Axe Victims Hypnotized CD (Jewel Case, 2026, High Roller Records)

Axe Victims Hypnotized CD is the 2026 High Roller Records release of the previously unreleased second album by German heavy metal band Axe Victims. Originally recorded in the mid-1980s but never officially released due to contractual problems with their former label Mausoleum Records, Hypnotized finally brings the band's lost second album to light more than four decades after it was recorded. This edition is presented in a jewel case with a slipcase.

Formed in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, in 1982, Axe Victims were part of the original wave of German heavy metal bands that emerged during the early 1980s. The band's classic lineup featured Frank Fanfare on vocals, Tom Bohn and Rowland Hag on guitars, Holger George on bass and Martin Rocco on drums.

Axe Victims recorded their debut album Another Victim for Belgian label Mausoleum Records in 1983. Work on a follow-up began soon afterwards, but legal and contractual difficulties surrounding the label prevented the album from being released. According to drummer Martin Rocco, Axe Victims recorded the second album at their own expense, but their existing contract with Mausoleum Records remained in place for almost two more years, leaving the completed recordings unreleased.

Hypnotized represents a direct continuation of the musical approach established on Another Victim, combining traditional heavy metal with early speed metal influences, melodic guitar work, driving rhythms and powerful vocals. The album opens with the title track Hypnotized, a fast proto-speed metal song that immediately establishes its energetic character. Elsewhere, tracks such as Blood In My Veins and Shout showcase the band's melodic and aggressive side, while Rock Tonight moves into a more hard-rocking mid-tempo style.

The sound reflects the classic European heavy metal environment of the early to mid-1980s, with influences from major British and German metal acts of the era including Saxon, Judas Priest, Accept and Def Leppard. The result is a collection that sits naturally alongside traditional heavy metal, early speed metal and the formative German metal scene of the period.

For collectors of obscure 1980s German heavy metal, NWOBHM-influenced metal and historically important underground releases, Hypnotized is a significant archival release. High Roller Records has finally given Axe Victims' lost second album an official physical release, allowing this previously unavailable material to be heard and collected as part of the band's recorded history.

Recommended if you like: Accept, Saxon, Judas Priest, Grave Digger, Running Wild, and Riot.

Artist: Axe Victims 
Title:  Hypnotized 
Label: High Roller Records
Catalogue Number: HRR1052CD
UPC: 4251267723072
Release Year: 2026
Duration: Album
Format: CD 
Originally Recorded: 1980s
Originally Released: Previously Unreleased
Country: Germany
Genre: Heavy Metal / Speed Metal
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
Condition: New & factory sealed

Tracklist:

1. Hypnotized
2. Rock Tonight
3. Blood In My Veins
4. Shout
5. Devil Inside
6. Shinin’
7. Humans Talking
8. When The Heat Is On
9. Hell Is On Fire
10. We’ll Not Gonna Break It