ACCEPT – Blood Of The Nations

Once upon a time (1988), German Metal band Accept fired their singer Udo Dirkschneider to become a melodic hard rock band that wanted a shot at the American market. They hired American singer David Reece and tried a glammier look. That failed miserably and the album, Eat The Heat (1989), was a disaster, but nothing compared to the tour that followed which didn’t last for more than a couple of weeks before the band fell apart, fist fights and all included. Later, in 1992 the band reunited with Udo and released Objection Overruled (1993), a classic sounding Accept album that was very well-received by the fans, but after only two more albums, the unfocused Death Row (1994) and the underrated Predator (1996), the band fell apart once more, only to reunite once more in 2005, this time only for touring. So when we were told that Accept would have another go at it once more, again without Udo, it wasn’t hard to feel very suspicious. But this time Accept aren’t aiming at any market but the Metal one – and they haven’t recruited a big haired, good-looking pop metal guy. Their new guy, Mark Tornillo (formerly of TT Quick) will never be a male super model, but what he can do is sing metal the way it should be sung. The guy sounds like mix between Udo and Brian Johnson, but with a wider range and he fits perfectly.

And the songs then. Wow! This time they have made a classic Accept album just the way we love them. This album might just be the best record they have made since Russian Roulette in 1986. Or Metal Heart (1985) even. I am totally blown away by this. Opening track ”Beat The Bastards” is one heavy number and classic Accept all the way. So is first single ”Teutonic Terror”. It’s fist in the gut and maybe one of the best songs they have ever written. The chorus with the big gang vocals singing “WE WILL – give ’em the axe!” is just brilliant. The title track is one of those big chorus heavy shit that Accept does so well, ”Time Machine” and ”Pandemic” are so true to the classic Accept sound that it feel that you’re back in the 80’s again, ”Kill The Pain” is a ballad and Accept has always been great at writing ballads and this one is no exception. Tornillo sings with passion and feel in a way that Udo never could. The only song that doesn’t hold up here is ”Locked And Loaded”. It’s hard and fast, but feels uninteresting and it goes in one ear and out the other. It’s the only song that I can’t call great on here, but bad? Nope.

Make no mistake, Accept are back. For real. The fact that Udo isn’t missed one bit is a huge surprise and very, very impressing. This album is a real killer and I can guarantee that in few years time, this will be hailed as one of the true Accept classics, put right in there with the Udo fronted ones. Why Udo didn’t want to go another round with the guys with songs as strong as this is beyond me. Especially when his own albums aren’t all that arousing these days. Ok, so Udo’s album aren’t bad, but they are repetitive and many of them, forgettable. But it’s his loss as this kicks everything Udo has done with his band for the last 10 years or so. No, this kicks everything that Udo has done ever. So there you go. If you’re an Accept-fan, buy this album! It really should be in every metal fan’s record collection.

Jon Wilmenius (9/10)

Tracklist:

1. Beat The Bastards
2. Teutonic Terror
3. The Abyss
4. Blood Of The Nations
5. Shades Of Death
6. Locked And Loaded
7. Time Machine
8. Kill The Pain
9. Rolling Thunder
10. Pandemic
11. New World Comin’
12. No Shelter
13. Bucket Full Of Hate