This album was a big turning point in the career of this five-piece band. Produced by Joey Balin and recorded in Philadelphia, it was the first international production by AXXIS.
In the following years AXXIS had traveled thousands of miles. One if the most impressive destinations was Japan, where Bernhard Weiss and guitarist Walter Pietsch performed a couple of acoustic live shows due to the release of the Japanese only CD "Profile". The band became known worldwide!
The album "Matters Of Survival" was produced in Los Angeles in 1995, the city of angels which is uncritically praised as a Metal capitol by some, a city where glamor, violence and homelessness live together very closely. An impression, which was responsible for the choice of the album title.
With Keith Olsen (FLEETWOOD MAC, WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, SCORPIONS) the band had a producer who had already worked in the biz since 25 years. Olsen had visited the band in Germany first and both together chose the 12 best songs from the original 30 demo tracks and committed the arrangements. Afterwords they flew over to Los Angeles where Olsen is running his Goodnight L.A.-Studio.
AXXIS especially see themselves as a live band. At a perfect gig, as Bernhard Weiss once said, the own hands have to glow. "It is the best possibility to play your music", says Weiss, "already alone because of the chance of getting so close to your fans." So, the performances at "Rock am Ring" in front of 30 000 spectators were for sure important highlights of the years 1994 and 1996!
To keep on moving into new directions was a principle which this Hard Rock band from the "Ruhrgebiet" had always followed. If you have a look on “Kingdom Of The Night” (`89), “Axxis II” (`91), “The Big Thrill “(`93), “Matters Of Survival” (`95) or “Voodoo Vibes” (97), the latest album by the band, they had always avoided to repeat themselves.
AXXIS do, of course, have their basic sound, their roots are lying within the traditional Heavy Rock of the 70's and 80's, they have found their very own style which is orientated on hooks like "Living In A World". This song is still regarded as a hymn at every show and, as Walter says, the best example for a typical AXXIS song. Bernard's unique vocal style is another characteristic trademark, which makes AXXIS' sound unique. But the cover on these basics is very different anytime. The permanent move can be found within the details.
AXXIS' major ambition is, as Walter adds, "to be a pure Rock 'n' Roll band", and to wash away any doubt, “Voodoo Vibes” became the most Rockin' album since the very early days. The heavy guitars remind the listener a lot on the intensive “Punch” of the debut album.
The production this time was done by the band itself for the very first time. After those great lessons in the US by highly skilled producers, AXXIS felt strong enough to handle the complex studio technics alone and to take over the responsibility for it themselves. "The idea for this was invented by our label", says Harry. "We had already produced our demos for a long time before. And as we presented our new demo tapes to our A&R manager, he was not only convinced by the quality of our new material but of the sound of this supposedly rehearsal room recordings as well. He told us to put it on the album as it was. But the songs and especially the vocals weren't completed yet at the time and that was the reason why the idea came up to let us mix it up ourselves. Because of our demos our label gained a lot of confidence in our abilities to produce an album."
Confidence which was confirmed. “Voodoo Vibes”, produced by Bemhard, Walter and Harry with the help of co-producer and engineer Thomas Kemper at Dierks Studios in the outskirts of Cologne, offers a straight and powerful sound from the beginning to the end which couldn't had been done better by an American star producer. The fact that those complete recordings were finished after only 18 days in the studio is a proof for the band's reliability, who according to Walter, "had a little fear to do the job right in the beginning. The band had to deal with new aspects like being responsible for a recording budget and to be judged for anything that might have gone wrong. But finally everything worked perfectly" and it worked so well that AXXIS would like to repeat it again when starting to record the next album. This self-determination will not be missed in the future anymore...
Current Line-Up:
Bernhard Weiß – Vocal
Harry Oellers – Keys
Marco Wriedt – Guitar
Rob Schomaker – Bass
André Hilgers - Drums
Previous members:
Kosta Zafiriou – Drums (on “Time Machine“)
Richard Michalski – Drums (on “Kingdom Of The Night”, “Axxis II”, “Access All Areas”, “The Big Thrill”, “Profile-The Best of Axxis”, “Matters of Survival”, “Voodoo Vibes”, “Sarajevo Exklusiv”, “Back To The Kingdom“, “Collection Of Power” & “Eyes Of Darkness”)
Walter Pietsch – Guitars (on “Kingdom Of The Night”, “Axxis II”, “Access All Areas”, “The Big Thrill”, “Profile-The Best of Axxis”, “Matters of Survival”, “Voodoo Vibes” & “Sarajevo Exklusiv”)
Markus Gfeller – Bass (on “The Big Thrill”, “Profile-The Best of Axxis”, “Matters of Survival”, “Voodoo Vibes” & “Sarajevo Exklusiv”)
Werner Kleinhans – Bass (on “Kingdom Of The Night”, “Axxis II” & “Access All Areas”)
The official site:
http://www.axxis.de
History (english):
http://www.axxis.de/eng_history.html
All my life
Axxis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Born with guilt, shame on me
Can you judge me by my face
And not the history of my race
All my life I've lived and I see
All the eyes that watch over me
All my life, and I understand
Why justify what I don't understand?
Just accidentally born in this land
I can't escape the hand of the past
This legacy will always last
All my life I felt the same way
All the ears that hear what I say
And I hope that they understand
I'll always belong to this land
All my life I've lived and I see
All the eyes that watch over me
And I hope that they understand
That I'll always belong to this land
The lyrics of Axxis's song "All My Life" speak to the themes of identity, belonging, and the weight of history. The singer reflects on their own sense of destiny, feeling burdened by "guilt" and "shame," and wonders if others can look past their race and judge them simply by their face. Throughout the song, the singer muses on the idea of belonging to a specific land and the role that one's past plays in shaping their present and future.
The repeated refrain of "all my life" highlights the singer's introspection and the length of time they have spent grappling with these ideas. They acknowledge the watchful eyes of others but ultimately assert that they will always belong to the land they were born into, even if they can't fully escape the legacy of the past.
At the heart of these lyrics is a message of acceptance and self-acceptance, of recognizing the weight of history on individuals and communities and striving to empathize with one another despite those differences. It's a sentiment that feels particularly resonant today, as conversations around race, identity, and cultural heritage continue to play out on a global scale.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born with a destiny
From birth, I have an inherent fate.
Born with guilt, shame on me
I carry a burden of wrongdoing from my very existence.
Can you judge me by my face
Do not stereotype and discriminate against me based on my appearance.
And not the history of my race
Look beyond my ethnicity's history and see me as an individual.
Why justify what I don't understand?
What is the purpose of explaining something I cannot comprehend?
Just accidentally born in this land
I have landed in my birth nation purely by chance.
I can't escape the hand of the past
The past has a grip on me that I cannot break free from.
This legacy will always last
The consequences of past actions will continue to echo through generations.
All my life I felt the same way
Throughout my existence, I have experienced the same emotions and thoughts.
All the ears that hear what I say
Those who listen and comprehend what I say.
And I hope that they understand
I wish that they perceive my message justly.
I'll always belong to this land
I belong and will forever be loyal to my nation.
All my life I've lived and I see
Throughout my existence, I have perceived fervent scrutiny on me.
All the eyes that watch over me
The constant gaze of those observing me.
That I'll always belong to this land
I am indebted and shall always be loyal to my motherland.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LES REED, BARRY MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind