Axel Rudi Pell

Axel Rudi Pell, born 27 June 1960 in Bochum, Germany, is a German guitarist and founder of the heavy‑metal band Axel Rudi Pell, which emerged in the late 1980s. After early stints with the German band Steeler, he formed his eponymous group in 1989, releasing the debut album Wild Obsession. The band’s lineup solidified with vocalist Johnny Gioeli, bassist Volker Krawczak, drummer Mike Terrana, and keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg, and they released Nasty Reputation (1991) and Eternal Prisoner (1992). Subsequent albums-Magic (1997), Oceans of Time (1998), Mystica (2006), Diamonds Unlocked (2007), Tales of the Crown (2008), The Crest (2010), and Circle of the Oath (2012)-established a steady catalog, while Into the Storm (2014) featured drummer Bobby Rondinelli. The band toured extensively, notably at Bang Your Head!!! in 2014, and continued to release new material, including Game of Sins (2016) and The Ballads V (2017). In 2024, the group issued Risen Symbol, followed by Ghost Town in 2026.