Accept is a legendary Heavy Metal Band from Germany, blazing through the late 1970’s and releasing crushing Old School Heavy Metal right up until 1996. U.D.O. is the Heavy Metal brainchild from the iconic lead singer from Accept… Udo Dirkschneider. U.D.O. released their first studio album in 1987, with “Animal House”… in 1988 their second studio album released, titled “Mean Machine”. U.D.O. has released many albums over the years, with their latest studio effort being “Mastercutor”, released in 2007. I have and always will be a huge fan of Udo Dirkschneider, Accept was an incredible Heavy Metal band, they never wavered or catered to any musical flavor of the day, just 100% Heavy Metal albums they released back in the day. With Udo carrying on his grand Heavy Metal career with U.D.O., it only makes me psyched – knowing this legend is still around. Udo may not receive the glamourous adulation from the mainstream Rock press like Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, Brian Johnson or Ozzy, however, he is just as important to the history of Heavy Metal as any of these lead singers are.
“Nailed To Metal” (subtitled “the missing tracks”), is a live, eleven song album, released back in 2003. The liner notes state that the songs were “recorded during the European Tour 2001”. Let me just say that… this live U.D.O. album does not just exemplify Heavy Metal, it is Heavy Metal. Hail U.D.O.! Thank you Germany! Udo Dirkschneider sounds just as prolific with his vocals on “Nailed To Metal” as he did on his Accept album “Breaker”… or any of his Accept albums for that matter. What I always anticipate from U.D.O. is that powerful, thunderous, monster of a sound from their Heavy Metal… “Nailed To Metal” brings it all and with the excitement of the live ambience. The Heavy Metal barometer explodes with the first two opening songs – “Holy” and “Raiders Of Beyond”. Both of these U.D.O. tracks are nothing short of Heavy Metal liberation, capturing the very essence of what Heavy Metal 101 is all about. The “Drum Solo” comes in at 4:26… (this is a Heavy Metal drum solo, not a Thrash or Death Metal drum solo), my point being, just as I am enamored by Extreme Metal, I embrace a cool, traditional, Heavy Metal drum solo in the spotlight, any day of the week. Lorenzo Milani on drums, is not out to compete with Neil Peart (of Rush), he is only out to play some solid drumming the Old School Heavy Metal way. In my Metal opinion, “Holy” and “Raiders Of Beyond” hold their own against classic Accept songs… and classic Accept songs are here.
The vintage “Fast As A Shark” and “Restless & Wild”, (from 1982), are unmistakably Heavy Metal defining, two throwback songs from the Accept catalog that have never lost their ability to supercharge me. “Metal Heart”, (from 1985), is an Accept song that careens into this live set like a long lost Heavy Metal friend. The closer of this live album is none other than… “Balls To The Wall”. At 8:48 long, I wish this Heavy Metal anthem would carry on for an hour… raising my fist to the air and banging my head never felt so good. Accept found their FM radio acceptance back in 1984 with “Balls To The Wall”, a trip down Heavy Metal lane “Nailed To Metal” is. Udo Dirkschneider was and always will be the voice of Accept, therefore U.D.O. does not just cover these legendary Accept songs, they celebrate them. With the combination of live U.D.O. and Accept Heavy Metal on “Nailed To Metal”, this album easily, hands down, gets five out of five beer kegs from me. Keep bringing the Heavy Metal U.D.O. and I will forever listen.
U.D.O. as they appear on “Nailed To Metal”: Udo Dirkschneider on vocals, Stefan Kaufmann on guitar, Igor Gianola on guitar, Fitty Wienhold on bass guitar and Lorenzo Milani on drums.
*As a Metal side note, the only Accept album that Udo Dirkschneider was not the lead singer on, was “Eat The Heat”, released in 1989. David Reece was the lead singer for this Accept album.
In 1985, I received a really cool Christmas present… the Scorpions “World Wide Live” double LP. That is what I am talking about when memorable Christmas gifts come to mind. My Mom, she certainly knew the bands I liked back then. I could always feel confident she would have a decent Heavy Metal album on her Christmas shopping list, just for me. My Mom would wrap and hide the album she bought each Christmas, making certain it was secured from my finding it. Not a chance. Each year, I would find that album, heck, I would actually smell where that album was hidden, like a Heavy Metal bloodhound. In 1985, “World Wide Live” was wrapped and supposedly hidden, until I unwrapped it and gazed away at the album cover – front to back. I was in Metal glee, knowing that on Christmas morning I would be able to crank up the Scorpions “World Wide Live”, a double live album no less. Each year, my Mom always knew I would find and unwrap the album she had bought for me, it was a cool and funny joke that I always was able to share with my Mom.
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