Accept: Blood Of The Nations

Kids, THIS is the type of record that you make when a band make a reunion record! 5 notes into the first song, you instantly know that it's them. That unmistakable guitar tone, the riffing, the background chanting vocals, the sheer power….boys and girls welcome back….ACCEPT!

The 2010 version of Accept features original and longtime members; Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank on guitars, Peter Baltes on bass, Stefan Schwarzmann on drums and the voice behind NY/NJ legends, T.T. Quick, Mark Tornillo. Back with a vengeance, Accept have unleashed an instant Old Metal classic with their new release entitled, Blood of the Nations (Nuclear Blast Records). 12 tracks of pure German Metal the way it should be, in your face, powerful and unrelenting. Tornillo sings like a banshee with EVERYTHING to prove, and let's face it he does! Udo has left some big shoes to fill, and Marky T has ripped right through those shoes and has his toes busting out the front!! As hard as it is to actually say this, Udo is NOT missed at all in this Accept. Tornillo's classic wailing has always had a parallel to the "Tiny Mighty's" but Tornillo has always also had more range and is just flat out better singer and has always been. No slight at all on Udo, as I am a huge fan of Udo's work in Accept, as well as his solo work in U.D.O., but Marky T just hits Blood of the Nations out of the ball park.

From those first afore mentioned notes of CD opener, "Beat The Bastards", you know that Accept were out to prove that they have not lost a step and my god they have not. Lead single, "The Abyss" features a heavy, pulsating guitar riff with a screech from hell by new vocalist Tornillo, as if he is claiming his new territory. Next up is "Teutonic Terror" and with lyric's like "So we drive through the night, with the howling winds at our backs, riding on Teutonic Terror….We will give them the ax"! How can this NOT be a Metal anthem?! Damn it, it feels like 1984!!! With a sick, pounding riff that totally reeks of classic '80's Accept, Blood of the Nations is off to a killer start. Filled with "all killer and no filler", this record just crushes. Songs like "Locked and Loaded", "Pandemic", "Bucketful of Hate" and "Shades of Death" are just plain and simple, classic Accept. "Rollin' Thunder" and "No Shelter" are both the barnstormers on the CD that will leave you completely exhausted and with a stiff neck and both could have easily found their way on to either, Restless and Wild or Balls to the Wall. And even the slower ballad feel of "Kill the Pain" is hauntingly beautiful, filled will swelling acoustic flavors that is perfectly at home here. And add the "Princess of the Night" nod to the epic sounding, ""New World Comin'" and this is pretty much the perfect Accept record! Again, the classic riffs, the classic backing vocals, coupled with the fresh new blood and raspy vocals of Tornillo, this is the best comeback Metal album that I can think of in at least 10 years.

Wolf Hoffmann shines throughout this disc, especially that amazing guitar tone! Easily one of the MOST underrated/overlooked guitar players of the '80's, Hoffmann continues to just tear it up where he left off in the '90's. And thanks to the amazing production by the equally awesome Andy Sneap (Stuck Mojo, Megadeth, Nevermore), Blood of the Nations sounds stellar. THIS is the record that they should have made after Metal Heart. Blood of the Nations is a perfect combination of the classic Restless and Wild, Balls to the Wall and Metal Heart with a modern spin. Just because they are older now doesn't mean that they can no longer write a pure Metal, ferocious album. I have always wondered why ANY band with a rich Metal history of classic, untouchable records would reform to produce a boring; mid paced record that captures NONE of their past glories?!? Are ya listening Maiden & Priest??!!! Accept are going to put the Classic Metal world on it's ass with Blood of the Nations. THIS is how you reintroduce yourself back into the Metal community, you raise the bar! This is a perfect Old School Metal record. Great heavy songs that recaptures the era of the band that THE FANS WANT TO HEAR!! Awesome songs that will become instant classics, great playing, suburb production all add up to one of the best Metal records of the year, wait check that, one of the best Accept records of their career. Make room on your iPod or your CD shelves, because Blood of the Nations ranks RIGHT up there next to Restless and Wild, Balls to the Wall and Metal Heart. THIS is the record that you WANT your Metal heroes to make! Let's hope that some of our other collective Metal Heroes are paying attention. Welcome back Accept, the Metal world has needed this! This record smokes!!!!

Track Listing:
01. Beat The Bastards
02. Teutonic Terror
03. The Abyss
04. Blood Of The Nations
05. Shades Of Death
06. Locked And Loaded
07. Kill The Pain
08. Rollin' Thunder
09. Pandemic
10. New World Comin'
11. No Shelter

Added: September 16th 2010
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 4223
Language: english

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