Accept are one of the oldest German metal bands. They can be traced as far back as the early 70's, but it was not until around 1976 the band seriously started to be noticed. This is one of those classic bands that I just don't remember how I got into. My brother listened to a lot of different metal albums, and Accept tunes were always on his compilation cassettes. It was great. After hearing classics like 'Metal Heart', 'Restless & Wild' and others, Accept grew to be one of my favorite bands. But after their vocalist Udo left, (and later returned), I lost interest in them. I haven't even heard their latest releases.

ACCEPT (1979, 2000) NUCLEAR BLAST/BREAKER

Look at the year this album was first released. In 1979 the NWOBHM wave was still almost unheard of. And still Accept, from Germany, released their debut album on CBS this very year, and recorded it the year before. Sure, their self titled first offering isn't as blatant a metal album as the bands more known efforts, from the mid-80's. But this is a darn heavy album from that particular year. I'd say that only Judas Priest, and maybe Motörhead, were rivals in heaviest act back then. They are also the 2 bands I'd say Accept sounded the most a like. Them, and a stroke or two of Thin Lizzy. This album is also notable for more then the picture of Udo with hair. It also contains some out-of-character ballads, like "Glad To Be Alone", where Udo sounds very unlike his usual raspy self. He actually sings more here, using different sounds and techniques. He is also sharing vocal duties with Peter Baltes (on "Seawinds" and "Sounds Of War"). "That's Rock 'n Roll" is like an updated 50's rock song, only with blistering dual guitar-work. You can still hear that this is Accept though, and that is much thanks to the guitar-attack from Wolf Hoffman and Jörg Fischer. Wolf really is a monster player, and he is showing it from the get go. 'Accept' remains the humble beginnings from a legendary band. Today this album might be mostly know for the single, "Lady Lou". But listening to it in 2007, I find it to be a charming piece of metal history.

I own the 2000 digipak reissue, released on Nuclear Blast. The cheap packaging comes without a booklet. The album has also been re-released with different artwork, but mine has the original women-with-chainsaw cover.

Killer tracks: Lady Lou, Tired Of Me, Seawinds, Take Him In My Heart, Glad To Be Alone

I'M A REBEL (1980, 1992) CASTLE COMMUNICATION

I'm A Rebel Save Us No Time To Loose Thunder And Lightning China Lady I Wanna Be No Hero The King Do It

Line-up: Udo Dirkschneider - Vocals Wolf Hoffman - Lead Guitars Jörg Fischer - Rhythm Guitarss Peter Baltes - Bass, Lead Vocals on 3, 7 Stefan Kaufmann - Drums

Accept's second album was initially released in June 1980, via Brain Records. It was the first of three consecutive Accept records to utilize Dirk Steffens as producer. It was also a deliberate, but somewhat failed, attempt to make a more commercial records.

I'm not sure why, but I imagined an immature and not fully grown band on 'I'm A Rebel'. What I found was some songs with a raw and naive sound, but as a whole I thought that 'I'm A Rebel' stood the test of time quite nicely. Sure, Accept have still not found their own sound just yet, and the album is the most experimental from these Germans for decades to come. But it contains some good songs, like the title track for example. It was penned by one George Alexander, a pseudonym for none other than George Young, older brother of AC/DC's Angus and Malcolm Young. Peter Baltes is once again doing lead vocals on 2 songs. This time it's for "No Time To Loose" and "The King", 2 of the best songs on the record.

My version of 'I'm A Rebel' is a re-release from 1992, using the original German cover art. It has been reissued many times, and the original UK and US pressings had a different cover, trying to make it look more metalized. 'I'm A Rebel' is one of heavy metal's earliest albums, and that makes it a milestone.

Trivia: The song 'I'm a Rebel' was also recorded, but never released, by AC/DC. They had recording sessions outside Albert Productions without George Young and Harry Vanda. Bon Scott was very drunk when the song was recorded. Nevertheless, Accept guitarist Wolf Hoffmann claimed in an interview that this recording was "way better" than Accept's result. The recording remains in Albert Productions' vaults.

Killer tracks: I'm A Rebel, No Time To Loose, China Lady, The King

BREAKER (1981, 1992) CASTLE COMMUNICATION

'Breaker' was the Germanic gigantuawatt gladiators 3rd go. And all the while the band didn't get their worldwide break until their next album, 'Breaker' still made them a lot of headway. And despite the lack of an initial UK pressing of the album, the tour for 'Breaker' marked the bands first tour in Britain, supporting Judas Priest. It would also mark the last record with Jörg Fischer.

The metal media hailed 'Breaker' as a masterpiece, but in hindsight it is almost like the forgotten stepbrother of the band's more known LP's, 'Restless And Wild', 'Balls To The Walls' and 'Metal Heart'. It's a shame really, because this is the album where Accept really found their trademark sound. All the ingredients are here; the speedy, yet flashy, guitar-work, Udo's convincing vocal delivery and the combination of ballsy metal and melodies. 'Breaker' might not contain the band obvious hits (save for the title track and the fan-favorite "Son Of A Bitch"), but it is still cramped with stellar songs, even down to the awesome ballad, "Can't Stand The Night', featuring some of Udo's best performances on tape. "Burning" is another number that sounds like a metalized classic rock 'n' roll song. It contains a crowd noise in the background to make it sound like a live recording. But it is an Accept original, recorded in the studio.

The profanity-laced "Son Of A Bitch" caused the band some controversy, of course. And to get the album released for the UK market, they recorded a "softer" version of the track, with alternative lyrics, and named it "Born To Be Whipped". This version appears on my CD reissue, even though the track-listing lists the original name. Guess I'll have to hunt down the uncensored version.

'Breaker' is possibly one of Accept's strongest albums. Again, it might lack the crowd pleasers and the obvious hits. Still, there is not a weak track to be found on this CD, and it sounds as fresh today as it did when it was first released back in 1981.

Killer tracks: Breaker, Run If You Can, Can't Stand The Night, Son Of A Bitch, Burning, Feelings

 RESTLESS AND WILD (1982) BRAIN

I have some good memories from this album, so it is nice to finally get it on CD. But time has played a little trick on me, and I have forgotten most of the tracks on this record. It's a classic piece of heavy metal, indeed, but there are actually more fillers than top notch songs here. The opener, "Fast As A Shark", is still a gigantic favorite, for some the proto-type for speed and thrash metal. The title track is also great, but then the album falls down a bit, in my eyes (or should I say ears). And it doesn't really pick up again, until the now newly discovered "Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away". Then again, what a finale we get in the awesome "Princess Of The Dawn"! But why on earth haven't they fixed the little mistake from the vinyl edition? The track still stops brutally, as the vinyl B-side ran out of wax! You would have thought they fixed this when they recorded it onto CD. Maybe it's the original tape that ran out, and the problem never was with the vinyl? Hope they have fixed it on the remastered series, because now I got to hunt for that one.

Killer tracks: Fast As A Shark, Restless And Wild, Neon Nights, Princess Of The Dawn

BALLS TO THE WALL (1983, 2002) BMG/RCA (Remastered)

Accept were on a roll in the early to mid-eighties, and here is another killer album from them. 'Balls To The Wall' is almost like the blueprint for German 80's metal. The album starts of with the classic title-track, and it doesn't really slow down after that. I don't care as much for the last 3 tracks, but the rest are all metal-history! The 2 extra tracks on this remastered edition are, as far as I can see, picked from the 'Kaizuko-Ban' EP. The live rendition of "Head Over Heals" is outstanding! A MUST!

Killer tracks: Balls To The Wall, London Leatherboys, Head Over Heals, Love Child

METAL HEART (1985, 2002) BMG/RCA (Remastered)

This just sounds like Accept to me. Udo's unique vocals, combined with killer songs, become a winning combination. Most die hard fans feel this was a more commercial record. But when I grew up, and at age 12 listened to this record, these labels weren't in my vocabulary. I just knew what I liked and what I didn't like. And no one can deny that this album has it's share of classics. "Screaming For A Love Bite" is the first song I think about if someone mentions the name Accept. I got the remastered version, with 2 more live tracks featured.

Killer tracks: Screaming For A Love Bite, Midnight Mover, Metal Heart, Too High To Get It Right

LIVE IN JAPAN (1985, 1992) BMG ARIOLA

This live album (or EP?) was originally only released in Japan back in 1985. The original release had a different title ('Kaizuko-Ban') and artwork. My version is a German reissue. As a live recording, this CD is excellent. The sound is good, the band is tight. The only thing missing is MORE SONGS! Just look at the set-list; what Accept fan wouldn't love this?

RUSSIAN ROULETTE (1986, 2002) BMG/RCA (Remastered)

This is the first Accept album I can remember listening to. I think I heard other songs from the band prior to listening to 'Russian Roulette', but this is the first complete album. And of course I think it rocks. Again people tell me that this is too commercial, but no one can tell me that songs like "Monsterman" and "Another Second To Be" aren't just great! After this record Udo quit, and I lost interest in the band, until the collector in me wanted to own all of their albums.

I've secured a remastered version, with 2 more live bonus-tracks (actually, if you have all 3 remastered versions you also have all the live-tracks from 'Kaizuko-Ban' on CD).

Killer tracks: Monsterman, Another Second To Be, Man Enough To Cry, Aiming High

EAT THE HEAT (1989) EPIC

X-T-C Prisoner Love Sensation Chain Reaction D-Train Generation Clash Turn The Wheel Mistreated Stand 4 What U R Hellhammer Break The Ice (bonus track)

Line-up: David Reece - Vocals Wolf Hoffman - Guitar Peter Baltes - Bass Stefan Kaufmann - Drums Jim Stacey - Rhythm Guitar Additional musicians: Jacky Virgil - Backing Vocals on 3 U.D.O. - Backing Vocals on 7 Mark Dodson - Backing Vocals on 7

Accept sans Udo was not a success. In came two American newbies, most noticeably David Reece (Bangalore Choir, Sircle Of Silence) on vocals. But I'm not sure he was the real "problem" with this disc, although he has in hindsight gotten all the blame. The fact is that he is a great singer, and he fits the music on the disc perfectly. The problem is that the music doesn't sound like Accept. If the album had a different name on the cover, this disc might have been a stellar debut from a new band. A band which sound was just right at the time of the release of this album. 'Eat The Heat' delivers some solid melodic metal, but so few of the tracks give us the idea that we're listening to one of the classic German heavy metal acts. It sounds like an American band, with power ballads and all. "X-T-C" has later been "covered" by U.D.O., and during the reunion with Accept and Udo in the 90's, the band re-recorded "Generation Clash". The album came with a different cover in Europe, and an extra track.

Killer tracks: X-T-C, D-Train, Generation Clash, Mistreated, Hellhammer

OBJECTION OVERRULED (1992) CMC INTERNATIONAL

I always thought that Accept ended with 'Russian Roulette', and that the albums released after that one sucked. I guess it was about time to get rid of preconceived notions like that, because they are often dead wrong. I can't honestly say that this albums ranks as high as 'Metal Heart' or mentioned 'Russian Roulette', but it's still a darn fine metal album! You just gotta love Accept's pure heavy metal, no need for sub genres whatsoever. As they themselves so adequately puts it, they are "Slaves To Metal"! "Donations", however, is pure AC/DC worship, right down to the lyrics!

Killer tracks: Objection Overruled, I Don't Wanna Be Like You, All Or Nothing

BLOOD OF THE NATIONS (2010) NUCLEAR BLAST

It's been 14 years since the last studio album from Accept. Udo decided to leave again, and the band was laid dormant for over a decade. Then Wolf and Herman decided to give it one more go. And together with Peter and Stefan, they recruited Mark Tornillo (TT Quick) as Accept's new singer. Nuclear Blast singed the band, and brought in renowned producer, Andy Sneap, to oversee the recording of a new album. The result is named 'Blood Of The Nations', and have so far taken the metal community by storm!

I don't think many fans thought that there was life after Udo for Accept. With trembling fear so many of us remember the last time they tried it. But when they announced the new singer, people where at least curious. Mark rally came out of the blue, and surprised us all. Another surprise was how good this new album really is! 'Blood Of The Nations' is just cram packed with classic sounding Accept tunes! Apparently the first thing Andy did when assigned the producing role was to get the band to listen through all the classic Accept albums, over and over. This diet really got the band into the right mode for writing the right songs for the album. In a time where many new acts are trying to recreate the old school metal sound of the '80's, Accept return to show them how it's really done! Mind you, 'Blood Of The Nations' is not a trite retro album, with ditto muffled sound. It's the songs that are perfect throwbacks to the golden era. The production is top notch and modern, but still sounds warm and organic. Every song here have that classic heavy metal feel, with the dual guitars, sing-along choruses, trademark backing vocal and anthem like qualities. Some of them are instant favorites, such as "Teutonic Terror", "Blood Of The Nations" and "Locked And Loaded", while others open up along the way and with repeated listening. Mark brings his winning persona to the band, and while he has a vocal style not overtly different from Udo, he still brings something fresh to the bands sound. He is simply the perfect match for this band in 2010!

'Blood Of The Nations' holds everything we as Accept fans could have hoped for, and then some. This is truly one of the the finest classic metal albums in years, and will rank very high on my list of favorite albums from 2010.

The limited edition digipak album I bought comes with a bonus track. It is called "Time Machine", and this mid-paced metal song is one of the best songs on the album!

Killer tracks: I've come to love them all, but check out " Teutonic Terror, "Blood Of The Nations", "The Abyss" and "Time Machine" to really be convinced!

Accept also appear on:  

V/A - 'Hear 'n Aid: Stars'

Udo Dirkschneider guest appearances:

Accept - 'Eat The Heat'

HammerFall - 'I Want Out' (single)

HammerFall - 'Renegade' (single)

HammerFall - 'Masterpieces'

Lordi - 'The Arockalypse'

Accept tribute album(s):

Related artists:

U.D.O., Sinner, Running Wild, Helloween, Paradox, Don Dokken, X-Wild