Axel Rudi Pell
Mystica

Axel Rudi Pell, a good guitarist.

What makes him "good" is not superhuman technique, but a much more important quality: being able to make good music, music that knows how to strike and please.

His discography is quite extensive, and in 2006 he released "Mystica", the sound is a very classic heavy metal, but certainly effective. The album starts with "The Mysterious Return", an intro, as is customary these days, followed by "Fly To The Moon", a catchy riff and excellent vocals make the song fly by very quickly. Then we move to "Rock The Nation", with a more moderate rhythm that alternates slower parts with the magic of the engaging chorus, reminding us of the '80s, and after a series of well-made solos, it's time for "Valley Of Sin", introduced by a light arpeggio but then revealing itself to be quite powerful thanks to its riff and immediate solo; however, the following ones are even more delightful.
Fifth track: "Living A Lie", very melodic, but supported by anonymous choruses, and I would say it sounds like something already heard, but it flows smoothly, and we're already at "No Chance To Live", a decent ballad that acts as an interlude to introduce the title track, "Mystica": a semi-epic start entrusted to the keyboards, then a very uninspired guitar and vocal work, and the almost 9-minute length slightly diminishes the quality of the album and increases its repetitiveness.

Extensive use of the synthesizer to create the right atmosphere, a melancholic guitar gives way to "Haunted Castle Serenade", which then blossoms into a great baroque solo (there's even the presence of a harpsichord), certainly an excellent piece that ends as it began, that is, peacefully, and hands over to "Losing The Game", which brings us back to more sustained rhythms and has a power edge, elements that make it quite pleasant.
To finish in style, Rudi relies on a great 10-minute piece, "The Curse Of The Damned", piano and guitar for a sweet introduction, a motif that will continue to interweave with the classic and powerful chorus, then expands into a long solo, which also leaves a spot for the Hammond organ, a good choice, and in this case, the melody chosen for the beginning also serves as the conclusion.

In short, if you are looking for a good heavy metal album that takes little to no risks and does not stray from the genre's tracks, well, then Mystica is what you're looking for. I rate it 4 stars because the album is good, it is consistent with itself, and proves to be a pleasant reminder of classic styles.