover album. “Diamonds Unlocked II” is a mixed bag of goodies, in many ways. The song selection is a very unconventional mix of classic songs and others that I’ve never even heard mentioned by name in my life, songs that range from classic Hard Rock to 80’s Pop. Given this is a covers album, I decided I would listen to the original songs right before each cover version, so I could have a better point of comparison.
The album opens with “Der Schartze Abt”, the only original track, which serves as a brief instrumental introduction. It is a nice and atmospheric intro with good acoustic and lead guitar passages that sounds more like the intro to one of Axel’s original albums. “There’s only one way to rock” (original by Sammy Hagar) is next, and it immediately breaks any sort of atmosphere that the intro created by bringing a cheeky 80’s Hard Rock riff. This song is quite loyal to the original in style and delivery, but somehow I felt that it didn’t fit as an opener right after that nice intro track. “Lady of the Lake” (original by Rainbow) comes right next, and this one I do like a lot. The riff of this classic sounds great with the treatment it is given by the band, and Johnny Gioeli gives a very good vocal rendition of the almighty Ronnie James Dio. This one should have been the opener. The next track is “She’s a Lady” (original by Paul Anka), and the power ballad treatment that the band gives to the first half of the song could easily pass for an 80’s Bon Jovi song. The 2nd half of the song gets faster and much more entertaining. “Black Cat Woman” (original by Geordie) comes next, and I did find the original version quite annoying and just not very good at all. So Axel’s version was received with happy ears, and it was delivered. It turned the psychedelic original song into a rock-solid mid-tempo Heavy Metal song. The solo in this one is very enjoyable and adds a totally different dimension to an otherwise weird choice for a cover.
“Room with a View” (original by Tony Carey) is a decent ballad that is quite loyal to the original, but nothing to write home about.
On the other hand, once “Sarah” (original by Chris Norman) started, I felt a sudden need to dance. It is a great cover of a very 80’s sounding Pop Rock song. It is ultra-catchy and definitely one of the highlights of the album. “Rock N Roll” (original by The Subways) is an interesting song choice as the original is a quite recent song (2005) with a very Alt Punk Rock vibe, that Axel totally turns into his characteristic Hard Rock style. To be honest, I’m not sure it works, I prefer the punky edge of the original. “Paint It Black” (original by The Rolling Stones) is probably the most famous track in this album, and I’m pleased to report that Axel’s version delivers.
It gives it a Power Metally vibe and a new and very cool edge. That Hammond-organ solo in the middle of the song is nothing short of fantastic, although I feel that the guitar solo that comes after it overstays its welcome a little bit. Unfortunately, the last 2 songs of the album are not the best of this collection. “I put a spell on you” (original by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins) is next, and while it is a decent bluesy rock tune when compared to the crazy and intense original, it kills its soul edge almost entirely and makes for a pretty boring rendition. “Eagle” (original by Abba) closes the album on a similar note, a mid-tempo rocker with Hammerfall vibes that never really gets too interesting and manages to finish the album in a rather dull note.
“Unlocked Diamonds II” is a decent collection of songs if you are one of those fans that feel the need to own every single release from an artist, but otherwise it ends up being a mostly lukewarm exercise in cover versions with a few scattered fantastic moments. There are only a few instances where the band manages to bring something really cool and interesting to the table. In the majority of the songs, they just end up giving the original song an 80’s Hard Rock treatment that feels a bit tired after a while. The production is okay, but never as sharp and clean as Axel Rudi Pell albums usually have. The musicians are really tight and Axel’s solos are as tasteful as ever, but I don’t think that saves the album from being a level under their originals quality-wise.
Album highlights: Lady of the Lake, Sarah, Paint it Black
For fans of: Gotthard, Bonfire, Axxis, Bon Jovi
Axel Rudi Pell: Facebook
Release Year: 2021
Label: Steamhammer / SPV
Category: Album
Country: Germany
Reviewed by Roman Ibarra
