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
Fire and Ice
Axxis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My heart is beating wild
Nervous and excited I'm waiting for show time
Now it's time and the lights go out
I feel I could die, the people cry and shout
I don't want to go out
Someone's pushing me, there's no way back, I fall
Here I can meet you all
Ice on fire and it burns
I can feel the sweat running my heart's beating wild
Ice on fire and I'm turning around
See me and feel me and hear what I say
Ice on fire
Burning, beating
You're calling out my name
It's a temptation to go insane
Living in a world where I meet my other side
I feel the passion, it makes me feel alright
I feel it every night
Ice on fire and it burns
I can feel the sweat running, my heart's beating wild
Ice on fire and I'm turning around
See me and feel me and hear what I say
Ice on fire and it burns
In my paradise I'm breaking the ice
See me and hear what I say in my paradise
I'm falling into this world, where I'm breaking the ice
Ice on fire and it burns
I can feel the sweat running, my heart's beating wild
Ice on fire and I'm turning around
See me and feel me and hear what I say
Ice on fire and it burns
In my paradise I'm breaking the ice
The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer is about to perform on stage and is feeling anxious and excited at the same time. The line "my heart is beating wild" shows the intensity of the moment, and he is waiting for his time to shine. When the lights go out, he feels like he could die. However, the crowd's cheers and applause spur him on as he realizes that he can connect with the audience through his music.
The lyrics "Ice on fire and it burns" is a metaphor for the singer's inner conflict or duality. Ice symbolizes cool, calm, and collected, whereas fire represents passion, energy, and intensity. Together they create a unique blend that expresses his creative energy on stage. The line "See me and hear what I say in my paradise, I'm falling into this world, where I'm breaking the ice" shows that the stage is his paradise, where he can break free and express his true self, which he cannot always do in everyday life.
Overall, the song is an expression of the singer's passion and desire to perform on stage. It is a metaphor for the inner conflicts that one might face while pursuing their dreams. The lyrics are full of energy, and the melody is catchy, making it a favorite among rock music lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
People calling
Hearing the people call for their performance, and it's getting them excited and nervous.
My heart is beating wild
The anticipation has gotten their heart racing.
Nervous and excited I'm waiting for show time
The mixed emotions of fear and excitement are building up as they wait for their time on stage.
Now it's time and the lights go out
The moment has finally arrived and the lights go out signalling the start of their performance.
I feel I could die, the people cry and shout
Feeling overwhelmed by the crowd's energy and passion for their music.
I don't want to go out
Feeling hesitant to start the performance.
Someone's pushing me, there's no way back, I fall
Giving in to the momentum of the moment, and letting the adrenaline take control.
Into another world, the spotlights hit my soul
Transporting to another realm of consciousness where they can give their all to the performance.
Here I can meet you all
The stage serves as a platform to connect with others through their music.
Ice on fire and it burns
The passion and drive for music feels like a mixture of hot and cold emotions.
I can feel the sweat running my heart's beating wild
The intensity of the performance has brought them to a heightened physical state.
Ice on fire and I'm turning around
The overwhelming sensation has encouraged them to pause and reflect on the moment they're experiencing.
See me and feel me and hear what I say
As a performer, they hope to connect with their audience on a personal and emotional level through their music.
Burning, beating
The heat of passion is driving them forward, keeping the beat alive.
You're calling out my name
The fans are reaching out to the performer, offering encouragement and support.
It's a temptation to go insane
The temptation to get lost in the moment and embrace the craziness is hard to resist.
Living in a world where I meet my other side
The stage provides an escape from reality where they can become their true selves.
I feel the passion, it makes me feel alright
The love and passion for music drives brings joy and a sense of accomplishment.
I feel it every night
The passion for music is ever-present, even off stage.
In my paradise I'm breaking the ice
Finally achieving what they’ve always dreamed of and overcoming fear to make music their career
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BERNHARD WEISS, HARALD OELLERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GilesMan5000
My dude,. Bernie! - One of the most awesomely unique voices in metal.
Ronny B.
Einfach geil! Als Jugendlicher habe ich diese Band geliebt! In diesem Sinne... Young Souls rockin' again!
Nalini Apala
Haaaaach, damals im Anno. Und dann der Tag, als ich am Nürburgring dachte, ich hätte schon schwer einen im Tee, als mein Nachbar plötzlich auf der Bühne stand. Mein Gott Walter , das waren noch Zeiten. 🤣
Beau Renson
Bravourös!
Михаил Михаил
Соловей!!)
AdroitRider
Erster ;) .. Ein Hammer .. ein Juwel.. Danke fürs Hochladen. LOVE it. My Music through the decades. <3
Joachim Feigl
🤘❤
Karla K.
Axxis - Last Man On Earth [Lyrics Video]
https://youtu.be/UC_9WqQVThg