1124. Accept / Too Mean to Die. 2021. 3.5/5

Accept feels like they have been around forever, but there are two distinct eras to the band. After sitting in a self-imposed retirement for almost 14 years after the band had gone on to separate projects, original band members guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bass guitarist Peter Baltes got together and found they still had music to write together. With original vocalist Udo Dirkschneider not interested in a return to the band, former vocalist for T.T. Quick Mark Tornillo was recruited to take his place, and the album Blood of the Nations was released, and became was a barnstorming moment, and though many critics felt that after such a lengthy absence and without Dirkschneider that the band should have let good enough be enough and not resurrect the name of Accept, they were shown to be wrong.Three more albums have followed since then, each of them excellent in their own way, and now their fifth studio release since their renaissance has been released, titled Too Mean to Die. It hasn’t been without loss however, with both guitarist Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann leaving the band prior to “The Rise of Chaos” album, and then long time bass guitarist Peter Baltes moving on after that tour. It left Wolf Hoffmann as the last of the original band, but onwards they moved forward. Indeed, Accept has been a strange beast, and as popular as their albums from the 1980’s had been, since their return in 2010 they actually appear to have gotten heavier, shaking off their tag of being an AC/DC type clone in the big selling days. In many ways this has been through the addition of American Tornillo on vocals and as a songwriter, as his background appeared to energize the group and their song output.
Martin Motnik, former bass guitarist for Uli Jon Roth, joined the band for the new album, and alongside newer members Uwe Lewis and Christopher Williams came a third guitarist in Philip Shouse, and even though it may not be the Accept band that everyone remembers from all oof those years ago, it is an Accept that has found a way to produce hard electrifying music.

In many ways, Too Mean to Die is a result of the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Although the band lost a third of its song writing team with the departure of Baltes, Hoffmann and Tornillo along with Hoffmann’s wife and band manager Deaffy continue on in hard hitting fashion. And while the music still holds that same flavour that Accept has had throughout its existence, it does have a heavier feel about it. Back in the 1980’s on those early albums, it was more of a hard rock feel, but now well into the new century and in the second era of Accept things have progressed. Blazing guitars, plenty of hard hitting and double time drums, and vocals that aren’t that far removed from what Udo provided back in the day. Not only is the song writing terrific, the lyrics are excellent, harping on issues such as addiction to phones and social media, social media influencers, fearmongering by the media, and of course the pandemic that stretches around us. The addition of a third guitarist to the recording band does add to the great sound produced, and in some songs brings out further highlights so differently from the days when Wolf Hoffmann was holding the fort alone.
Even if you haven’t heard any Accept albums before – and really, if you haven’t, you must be living on another planet – you will find plenty to like here. Starting off with the excellent “Zombie Apocalypse” and the title track “Too Mean to Die” the album comes at you with a kick from the beginning. The band still shows its versatility throughout, mixing the straight up metal heaviness of “Sucks to be You” and “Symphony of Pain” and “Not My Problem” with the middle of the road hard rock tidings of songs like “The Undertaker”, and even the (somewhat unfortunate) standard power ballad that European bands still feel they need to poke us with in “The Best is Yet to Come”. I can guarantee you that I would still rather more songs like the former three than like the power ballad. I’m sure they appeal to some of you out there, but honestly if you take out “The Best is Yet to Come” and add in another track similar to “Sucks to be You”, this becomes a ball tearer of an album rather than just another very good entry into the Accept discography.

I don’t mind admitting that I was surprised by how good Accept’s comeback album was back in 2010. Accept’s classic albums have some great songs on them, but they are most definitely tied to the era they were recorded. They are generally hard rock, in an AC/DC fashion that in some ways held them back on their first albums. But their albums over the last decade have been a revelation, finding that extra grunt and excitement and kick that has given them more life than anyone could have expected. And while band leader Wolf Hoffmann must take a lot of the credit for that, Mark Tornillo and his vocals have been a revelation, and continue to be here on Too Mean to Die. No one expected the band to succeed without Udo Dirkschneider on vocals, and yet they have done more than that, they have thrived and gone to another level, and that is something rare in the music industry.
This album continues the band’s upward trend, and given the problems faced by the music industry since the beginning of 2020 this is quite a feat. Having given this album a good workout over the last couple of months I would love to get the chance to hear some of these songs live, because I think that is where they would get to the next level, in that live environment.

967. Accept / Russian Roulette. 1986. 3/5

After the mixed response that radiated from the previous album, Accept came back here with Russian Roulette which was going to be their attempt to not embrace the creeping commercialism that they were somewhat branded with on that album, but to retain the production values that the album had provided.

The opening songs all come at you with a great running bass and double kick rhythm, allowing their natural momentum to pull you into the album. “T.V. War” is a smooth regulated train travelling down the tracks, with an easy to abide chorus and vocal line. This is followed by the curiously appealing “Monsterman” which gains your trust easily and without any qualms. “Russian Roulette” has that slightly uneasy shift in tempo that can kill an album, but it is done well here on this song, and still invokes the crowd chant chorus that tends to improve songs when loud and in groups. These three songs make another solid start to the album.
“It’s Hard to Find a Way” is a hard rock ballad, and perhaps the best thing I can say about it is that at least it isn’t a power metal ballad that grew out of this era of metal. It isn’t a ballad in the sense of the word, but lyrically and musically it has moved in that direction, and I still can’t come at things like that. The first side is recovered by “Aiming High” which is an atypical “I love hard rock” raise your fist kinda song, again replete with chanting vocals and guitar solos. Songs like “Heaven is Hell” utilise that tried and trusted method that AC/DC had popularised during the 1980’s, and this is very much in that mould, a slow tempo built around a solid rhythm and moving along in that style for the whole seven plus minutes. It’s either too slow or too long. Perhaps a little of both.
“Another Second to Be” returns us to that faster paced rocking tempo, lifting the mood of the album significantly once again. Udo’s vocals have returned to that higher register again along with the feel of excitement of the album. Perhaps it is only because of the songs like the previous one that makes these kind of tracks stand out, but if that is the case it should be a warning sign. “Walking in the Shadow” again changes that mood, but retains enough of the band’s real character to pull it through. “Man Enough to Cry” is similar in slightly different ways, but now just feels like they are overdoing the chance to find a chorus which appeals to the masses. The album concludes with “Stand Tight” which again builds on this idea of construction a song, which by this stage of the album just feels like it is well overdone.
This isn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but it is the kind of album you have on in the background and barely notice as it runs through its repertoire. The formula is set from the opening songs and followed throughout, and it’s a very ‘easy listening’ kind of album. Sure the lyrics might be taking on the world, but the easy flow of slow 2/4 drums and rhythm that follows it isn’t inspiring great vertical leaps of excitement. It incites a slow bobbing of the head and a smile of enjoyment that touches the sides of the mouth without eliciting a break for the teeth to shine through. There is little of the commercialism that could be said to have been infused in the music on Metal Heart, but there just needed to be more songs such as “Another Second to Be” on here to bring it to life.

Rather than coming to life with a raging album that sets the precedence, this instead finds itself struggling for air amongst the rising steel of the American invasion of Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer, along with fellow Germans Helloween who had taken on the example set by the guitars of early Accept albums and transformed them into what would be the inspiration for European bands for the next 20 years. This album treads the water of the hard rock line, the comfortable section which they shared with AC/DC. They do what they do well, but whereas they once appeared to be the leaders in what was coming, they by this stage had conformed to settle on the calm waters whilst other took on the storm.

Rating:  “For love I had to give you up”.  3/5

966. Accept / Restless and Wild. 1982. 4/5

Through the course of Accept’s first three albums, there had been flashes of inspiration, songs or even just moments in songs where you could feel the real sound of the band trying to escape into the open. On Breaker those came through almost fully formed, only to have other moments that made you forget that. From the opening moments on Restless and Wild however, you know that the moment has arrived, and so had Accept.

The joy that exudes from the opening track is magnificent. “Fast as a Shark” is vindication for the evolution of their sound, to come up with this track which blitzes along with drums and guitars while Udo chants his vocals, reaching the crescendo in the chorus. Though some ‘historians’ have described this as the first speed metal track, I tend to think of it as the first song of Accept’s Golden Age, announcing the arrival of a faster, heavier, more dominant band. This is followed up by the title track “Restless and Wild” which continues in this direction, and also features Udo moving between his low spoken and high screeching vocals for one of the first times with such conviction. Both of these tracks are a great opening to the album. “Ahead of the Pack” plays along in this style as well, while “Shake Your Heads” is more of a traditional tempo song with the anthem chorus in-built for crowds to sing along to.
The middle section of the album brings things back to a different mood, a much slower tempo and different feeling to the album. “Neon Nights” almost has a Rainbow pacing and sound to it, mixing as it does in the soloing. “Get Ready” is a straight forward hard rock outing with basic rhythm backing along with that lyrical output that encourages the crowd singalong again. “Demon’s Night” sludges into action and driven by Udo’s vocals it moves up and down in tempo throughout but also gathering momentum as it progresses.
“Flash Rockin’ Man” begins the final stanza of the album in style, with energy and guitar riffs that pick up the pace in satisfying style. “Don’t Go Stealing My Heart Away” again has similarities to AC/DC in both style and substance, but is entertaining and enjoyable in its own way. The closer “Princess of the Dawn” goes to another extreme from the speed of the opening track, settling itself into a constant mid-range tempo driven by the rhythm of the guitar, bass and drums, and allowing the song to play out over the top of this, with the lead breaks, keys and Udo’s chanting leading the way. I was surprised that I enjoyed this track so much, even the abrupt ending of the song where it just cuts off in mid stroke rather than the traditional fade out.

Unlike the previous album, that was brought down by three songs that just didn’t fit in with the mold that Accept was trying to break, Restless and Wild contains none of those filler tracks. Everything here works in its environment, mixing faster and medium paced tracks without compromising the whole. The musicianship is second to none, and the overall package is a winner. This is still an album that can be put on and enjoyed at any time, which to me is always the best indicator.

Rating:  “Fast as a shark he'll cut out of the dark, he's a killer, he'll rip out your heart”.  4/5

965. Accept / Breaker. 1981. 3/5

In interviews with the band both at the time of this album’s release and at times since, this is the point where Accept decided to make the music they wanted to without an outside influences. There is little doubt that for at least half the album it can be heard that the direction of the music has gone up a notch in speed and aggression, and yet there is enough there that harks to the past that suggests that there were still a few tendrils holding them to that previous period.

The album kick starts on a great note with “Starlight”, with Udo reaching the heights with his vocals from the beginning, signaling that a new Accept appears to be in motion. This is followed by the faster paced title track “Breaker”, which continues the reimagining of the music, with Wolf Hoffman and Jörg Fischer’s guitars here giving an insight to a future sound of Helloween’s guitar sound. “Run If You Can” expands on this again, looking for the catchy chorus to endure the time between guitar riffs. “Can’t Stand the Night” does tend to begin reigning in back to a previous version of the band’s songs, with Udo stretching to maintain the dignity of his output in what is trying very hard to sound like a ballad like rock song.
“Son of a Bitch” is a classic, if only for young kids who want to release some pent up anger. The expletive-laced vocals, according to all reports having a crack at record companies, make for easy repetition after a few beers and this turned up loud. Probably not as effective at age 47 as it was at age 17, but still enjoyable in the right company. “Burning” jumps straight in with that AC/DC-like fast paced guitar and drums, evoking images of Bon Scott and Angus Young performing it. That’s not meant to be a derogatory comment, just a comparison of what is a great rocking track with similarities between styles. “Feelings” drops back a notch with a heavier riff, but is still driven along by Udo’s vocal power.
“Midnight Highway” is the first real change up the band throws at us here on this album. It moves back to a very 1970’s commercial rock tone which is immediately noticeable in the guitar sound, and then the bridge being sung by Peter Baltes, changing the tone of the song completely. It isn’t bad as such, but it is very noticeably different from everything that has come before it on the album. I don’t get good vibes from it whenever I put the album on, it tends to distract me.
And then… oh my god… what the hell is “Breaking up Again” doing here?! Seriously! I thought we were going in the new direction, taking on the mob and making a serious move towards that heavy sound that would make them the success they should be! Now, I am a renowned deplorer of ballads of most varieties and in most circumstances. But this is just vile. I cannot believe – still! – that this was allowed to make the album.
The album then concludes with “Down and Out” which while it doesn’t fully recover from the insanity of the previous track, at least allows the listener to finish the process with a slightly less bitter taste in the mouth.

This could have been an absolute top shelf album, apart from three things – “Can’t Stand the Night”, “Midnight Highway” and “Breaking up Again”. Those three songs drop this album back a full star in rating, and more is the pity. Take those out (which in the modern age you can do) and it really does have the right energy throughout. Put them back in, and you have a promising album that points to a promising future.

Rating:  “Icicle brains, bicycle chains”.  3/5

964. Accept / I'm a Rebel. 1980. 2.5/5

Accept had released their debut album in 1979, at a time where in retrospect they were unprepared for what the process required, and for what was necessary when it came to the writing process for a new album. In later years, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann recalled that their self-titled debut album was just a collection of songs that the band had been playing from their early years, all written without a focus on the job at hand. He was quoted as such: "We were just playing songs that we had always played. It was material that had gathered up over the first few months and years of our existence and it was a mixture of all kinds of stuff." Lead vocalist Udo Dirkschneider also expressed his dissatisfaction with the group's first effort when looking back on it some years later. The release of the album however gave them the opportunity to expand their horizons, and initially it gave them exposure outside of their native Germany into countries such as Belgium, France and The Netherlands for the first time.
Coming into the follow up album, the same line up that had toured the first album came back into the studio for their second attempt. Overall the band was looking to make a significant change from the first album. With a year of touring under their belt, they not only had the solidity of their playing to express, but also new songs written with the purpose of the new album in mind. Dirk Steffens was brought in as producer of the album, the first of three consecutive Accept albums he would be at the helm of. With this in mind, the band was looking for a more commercial sound in order to gain a stronger foothold both in Germany and then throughout Europe. This leads to a varied collection of tracks that does set it apart from their debut album but due to the differentiation between the styles of the songs, perhaps doesn’t quite establish exactly what sound Accept wanted to be known for.
The album was recorded in the back half of 1979, but wasn’t released until almost six months after the recording sessions had been completed. None of this set the band up on a solid platform, and with 1980 already becoming a stand out year for album releases in the hard to heavy genre, “I’m a Rebel” had some work to do if it wanted to compete on that level internationally.

Early on in their career, Accept had a sound that at its best mixed in tangible similarities of a cross between Judas Priest and AC/DC, which wasn’t such a bad thing when you trying to find your feet in a crowded music marketplace, and establish the identity that they eventually found so well.
Anyone who comes into this for the first time in the modern age, some 45 years after the album was released, is going to find it somewhat difficult to assuage how this is the same band that they may now be aware of. The answer of course is that they aren’t. However, listening to this album like other albums of the age, such as by Praying Mantis and Angel Witch and the like will give you the best tools with which to enjoy it. The main point of difference is that those two bands were comfortable within their music at that time, whereas with Accept, here was a band still trying to discover itself musically.
The opening track on the album plays into this whole perception about Accept’s early sound. “I’m a Rebel” is written by Alex Young, elder brother AC/DC’s Young brothers, and was actually recorded by AC/DC in 1976 with a possibility of it being released on their next album. This didn’t eventuate, and when producer Steffens decreed that the album needed a radio hit, he turned to Alex who produced this song. This is as good an explanation as any for when you hear the opening track, because it sounds like and AC/DC song, which at least does get the album away on a good footing.
Beyond the opening, this album has a better idea of where it wants to head, and is better than the debut as a result. The hard rock tracks all provide a solid base for the album. Along with the title track, the second song “Save Us”, along with “Thunder and Lightning” and “China Lady” provide the best that the band can deliver. Udo Dirkschneider’s vocals hit those heights that make his unique voice one that is as distinctive today as it was back in the day. He is having a great time on these tracks, and you can tell that this is the style that he was interested in following. The guitars of Wolf Hoffmann and Jorg Fischer are just as prominent, and their solo spots along with their harmony pieces are excellent and pick the songs up. Stefan Kaufmann’s drumming is also hard hitting here and great in the mix. “Thunder and Lightning” has a steady beat throughout that fits the theme, while “China Lady” has a grittier theme to it and is more than just a foot-tapping tune.
“I Wanna Be No Hero” mirrors the opening track by trying to be a more commercially appealing song, which doesn’t make it a bad song, but the difference in how hard it sounds like the band is playing is noticeable. Here there sounds like there is a desire to sit comfortably in the rock riff as written, where the other songs mentioned sound like they are being PLAYED rather than strummed. The closing track “Do It” fits this narrative as well though not to the same degree. Again, it is fine as a hard rock song but it lacks the ambition to be more than is.
That leaves the two rock ballad tracks, both of which contain lead vocals not from Udo but from bass guitarist Peter Baltes. And again this is where the album loses focus. These two tracks are mixed in with the attempted commercial hard rock tracks and the harder rock focused tracks that seem, to me at least, to be the best of the album. But the rock ballads are as you would expect. “No Time to Lose” actually sounds like a Rainbow song in places, and Baltes vocals are very much in the Graham Bonnet style. This is an almost paint-by-numbers tradition of this style of song, one where Baltes’ bass guitar also seems much higher in the mix than on other songs. What is even more strange, this song is solely written by producer Dirk Steffens, so there is no doubt at all what he was trying to do with this song on this album. It isn’t terrible but it also isn’t very good. The other rock ballad track is “The King”, this one credited to all of the band along with Steffens. It heads in all the same directions as “No Time to Lose”, and it feels like both tracks would fit more comfortably on a Foreigner album than an Accept album. It’s a strange path to follow, but as has already been noted, the band was still trying to find its own sound at this point of its career, rather than following the path that had been laid by others.

Though I listened to bits and pieces of Accept through the years, mainly from their more well known albums from the 1980’s, it was not until the turn of the century that I began to collate the albums of the Accept discography and truly discover what they had to offer. And it is an interesting study, especially when you go through them in chronological order, and decipher the changes and growing maturity of their sound from album to album. The first album is okay but really nothing special, a fact that the band itself has acknowledged in the past. But this album, well now that’s a different story.
But let’s say this from the start. “I’m a Rebel” is not a brilliant album. It is not even one of the best ten albums that Accept has released over the years. But it has a quaintness about it that I have always liked. It is a solid album with solid hard rock songs, if you ignore the two exceptions. And that is where the crux of it lies for me. Take those two songs out, and it is a far better album. Of course, it would then only be six songs and 25 minutes long, which is more of an EP. But Accept beyond this was built around the solid rhythm and hard to heavy sound of the guitars, and Udo’s vocals. Not utilising them does harm this album. And it is obviously a lesson that the band learned after this album, because they continued to make steady progress through the next decade in refining what became their sound.
I’ve had this out for the past couple of days again, and given its relatively short length have given it seven spins in total, and yes it still has its charms. Like I said it isn’t a world beater, but not every album is. In fact, very few are. This, on the other hand is an enjoyable hard rock album that is easy to listen to, and then put back on the shelves until next time. It is worth a listen to anyone who enjoys the history of heavy music, firstly to hear just where the band was at this point of their career, and then take in how they progressed from that point. It will not blow your mind, but it isn’t all bad either.

961. Accept / Restless & Live - Blind Rage - Live in Europe 2015. 2017. 4.5/5

Since the return of Accept to the metal maelstrom some years ago, and the recording of three excellent albums, it was probably only a matter of time before the re-imagined line up got around to putting out a live album to showcase their wares. Little did we know that it would be a monster, containing 27 brilliant tracks pulled from throughout the bands amazing back catalogue, and taken from different concerts all over Europe.

Just about everything you could want to listen to is here. From the timeless classics to the newest releases to the surprising entries, very song is performed with heart and steel.

The band sounds great, no matter which venue the song has been taken from, and with the two newbies doing a great job. The rhythm section of Christopher Williams on drums and Peter Baltes on bass keep everything in control, leaving Uwe Lulis and the immortal Wolf Hoffman to showcase their wares on guitar. Impressively, Mark Tornillo on vocals does a sterling job, whether it be the old material made famous by Dirk, or the material he has performed on through the last three albums. He does justice to it all.

I unfortunately missed their tour of Australia some 18 months ago, something that I will probably regret for some time if they don’t tour again. Given that this is an indication of what they can do on the stage, you would think people would be flocking to see them. As a record of their live tour, and how the current line-up can perform, it is well worth giving this a spin whether you are a 40 year fan or an interested entry level listener.

Rating:  "Now you know your dreams are useless, and there are lies you'll never tell"  4.5/5

769. Accept / Metal Heart. 1985. 3.5/5

Accept as a band had begun to make moves into the known quantity, firstly with their album “Restless and Wild” and then with the follow up to that album “Balls to the Wall”. Their penchant for AC/DC-like rhythms and vocal stylings had begun to catch on once they pushed outside the envelope and develop their own version of this music. Those two albums had both built on that success, with songs such as “Fast as a Shark” and “Balls to the Wall” drawing new fans into those albums. That success had put them in front of bugger crowds, none more so than support Iron Maiden on their World Slavey Tour.
After five albums where their music had become stronger and more accessible with each release, the band decided to make a move that they hoped would push them into even bigger markets, in particular the US. To do so, for their new album, they hired producer Dieter Dierks to come on board and helm the album. The band had used Dierks Studio before to record albums, but until this time Dierks himself had been unavailable to produce. This was mainly due to the fact that he was almost always busy with the Scorpions, with whom he had been producer since very early in the career. With his help, Scorpions had not only traversed to the top of the charts but were conquering the US at the time on the back of their album “Love at First Sting”. With his name being mentioned as one of the reasons the Scorpions had been able to morph into such success over the previous five years, it made sense for Accept to bring him on board and look to incorporate that into their own music. And on the back of this, alongside the AC/DC influence that had been a part of their early work, Accept also now had a small but important Scorpions influence upon their work. Wolf Hoffman recalled in an interview on his website that Dierks was very demanding in the studio. "We would do some pieces several dozen times trying to capture what he had in his mind for a specific section," and adding "Each song we tried different combinations of guitars, mic'ing and even strings!”
What the band was looking for was a more commercial sounding album without losing the inbuilt qualities that they had come through their first five albums with. The challenge was to write good strong songs that had an ability to break the market wide open for them. They had at least set themselves up to give themselves the best chance of doing that.

It is no real surprise that you can hear that Scorpions influence again seeping into Accept's music, this time not necessarily from following in their fellow Germans footsteps, but in a stylistic way in the recording studio. Not hugely, and not overpoweringly, but there are nuances there to be picked up on. With the band trying to push for a change in the direction of this album to a more commercial side of metal, in order to try and crack the American market, that Scorpions sound would perhaps have been an integral factor being considered. If that is the case, it is quite minimal. They may have changed the songs styles such that the guitars do not have such crunching heavy riffs, but everything else seems to be in order.
I love how the first time my daughter, who was learning to play the piano at the time, heard the opening title track "Metal Heart" which kicks off the album, she immediately recognised the theme of "Fur Elise" in the riff and solo of the song, and made mention of it. There is also a touch of Tchaikovsky in the opening of the song. It's a nice insert, and because that tune is so recognisable it does draw in the interest of those who may not necessarily be Accept fans and at least induces them to have a listen. It is a slow creeping start, but it comes to the party by the middle of the track. "Midnight Mover" then does have a softening chorus, sounding like it is looking to be the radio song that it was released as a single for. It is really only the chorus that changes in its style for this purpose. The rest of the song is pure Accept. In this instance at least it sounds as though there was no intent to make this more commercial friendly, that this is just a progression.
In the main, the songs are probably even faster here on this album than on “Balls to the Wall”, which for most fans makes them more endearing to their heavy metal roots rather than trying to unshackle them. "Up to the Limit" shows this off perfectly, rushing along at speed with squealing guitars and Udo's distinctive vocals. This is one of the best songs on the album and really showcases the way the band has improved over the past three albums to this point. This is followed by “Wrong is Right” which carries on in the same direction. While the opening two songs on the album have their commercially crafted moments, the next two tracks are indicative of the best that Accept has to offer. Wolf Hoffmann and Jorg Fischer here trade duelling solos in Judas Preist-esque fashion, and the song is a triumph.
"Screaming for a Love-Bite" is a song where the case could be made for a change in direction. It sounds like a single from the moment the song starts, and it was subsequently released as the second single from the album, after "Midnight Mover". This is looking for a market, trying to hook in people through its repeated chorus line, and with Udo’s vocals coming back from his trademark screech and finding a melody in the chorus that doesn’t offer the same power as in previous songs. The song is okay when you listen to it in the context of the album proper, but its weakness comparatively both musically and vocally, along with the over repeated lyrics to close out the first side of the album does hold it back.
“Too High to Get it Right” opens up side two of the album, and as a song it is a solid one, the kind of track that you expect to back up the best songs on the album by being the enjoyable fill ins between them. But...the gang backing vocals repeating the track’s name over and over again is overplayed, too much to really enjoy the track as it is. Again, it’s fine but just overdone in the process. A couple of the songs here also seem to have choruses that are reminiscent of their AC/DC early album songs, looking for that anthemic quality so the listener will chant along and be all the more memorable. "Dogs on Leads" is an example of this, and while the song overall is good, in exactly the same way that the other band does, sometimes it can just grate a little too much. There is also a familiar ring of the drum and rhythm of the song “Balls to the Wall” here that is a little distracting. "Living For Tonite" also possesses that almost-anthemic quality and still is an enjoyable track. Sandwiched between them is “Teach Us to Survive” which plays off the solid rock tones of the other two songs. However, "Bound to Fail" is a great closing track and finishes off the album perfectly. Udo is in great form and the bass line from Peter Baltes suits the track perfectly. And the song leads out to its conclusion with a Queen-like guitar solo from Hoffman to finish the album in style.
“Metal Heart” has a lot to like about it. The production is slicker, the songs are strong, the musicianship is top class. Udo’s vocals, even if you aren’t a fan of his gravelly disposition, are in top form, and show an increasing variety in their tone and range.

 
I didn’t come in to Accept the band until the 2000’s. Like everyone in existence I knew “Balls to the Wall” the song and probably heard a handful of other through the years, but it wasn’t until my decision to go back and chase down artists that I hadn’t heard in the mid-2000's, especially those of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, that I began to go through their catalogue. And as I had decided to listen to them all in the order they were released, I had already discovered and enjoyed “Breaker” and “Restless and Wild” and “Balls to the Wall” by the time I came to “Metal Heart”. And having admired the progression the band was making from one album to the next, I found that this was just as enjoyable. Yes, there is a slight change in the way the songs are written and pushed compared to those three previous albums, but it too me isn’t something that jumps out at you and creates a conundrum in listening to it. There are a lot of songs here I really like. The opening four tracks are all strong and enjoyable for being a new kind of hard and heavy metal style for Accept, while the second side of the album sticks true to what came before when it comes to tempo and rhythm.
I still like this album a lot, and yet there is something that just deprives it of something that - for me at least - doesn't allow it to jump into a higher category in regards to ranking against other bands of the age. And it may well just be as simple as this fact. Because if I had discovered this album in my teenage years when it was released, it would probably be a classic to my ears. The fact that I didn't find Accept until much later means their albums don't have that starry eyed love that other albums from that era have for me, because I actually had them at the time and I have grown up with them. I didn’t grow up with this album or the others that preceded it I have only discovered them in a much more recent period, and so they didn’t get played to death at that time when I was gorging myself on the band and the albums of the era. Take me back to 1986 and hand me this album, and right now I could well be spending another 20 minutes praising its qualities. Because I think they are there. I’m just unable to put aside what I feel may be a few inadequacies that I may have blinded eyes to when it comes to other bands and albums that I did have in 1986.
I recently purchased this on CD on eBay because I didn’t own it, and I really wanted to. And it sounds awesome listening to this in the Metal Cavern. It is still a very good album, that perhaps once again has even raised itself in my esteem having heard it once again for the first time in a while. And it is true that I probably prefer the latter career albums of Accept with Mark Tornillo on vocals because they have more aggression in their music and vocals. But this for me is still a worthy listen. It is probably also true that it is the last of the four album stretch that was such a huge part of the classic era of the band.

749. Accept / Accept. 1979. 2.5/5

Given the long and well credentialled career that the band has enjoyed over the years, it is interesting to note the less than auspicious start that Accept had on their start as a band and upon the release of their debut album. The beginnings of the band can be traced all the way back to 1968, but it wasn’t until 8 years later that the band were able to find a reasonably stable line-up and that they began to play gigs as a solid formation. This lineup of the band contained main band members Udo Dirkschneider on vocals, Wolf Hoffmann on lead guitar and Peter Baltes on bass guitar, along with Jorg Fischer on rhythm guitar and Frank Friedrich on drums.
The debut album is not recalled by any of the band members with any great fondness. As has been discussed with other albums on recent episodes, debut albums are always a learning process both for the band and the people they entrust to produce them. Both are trying to discover the sound they want, and the debut albums of most bands always seem to have troubles along the way. In this instance, Udo always expressed disappointment in the result, but also in the way the band recorded the album., He felt that while the production could have been better, he felt that the songs and the way the band chose to record them also lacked the professionalism they required. Wolf has been more circumspect, saying that the songs they recorded for this album were just ones they had gathered along the path on their way to that point in time, and lacking the focus that being written at the same time with the same ideas would produce on albums down the track. In any event, the album was recorded, and the self-titled album hit the shelves in January 1978… to a resounding thud.

For later fans of the band’s music, yes, you bet this first album is different, but that is often the case when a band first finds its feet. One thing that is for certain here is that you can hear where some of their influences may have come from. There is no doubt a heavy background in their music from Scorpions and UFO, whom Michael Schenker was with at that time. Songs such as "Lady Lou" and "Glad to be Alone" are perfect examples of that here. Also, the ballad "Seawinds" and the harder song "Sounds of War" both reference that Scorpions underscore in particular. Being a German band, the influence of Scorpions should be obvious, given the fact that they were very much on the rise at this time. Both “Seawinds” of “Sounds of War” have the lead vocals performed by bass guitarist Peter Baltes, no doubt because to ask Udo to perform these would have created completely different songs. Or did he just not want to sing on them? I don't know the answer. “Seawinds” in particular as the power ballad here is less than appealing to my ear and is lacking almost all of the elements that could make a great power metal ballad.
Then you have an even rarer beast. In fact, whether they had heard them or not, the song "That's Rock n Roll" has a very familiar Van Halen sound to it. Uncannily so. Even the lyrics could have come straight from David Lee Roth's mouth. It is very off-putting and a bit eerie actually. A German Van Halen cover band? Is that one of the band’s possible career paths? On listening to this… no.
Udo's vocals throughout the album are not what he would become known for. In fact, the only parts of the album where you hear from him anything like the gruff vocal style he became known for is during the middle of "Take Him in My Heart" and at the very end of the album in "Helldriver". For the remainder of the album, they have a more… commercial… bent about them. It’s a very interesting exercise listening to this album and hearing the different style of lead vocals on the songs. No two seem alike, and whether or not this was a direction that was planned for at this time, or whether or not the more recognisable vocal style came in as a result of this album not performing particularly well, I don’t have the answer. What I do know is that it must have been easier to accept (no pun intended) this style if you came across the band at this stage, rather than at a point a couple of years later and beyond.

For reasons that have hopefully been adequately put forward in this episode, there has been an aversion to Accept's earliest work, mostly from those that came in late to Accept's sound, and find it hard to come to terms with the early material. Many cite the early 1980's as the peak of their sound, with Udo screaming on vocals and the guitars finding that heavier duelling sound. The youngsters of the 21st century may well be coming into the band’s new material with Mark Tornillo on vocals and a modern metal edge to the music. Perhaps, having actually found the band in either of these eras, and then going back to listen to those first couple of albums, they find that it is so different that they are incapable of enjoying it.
As it turns out, I was a latecomer to Accept as well. Sure, I knew “Balls to the Wall” as every headbanger from the 1980's did, but I didn't really come to any other Accept music until much later on. More's the pity, but sometimes there is so much music out there you just can't have it all. As it turns out, I too found the historical past of Accept after I had come to enjoy their other more prominent periods, and also faced the difference that makes up their sound on this first album.
Suffice to say, this is an album that has its challenges, and one that doesn’t hold up as well as others from other bands of the era. The comments made by both Udo and Wolf from the first segment of this podcast do come across as accurate. It is an album where there is not a lot of cohesion in the track list, and a difference in the songs that appears difficult to overcome. Given I didn’t listen to the band much until 30 years after this album was released, it didn’t have the relationship with my youth that my favourite albums generally do. I have had it on several times over the past week, and in the background it has been listenable enough. Putting on today at home without any distractions to get my true feelings on it, I have found that the limitations that it has have been far more noticeable.
So certainly “Accept” the album shows a band in development, taking their first steps into the recorded music world. While it won't cater to all tastes, as an album written and recorded in the late 1970's it shows some of the characteristics of that period. While I don't categorise it as one of my favourite albums, and indeed is probably my least favourite of the band’s catalogue, it is one I can put on and listen to without hating it. It just doesn’t have too much to really attract you to choosing it to listen to and investing the 36 minutes it requires to go from start to finish.

677. Accept / Balls to the Wall. 1983. 3.5/5

If you grew up in the 1980's, and you listened to heavy metal, then you knew the song "Balls to the Wall" by Accept, because it was one of those songs that whenever they had heavy metal videos played on music video television, it was always one of the first songs that popped up. It was the song that became the band’s signature song. Whether you knew anything else of this album is another question entirely. Many did not follow up knowing the single to checking out the album, which in retrospect could be seen to have been a poor move.
In 1983, Accept was coming off the tour to promote their fourth album, “Reckless and Wild”. Though it had been released in October 1982 in Europe, it had a delayed release in the US and UK which meant a delayed catch up in those regions to the album. Accept’s initial albums had been a bit of a formula, mirroring th sound and structure made popular by AC/DC at the time. And it’s fair to say that the first three albums are not overtly exciting. But from the opening track of “Restless and Wild”, you notice the change, that this is Accept’s moment. The energy and passion of “Fast as a Shark” is what sets this album apart from its predecessors and sets it up perfectly. And from here, the album barely takes a backward step. It’s not all as fast as the opener, but this is where the band comes together and finds its mojo.
This then was the momentum that the band took into the writing and recording of the follow up, “Balls to the Wall”. Herman Frank had come on board as an official member of the band, having been credited as guitarist on “Restless and Wild” even though he had not contributed to it. It was to be a watermark for the band, though one that was divisive on its release and still the bone of contention in some areas even today.

From the very beginning there are unmistakable homages to Judas Priest throughout, sometimes just a vocal or a guitar lick, but they are there, nonetheless. You can also catch stretches of AC/DC both lyrically and musically and given that Accept are of a similar vintage to both of these bands it shouldn't come as such a great surprise. These had been with the band since its inception, and still formed the basis of their music into their fifth album.
The album follows a solid hard rock/metal line in most of these songs. The anthemic qualities of the opening title track "Balls to the Wall" were alluded to in the opening of this episode, and they have helped to make it a crowd favourite since the album was released. It is pretty much the one song anyone can name if they are asked to name a song by Accept. The basic time format and chanting vocals make it a perfect song live. This is similarly true of songs like "London Leatherboys" and "Fight It Back" and "Losing More Than You've Ever Had", where the double chorusing on vocals lends the song that air of singing along with fists pumping the air. In regards to song writing the album included lyrical themes about politics, sexuality and human relationships. "Balls to the Wall" refers to slaves revolting against oppressing masters, while "Fight It Back" is about social misfits fighting against conformity. Drummer Stefan Kaufmann was quoted as saying "London Leatherboys" about bikers, but: "They're normal people, they just look different and they behave different. But they're normal people, another minority”.
One of the bigger minor controversies from the album was the song “Love Child”, which referenced people being gay, something that was seen as taboo in many circles in 1983. Kaufmann again was quoted in regard to this kerfuffle, stating: "It's a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration. Because it exists on a wide scale and should be demystified. In fact, this is a phenomenon of society that needs to be taken as such. For a long time gay people have been considered as sick or insane. And yet, it's time to respect these people, open our minds which are often closed”. Guitarist Wolf Hoffman played down the controversy, while adding that the media coverage was great for the band’s profile and album sales, while band manager and lyrics composer Gaby Hauke, who is married to Hoffman, also suggested it was the interpretation from certain circles that caused the controversy and not the lyrics themselves.
Returning to the album proper, and there are some other terrific songs here. The fabulous melodic lead breaks in the middle of "Turn Me On" really highlight that song, and amke it one of the best to listen to on the album. "Losers and Winners' is perhaps the paciest song of the album with a tracking drum beat and gunning guitars matched by Udo's vocals. This and “Losing More Than You’ve Ever Had” showcase the two halves of the Accept music tangent.
However, I need to raise my issues with the closing track, for regrettably typical reasons. "Winter Dreams" for me is a very strange and undesirable way to conclude the album. All those who listen to this podcast on a regular basis will know that I am not a fan of the power ballad at the best of times, but I especially find it a bit strange to end an album with one. Sure, you can't slow the momentum of an album if there is nothing to come following that song, but you can kill the mood the album is giving you by doing so. And I believe that is what “Winter Dreams” does. It softens what was a perfectly good album with a weak finish. Not a fan.

While for many who grew up with this album it has become an all-time classic, one which they will judge all other albums in history against, having first come into this album in the early 1990's I don't have the same stars in my eyes it regards to its attachment. These kinds of albums are the ones that, if you grew up when they were released and listened to them hundreds of times, over and over, you will rate at the top echelon of the scale, because they are catchy songs, which will inevitably remind you of those days. However, if you came into these kinds of albums after this stage of your life, you are more likely to think it is a solid album, but more in the mid-range kind of rating. In other words, the same album, but grabbing onto people at different times in their lives. I find for me this is especially true with “Balls to the Wall”. I can see myself loving this album to death had I been listening to it since 1983. However, having found it about a decade after this, I don’t have that true out and out love for it, the love you get from buying an album on its release, and loving it from that moment on. There is a real power to that, and while you can certainly get that from albums years after their initial release if you come into it of your own devices, I don’t for this. I still think it is a great album for the era, one with a lot of positives. Interestingly though, I am drawn to other Accept album more than this, such as “Restless and Wild” and even “Metal Heart”, but certainly the albums since the reformation of the band 15 years ago with Mark Tornillo on vocals. Those albums are far heavier than the 1980’s albums, and draw me in more than this album does.
All that aside though, don’t get the wrong impression, because I still enjoy this album a lot. I have had my vinyl copy spinning in the Metal Cavern over the last couple of weeks, and still enjoy it just as much as I ever have. Yes, it is tied to its era, and you have to enjoy the music of that era to enjoy this. But – who DOESN’T enjoy early 1980’s heavy metal?! Isn’t it what we are all here for, after all?