{"id":10857,"date":"2025-03-05T20:38:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T19:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=10857"},"modified":"2025-03-05T20:39:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T19:39:00","slug":"marcel-coenen-the-axe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/rock\/marcel-coenen-the-axe\/","title":{"rendered":"Marcel Coenen – The Axe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Marcel Coenen is a versatile guitarist. In addition, he plays bass, and some of the keyboard parts. Unlike his previous albums, his new album \u2018The Axe\u2019 contains only vocal songs. For this, he invited several vocalists. Marcel wrote the music, the vocalists wrote the lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spherical intro of \u2018Can You Feel It Now\u2019 is bright, the sampled sounds a bit duller in sound. You can feel that something is about to happen. After a roar, the music starts, in which the strings play an important part. You feel Ollie Oldenburg’s expression, sometimes he sings slightly theatrically. Marcel’s guitar solo is fabulous. The sound flows pleasantly back and forth in the headset. The rhythm is steady, Hans In \u2018t Zand’s drumming is top notch.
In \u2018Echoes Of Life\u2019, the metal influences emerge. Vocalist Pascal Remans’ energy is palpable. Occasionally the vocals are stacked, with or without a slight echo in the background. In both the vocal part and the instrumental parts, the guitar playing is once again superb. What rapidity he does have with his fingers! During the breaks, the difference in pitch between the drums is easy to hear. The build-up of verse-rephrase does make it a bit predictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The higher (keyboard) tones and high vocals in the background in \u2018Mirage\u2019 fit well with the slightly heavier sounds of (bass) guitar. This flows into calmer parts, with lower vocals. Almost imperceptibly, the volume increases again. There is sometimes a reverberation on the (background) vocals, which may make Colleen Gray’s vocals sound a bit surreal, but it suits the lyrics. At the end, you hear lovely details of cymbals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gentle flow in vocals and music of \u2018An Unfairy Tale\u2019 can almost be called sugary. Then Marcel rips through the calm music with his guitar, again I am touched. The up-tempo start of \u2018Old Ways\u2019 provides great contrast to the previous songs. Kelly Sundown Carpenter showcases beautiful vocal outbursts. This rousing song invites you to sing along at home. Every song has beautiful\/special ingredients. For instance, in \u2018What I Look For\u2019 the vocals are particularly stacked.
\u2018The Last Trip\u2019 contains surprising twists. \u2018Endless Liberty\u2019 is one of the songs in which Marcel plays keyboard in addition to bass and guitar. Sascha Burchardt’s versatile voice comes into its own beautifully here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018It’s Over Now\u2019 has wonderful twists and turns. Here no less than three vocalists sing, their voices, and the low grunts form a fine blend. The guitar solo gets under my skin. In terms of construction, this is a captivating track. \u2018Sovereign Of Shadows\u2019 is at least as captivating. That includes the turn to a calmly played part with acoustic guitar sounds, and the compelling electric guitar playing that follows. This song surprises all the way to the end.
The calm percussion fits the mood of \u2018Don’t Let The Freedom Fool Ya\u2019. No keyboards in this last song. Just bass, guitars, percussion and vocals. Again, the layers in vocals and music are well spread over the headphones. If you don’t have set the volume that loud, the soft tinkling (bar-chime) sounds are barely noticeable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reverberation occasionally heard is sometimes on the edge of being too much or not. A few songs may be “too smoott” for metal fans who only like the “roughe”\u2019 stuff. Constantly, the guitar playing is enjoyable, moreover Marcel shows how versatile he is. Despite this diversity and the different vocalists, the songs on \u2018The Axe\u2019 fit together just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(87\/100) (Own Management)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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