This incredible 6CD box set is volume two of the Lillian Axe story, out now via Cherry Red Records.

Covering the band’s studio output from 2010 onward, it also includes the officially released demos collection ‘Fields Of Yesterday’ from 1999 and the two disc acoustic live album ‘One Night In The Temple’.

Along with a mammoth selection of rarities and live tracks, many released for the first time ever, The Box Volume Two – The Quickening is a truly essential purchase for all fans of this million selling, Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame-inducted heavy rock act!

Lillian Axe came to prominence in the late 80s with four successful major label albums, and have since amassed an extremely loyal following worldwide, right up to their Billboard charting 2022 album ‘From Womb To Tomb’.

CD 1: Deep Red Shadows (2010)
1. Under The Same Moon
2. 47 Ways To Die
3. The Quenching Of Human Life
4. A Minute Of Years
5. Nobody Knows
6. The Day I Met You
7. Sad Day On Planet Earth
8. Nocturnal Symphony
9. Deep Red Shadows
10. All’s Fair In Love And War (Live In New Orleans 2012)
11. Circle Of Light [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1) 2012]
12. Circus Comes To Town [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1) 2012]
13. Sail Into The Heavens [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1) 2012]
14. Modern Day Vampire [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1) 2012]
15. Rebirth [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1) 2012]

Simply put, this album is a work of musical art. The first four songs are driving, progressive tunes that grab you and take you far away, out of this world. The following four songs are softer and more relaxed, and help you to come down from the emotional high the first four songs drove you to. The final song, the titular Deep Red Shadows is an artistic masterpiece in 5/4 time that tops off this incredible collection of music.

Now added to all these wondrous tracks is a live cut of All’s Fair In Love And War (in New Orleans, 2012) along with five cuts from their Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 1), and also from 2012, with the stands outs being both the opener Circle Of Light and, for me, the atmospheric gem Sail Into The Heavens.

CD 2: XI – The Days Before Tomorrow (2012)
1. Babylon
2. Death Comes Tomorrow
3. Gather Up The Snow
4. The Great Divide
5. Take The Bullet
6. Bow Your Head
7. Caged In
8. Soul Disease
9. Lava On My Tongue
10. My Apologies
11. Angels Among Us
12. Rest In Peace [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]
13. Silent Night, Lonely Night [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]
14. Every Dog Has It’s Day [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]
15. On A Clear Night [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]
16. Try To Stop Me Now [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]
17. King Of The Beasts [Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) 2012]

As a fan since 1989, I can honestly say that this is musically, lyrically and sonically their most impressive album to date. The songs are huge, majestic, soaring and powerful. New vocalist Brian Jones was absolutely perfect for this incredibly underrated band on his debut Lillian Axe album, in my humble opinion.

His vocals were expressive and majestic and add to the power of the mighty Axe. The guitars sound huge, with monster-sized riffs all over the album and my oh my, Steve’s solos are beautifully melodic and incredibly expressive throughout.

Now inclusive of the second half of their Circle Of Light – Rebirth (Part 2) from 2012, the stand outs here for me from the six are the pulsating Every Dog Has It’s Day and the diligently forthright stance that drives Try To Stop Me Now.

CD 3: Fields Of Yesterday (Demos Compilation 1999)
1. Death Valley Daze
2. Do It
3. Twilight In Hell
4. For Crying Out Loud
5. The Last Time
6. Calm Before The Storm
7. Pulling The Rats Out
8. When It Rains
9. Daddy Long Legs
10. Blood On The Moon
11. Kill Me Again
12. Become A Monster
13. Throw You Away
14. Thirst
15. The Weeping Moon (2018 Single Release) [Bonus Tracks]
16. Ghost Of Winter (Live In New Orleans 2012) [Bonus Tracks]
17. Show A Little Love (Live In New Orleans 2012) [Bonus Tracks]

Considering this is just a compilation of tracks which didn’t make it on to Love + War or Poetic Justice it’s still surprisingly good. As has also been paid mention to down the years, there are a couple of weaker efforts - especially the rowdy Become a Monster and the production on the excellent Calm Before the Storm is a bit ropy - but overall, those are outweighed by the hidden gems; such as the quality opening track, the pulsating Pulling The Rats Out, along with the superbly sung ballad When It Rains and the mean rocker Twilight in Hell.

The collection now comes with three bonus tracks, The Weeping Moon (a single release from 2018), and two live cuts from New Orleans in 2012 - Ghost Of Winter and Show A Little Love.

CD 4: One Night In The Temple (Acoustic Live) CD1 (2014)
1. Water’s Rising
2. Death Comes Tomorrow
3. Ghost Of Winter
4. See You Someday
5. The Great Divide
6. Nocturnal Symphony
7. Sad Day On Planet Earth
8. Bow Your Head
9. Show A Little Love
10. Misery Loves Company
11. Crucified
12. The World Stopped Turning
13. Dyin’ To Live (Shades Of Blue)

CD 5: One Night In The Temple (Acoustic Live) CD2 (2014)
1. Until The End Of The World
2. The Day I Met You
3. The Promised Land
4. Nobody Knows
5. My Apologies
6. True Believer
7. Nobody Knows (Crowd Version)

One Night In The Temple (Acoustic Live) is an intimate concert was recorded with family, friends and even a lottery-invited selection of fans at the studio where they recorded their past four albums at that time.

Here spread over two CDs, Lillian present a cross-section of all their albums, digging deep into their almost 25 years of history - albeit here in a completely acoustic setting.

For me, the question was how would their harder tracks be performed in this low key, stripped down version? Tracks such as Crucified or Death Comes Tomorrow, perhaps? But what can I say as it really blew me away just how amazingly proficient these guys are at doing such a thing to their music.

Performed with immense enthusiasm, each track played brings forth a whole new vibrancy, depth to the songs, which then, when completed, bleeds into ten of their Circle Of Light – The Demos cuts.

8. Vision In The Night [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
9. Inside Out [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
10. On A Clear Night [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
11. Silent Night, Lonely Night [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
12. Picture Perfect [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
13. Ghost Of Winter [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
14. Circus Comes To Town [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
15. Waiting In The Dark [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
16. Lord Of The Streets [Circle Of Light – The Demos]
17. Dream Of A Lifetime [Circle Of Light – The Demos]

CD 6: Live Summerfest 1992
1. Intro – Misery Loves Company
2. Innocence
3. All’s Fair In Love And War
4. Body Double
5. Living In The Grey
6. See You Someday
7. My Number (Girl cover)
8. Mercy
9. Dyin’ To Live
10. Show A Little Love
11. Diana
12. The Promised Land
13. True Believer
14. Nobody Knows
15. No Matter What (Badfinger cover)

Lillian Axe - The Box Volume Two – The Quickening [Trailer]

Official 6CD Purchase Link