EMI Electrola will release the "Best Of" album from German metallers AXXIS on November 17.
EMI Electrola originally asked AXXIS for their co-operation in releasing a "best of" collection from the band several years ago. But the group was reluctant to release a compilation of material that was already available on the market. AXXIS singer Bernhard Weiss explained: "Contractually EMI is allowed to [do] with our old songs [as they please], but in this case we wouldn't support this project!"
After a long period of negotiations, the label and the band are now very happy with the final result.
Featuring previously unreleased material, remixed songs, and special acoustic versions of older tracks recorded earlier this year at Soundworxx studio, "Best Of" is a double CD containing ballads on the first disc and acoustic recordings on the second disc.
Said Weiss: "We were able to convince the label to invest a little bit more money into the project to get a worthy result. Today everybody is able to create their own AXXIS song collection or own sampler with [CD burning] etc. If a major label wants to release a 'best of,' it must be more special!"
"Best of Axxis" (view cover artwork at this location) track listing:
CD1 (ballads) 01. Only God knows (Remix 2006)* 02. Stay Don't Leave Me 03. Waterdrop (Classic Mix 2006)* 04. Touch the Rainbow (Long Version) 05. Fire and Ice (Preproduction 1988)* 06. Brandnew World (Remix 2006)* 07. Hold You 08. Face to Face (Live) 09. Tears of the Trees (Orginal Demo Version 1988)*+ 10. Love Doesn't Know Any Distance 11. Sarajevo 12. On My Own 13. Heaven 7th Train (Live 1992)* 14. Hide Away 15. World of Mystery
* previously unreleased + from the 1988 demo tape that landed AXXIS their major label deal
CD2 (acoustic recordings) 01. Living in a World (2006)* 02. Kingdom of the Night (2006)* 03. Little War (2006)* 04. Ships are Sailing (2006)* 05. Touch the Rainbow 06. Heaven in Black 07. C'est La Vie (Tango Version) 08. Fire and Ice 09. Another Day 10. Kings Made of Steel 11. Julia
* Newly recorded and previously unreleased
Bonus: two AXXIS videoclips from EMI that were broadcast by MTV between 1990 and 1996