1610 - Axel Rudi Pell The Gates of the Seven Seals 1998

Axel Rudi Pell is a longstanding German metal band playing in the classic 80s style of Dio and other similar bands, with excellent guitarwork courtesy of the band's core and founder, Axel Rudi Pell. They've apparently had a very long string of lineup changes, with about four or five different vocalists, before settling on Johnny Gioeli. The Gates of the Seven Seals is an epic of colossal proportions, underscored by a rather intriguing atmospheric interlude with various sound ambiences and the sound of a thunder storm, followed by a series of well-inspired guitar riffs. The keyboards also serve well as a focus of attention during the chorus.