AXE VICTIMS – Hypnotized [recorded 1985, Unreleased] (2026) *HQ*

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Formed 1982 in Wuppertal, North Rine-Westphalia, AXE VICTIMS were an integral part of the original wave of German Metal during the first half of the Eighties. The classic line-up of Frank Fanfare (vocals), Tom Bohn (guitars), Rowland Hag (guitars), Holger George (bass) and Martin Rocco (drums) recorded their debut album »Another Victim« for Belgian label Mausoleum Records in 1983. Work on a follow-up record started immediately but due to problems with the label it never saw the light of day. Up until now…
High Roller Records are finally releasing »Hypnotized«, the long lost second album of Axe Victims. “We went to court with Mausoleum over missing royalty payments for »Another Victim«,” explains drummer Martin Rocco. “The label officially declared bankruptcy, so we recorded the second album at our own expense. However, we weren’t allowed to put it out, as our contract with Mausoleum was still running for almost two years.”
During this period, the members of Axe Victims were all following different projects: guitarist Rowland Hag was asked to help out playing with Steeler, the other guitarist Tom Bohn and drummer Martin Rocco were playing in various cover bands while vocalist Frank Fanfare and bass man Holger George carried on with a post-Axe Victims project Universe.
“I’d say »Hypnotized« was more or less a direct continuation of »Another Victim«,” describes Martin Rocco how he perceived the long lost second Axe Victims album. Read classic early ’80s European metal with that distinctive Germanic sound ala Scorpions / early Accept, but also Vandenverg, Picture, Bronz, Krokus, etc.

“It’s about the songs in the first place, if you ask me. Naturally, today the sound would have been much more bombastic. ‘Blood In My Veins’ and ‘Shout’ are two songs which immediately stick.” Similar to the first album, Axe Victims once more open the proceedings with a proto-speed metal number, the title track “Hypnotized”. “That’s how it was supposed to be,” laughs the drummer. “It was our plan to go full throttle right at the start. However, on the other hand, there are quite a few midtempo songs on the record as well.”
Numbers like “Rock Tonight” are indeed much rockier, coming across like a mid-80s mix between Saxon, Priest, Accept and Leppard. “Of course, the top bands of the time were an influence for us,” explains Rocco. “All of the songs on the album have stood the test of time though, and that’s the most important if you ask me. We are absolutely thrilled that »Hypnotized« is finally seeing the light of day.”

Axe Victims produced the album themselves, which they definitely didn’t want to release on Mausoleum. The band wanted to avoid such negative experiences in the future. Unfortunately, time passed while they were searching for a major record deal; thus, without the release of the second LP, Axe Victims missed the important connection to their successful first album.
»Hypnotized«, recorded 1984/85 in Wuppertal and mixed by Glenn “Pico” Porconi at the Hermes Studio in Kamen, has remained under wraps to this day, even though its quality seamlessly followed that of the first album. Certainly, one can clearly hear Axe Victims’ potential.
Highly Recommended

01 – Hypnotized
02 – Rock Tonight
03 – Blood in My Veins
04 – Shout
05 – Devil Inside
06 – Shinin’
07 – Humans Talking
08 – When the Heat Is On
09 – Hell Is on Fire
10 – We’ll Not Gonna Break It

Frank “Fanfare” DiSanto (R.I.P. 2000) – vocals
Thomas “Tom” Bohn (R.I.P. 2010) – guitars
Roland “Rowland” Hag – guitars
Holger George – bass
Martin Rocco – drums

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