Classic Remaster Reviews From Accept! (2017)

Accept – Accept (1979 Remastered Platinum Edition) – Featuring a rather rough looking broad with a massive chainsaw on the front cover, this was the debut release for these now German heavy metal legends. Accept are even a household name in the genre, especially in their homeland where several newer acts have found inspiration in their music. So what was it all about during this time in the band’s tenure? Quite simply, Accept were rockin’ out. Accept feels like a classic heavy metal album, because it is – and you just don’t hear a disc that sounds like this anymore, in the same class as that of Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Saxon and several others in the English birthplace of the very genre itself. “Lady Lou” gives us a straight-forward rocker, while “Tired Of Me” packs on a thick chorus line. “Seawinds” shows us that at one time frontman Udo Dirkschneider actually used a far cleaner vocal tone, which I really wish would have stood the test of time compared to the high-pitched style that we are used to these days. I feel that this track is something of an under-appreciated gem, which hearkens slightly back to the sixties, where it decorates with astonishing guitar melodies. It’s not “Balls To The Wall” right now, but it shows that the band were capable of so much more than that. “Take Him In My Heart” feels like filler at first, but once the chorus gets going, it will be very difficult to drive it from your cranium. Trust me. “Sounds Of War” features a slightly darker tone as it mixes that leftover prog-rock style with a hard-rock edge. Again, essential Accept here, there’s no doubt in my mind. The tag-team lineup of Wolf Hoffman on leads and Jörg Fischer handling the rhythms and solos is something that really made Accept pop. Listen to the two pieces I’ve provided here, which will show just how masterful the work was, and why it was essential to be re-released into today’s heavy metal generation. I just can’t get over how fantastic some of these tunes are. You don’t hear it anymore, either. When these guys made their ballads, they made their ballads. According to the interview included at the end of the album, it seems that Germany didn’t know how to react to this kind of music at first; but I know that someone there must have felt the same way about these incredible compositions, regardless of the fact that at this stage the work was still considered “proto-heavy metal” in any sense. But even if it’s not heavy enough for you, I really hope that you will appreciate this as a truly killer rock disc. It’s well over forty years old, and is literally just as relevant now as it was back then. I hate to sound like the old guy, but maybe I am at this point. I’m starting to find more in common with classic metal approaches this year than I have with some of the more modern stuff, this record really being a testament to that. As of right now, only the first four albums have been released as “platinum editions” but maybe in the future, the others will appear. I would be more than happy to listen to those as well. Just as the label says, this is heavy metal history.

(11 Tracks, 40:00)

8/10

Accept – I’m A Rebel (1980 Remastered Platinum Edition) – If the opening title track on this record doesn’t get your foot tapping and have your fist raised in the air, then you might be dead. This is Accept’s classic sophomore album, showing less progressive touches and more full-on rock elements. It’s also safe to say that the exciting title cut (it’s even on my personal cellphone playlist) is a literal rock and roll anthem, predating “Balls To The Wall” which most people know from them. But what you may not know, is that this title cut was originally written for AC/DC. Next we have an oddly disco inspired rocker called “Save Us” which is actually quite catchy, if you love disco rock – and those same amazing solos from Fischer. Now oddly we have a change of pace here in two beautiful songs sung by bassist Peter Baltes, the first of which is “No Time To Lose” which reminds me a little of The Scorpions or Foreigner and the second “The King” which reminds me a little of Queen. No pun intended. Obviously, a more radio-approach was sought here, with the admitted “I Wanna Be No Hero” being considered a misstep by Udo. “Thunder and Lightning” feels a bit like Kiss, but you could obviously hear that the band were still discovering themselves a bit on this one. It was definitely more experimental than the previous, which I still feel is a much stronger record. “China Lady” certainly has it’s merits though, showing that these boys could rock and that they could rock hard. Finally we have “Do It” which again seems to tap into that AC/DC vibe. A speedy live performance of the title cut was added, but not entirely necessary. It’s safe to say that I’m A Rebel wasn’t one of Accept’s best recordings, but it is certainly not a bad one either. After all, it was just another step in this great German act’s journey of discovery.

(9 Tracks, 36:00)

7/10

Accept – Breaker (1981 Remastered Platinum Edition) – Their third opus, Breaker seems to show the band getting a real foothold in their sound and would be a template for the kind of band that they’d later become. Much longer than it’s precursor, Breaker shows off some of the band’s most beloved hits, like “Can’t Stand The Night” and “Midnight Highway.” Included on this edition are live versions of the title track and “Midnight Highway” which though aren’t necessary, surely aren’t a bad idea to have. Now these live tracks come from Udo’s latest tour and aren’t from the live performances around that time, but they still show that one of metal’s strongest frontmen still has it in him after all of these years. The album revs up with the Priestly vibe of “Starlight” which more or less seems to show the band finally entering into the realms of full-on heavy metal. It’s no surprise that they supported Judas Priest on tour with this one, being what Udo considers to have possibly been their breakout album in Europe. The idea for this one was to have the “heaviest sound on the planet” which is a real departure from the experimental realms of I’m A Rebel. Udo also considers it the birth of that signature Accept sound. The record is extremely similar to Priest at their heaviest as well, almost making them seem like a German version of the act. Not a real issue though, because albums like this make up the very brick and mortar of the power metal movement as we know it. The album’s title cut follows the same formula, showcasing an act that was more than ready to take the world by storm. Tracks like “Run If You Can” showcase the sort of slow chugging equivalent to that of early Priest and Dickinson fronted Maiden. These were full-blown heavy metal cuts, with strong choral blasts and a continued majesty in guitar theatrics from the twin titans, Fischer and Hoffman. Their compositional efforts more or less made this fucking record – and this was decades before computer programming, so everything sounds as natural and raw as it should. The guitars aren’t raised so high in the mix that the vocal edges are drowned out, and Udo’s vocals are just right soaring slightly above the rest of the instruments. This was the legendary Accept frontman at his very best after all, so I could see that they very well wanted him to be heard – and he strikes with a thunder. This record released four years before I was actually born into the world, but I can certainly go back and appreciate it. It marks the true sound of eighties heavy metal, which is heavily emulated but never perfectly replicated. When we get to “Cant Stand The Night” I feel that this is the moment where the performance has been wholly solidified. A ballad with some real balls, featuring Udo at his most soaring of falesttos, with light romantic melodies quite similar to Ozzy’s “Farewell To Romance.” Unfortunately, the song ended a bit short – which I wouldn’t have expected, but if you just catch the very end note of it before it fades out, you will see that Udo is full fucking force here – he belts out one hell of a line there, which we don’t really get to hear on the disc, and it would have made you want to pack your shit and head for the nearest Accept concert back in those days. Following that, we have some more of that AC/DC style in “Son Of A Bitch” which was actually a message from the band to the industry around that time. This is without a doubt, the kind of hard-hitting rock anthem that would not be forgotten, but later slightly paved over in accessibility with “Balls To The Wall” which sould come years later. It is still a killer track, with an unmistakable guitar frenzy towards the end. That’s how heavy metal should sound, folks. Right after that, we almost have the choral hymn of rock n’ roll called “Burning.” Once you’ve heard this classic rocker, you won’t be able to get it out of your head for days. I was singing that chorus to myself practically the whole rest of the day at work, just after I’d first heard the cut. It almost has a religious tone in the manner of repeitition, like a sort of rock gospel. This isn’t just good heavy metal, it’s good rock in general – and around this time, they were both considered pretty much the same thing. “Midnight Highway” feels like it has some Deep Purple influence, definitely encroaching upon that sixties spirit with a dose of AC/DC riffs thrown into the chorus. “Breaking Up Again” of course features another wonderful vocal performance by bassist Peter Baltes, with the addition of an absolutely soul-crushing guitar solo. But that isn’t how the band chose to end the album, with the almost ZZ-Top funk rocker “Down and Out” closing the record on a superbly high note, adding in touches of AC/DC when necessary. Accept have a ton of influences here, but they all seem to work just perfectly when it comes down to it. Regardless, this is the heaviest they’ve sounded yet and it’s an entrance exam into the world of heavy metal – one that they’ve passed with flying colors. This is the album that made the band essential listening, in my opinion.

(12 Tracks, 52:00)

8/10

Accept – Restless and Wild (1982 Remastered Platinum Edition) – What oddly begins with traditional German folk music, soon takes off into roaring heavy metal heights with “Fast As A Shark” which you might even remember Devin Townsend covering a while back. Without a doubt, this is a fantastic way to open an album and was no doubt a major hit for the band. No doubt about it, this is heavy metal royalty. This is also the album where “Neon Nights”, “Flash Rockin’ Man” and the grandiose closer “Princess Of The Dawn” also take center stage, no doubt becoming a top-seller for the band and real step in the right direction after an already potent third-opus. The title cut itself was a pretty solid cut, especially with a chorus that could be loudly shouted, and no doubt was during live shows. Interestingly enough, nearly the entire album was written by Wolf Hoffman as Jörg Fischer jumped the ship. It’s unfortunate, but surely not a loss for these guys. Apparently, “Princess Of The Dawn” was almost an afterthought and the band weren’t even going to put it on the disc. Could you imagine what the world would have been like if “Princess” merely sat on the cutting room floor? The band also had another guitarist in mind to replace Fischer, but it was too late to put him in. In any case, they still walked out with a formidable heavy metal effort. Anthems like “Ahead Of The Pack” and “Shake Your Heads” are still being utilized by acts like Hammerfall, Bloodbound, Iron Savior and dozens more in the scene, because they just simply work. Heavy metal is all about mighty anthems and built Manowar’s success, there is no doubt. Getting past some of the rowdier material, we have the more romantic “Neon Nights” which almost feels like a jazzy ballad. There’s a definite thump on the bass, but Udo was going for a more subtle approach here which is quite radio friendly, but still in good taste. “Don’t Go Stealing My Soul Away” was much in the same radio vibe, but maybe had a little bit of Van Halen mid-era influence that gave it a higher tempo, but not nearly as much as “Flash Rockin’ Man” which is a speedy heavy metal anthem or “Demon’s Night” which rolls along the same territory as Priest. Then of course, we have the outlier in “Princess Of The Dawn” Which is a little over six minutes long and of course, is one of the major highlights on the album. This song really allowed Hoffman to flex his muscles, as it’s extended length made for several rich guitar compositions, in addition to some interesting acoustic tinges. By all means, it was certainly experimental, but it moved the heavy metal formula far beyond that of the common-fare at the time. This was no doubt just another stepping stone in the band’s journey and sounds just as great today as it would have back in the early eighties. As with Breaker, this record also keeps the instruments at a fairly mid-level, while at the same time giving Udo enough room to display his hefty falsetto notes. I feel that the mastering on these is actualy quite good and I’m able to hear every note quite clearly, which matters most to me. This can add new depth to already classic songs, which is more than a notable reason for purchase. Unfortunately, it is here that we end the coverage of these classic Accept remasters, as the others have not yet been finished and hopefully will be available soon. I’ve had a wonderful journey here and I hope that some of you will take the time to explore these records yourself. This was definitely the golden age of heavy metal music. I think we’re probably in the aluminum age of the genre now. (That’s a joke, by the way.)

(12 Tracks, 57:00)

8/10