Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Accept > Blood of the Nations > Reviews
Accept - Blood of the Nations

Comeback of forever, but did this really need to be so damn long? - 72%

TrooperEd, May 16th, 2021
Written based on this version: 2010, CD, Nuclear Blast

73 minutes? Fuckin A! Look I get that Accept was gone for what seemed like an eternity so they wanted to give the fans more than enough material to make up for it, but goddamn it the length makes the album such a chore to listen to. There are enough chores in life, music should not be a chore. Its damn near twice the length of Metal Heart! Great albums lie somewhere between 28 and 51 minutes.

Despite the length, Blood of the Nations was one hell of a comeback, giving an Accept a serious credibility that even shmucks like me had to respect. A big part of that comes down to the vocals of Mark Tornillo, who is a more accessible version of classic Udo frontman in all the right ways. He also sounds like Udo in all the right ways as well, not to mention having enough of a personality to stick out that many Accept fans could care less if Udo were to come back (although with Wolf being the only original member these days, if Mark ever has enough, Wolf pretty much has to let Udo and everyone else back). A choice showcase of his greatness is The Abyss. Udo could never pull off a song like this without an unintentional smirk from the audience. As for the rest of the band? Well, it’s an Andy Sneap production, but it’s not in such a way that it pisses me off (though I don’t seem to hate Sneap as much as everyone else does). The band sounds like a fucking METAL band eager to snatch the torch from Maiden, I’ll take Blood of the Nations (albeit a truncated version) over any full length Maiden has done after Dance of Death.

Highlights: TEUTONIC TERROR! Balls to the Wall, after god knows how many decades, has challenger to its ultimate stadium anthem throne, and its name is WE WILL, GIVE EM THE AXE! The best thing is this sounds like no classic Accept song that came before it, so it fits right in with the other bangers without a feeling of recycling. Pandemic is also a from-many-blocks-down blockbuster (and aged like fine wine given modern circumstances). We get a couple of solid uptempo numbers here, such as Locked & Loaded and No Shelter. But I have to say, Blood of the Nations is not a return to the “speed metal” days. I have to question if there ever was a speed metal Accept. For every Fast As A Shark there were ten Love Childs (nothing wrong with that song, but the point stands). Hell it seems like Accept never went faster than Fast As A Shark! There’s a reason Helloween had a much stronger reputation in some trad metal circles than Accept.

The rest? One song like Shades of Death is fine, but damn this thing is just so bloated, its kind of hard to decide which songs to cut (well, I don’t think anyone would miss Roaring Thunder). As acclaimed as this record was, I really think the legs on this thing could have gone further if we got a much tauter, under an hour, ass kicking comeback. Younger generations just don’t like sitting down with an album, and I include myself amongst these people. Still, it was great to have Accept back and ready to fight the true metal fight after having been gone for so long. I’m not sure what number life out of nine Wolf’s career was on at this point, but goddamn what a run this started. Definitely get this slab, just be sure to do some fat cutting before throwing this bloody steak in the oven.

A Great Reunion - 85%

Stained Glass Assassin, February 22nd, 2019

Blaze Bayley. Tim "The Ripper" Owens. Both are very good singers in their own right and have had success with various bands throughout the years. That beings said, they will always have the taint of being the guys who tried to fill in for Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford. Now, I'll be honest and say I neither hated nor loved their tenures with those legendary bands, but when it was all said and done, I knew they were not the right fit long term. When I heard that Accept was reforming back in 2010, I was excited however, learning that Udo Dirkschneider would not be part of the reunion, I was less excited. Udo has one of those voices that is undeniably unique and simply his absence could not be overlooked. I remember seeing a promo for the album to which, the cover art deepened my worries. I wasn't sure if this was going to be a true heavy metal album, or an attempt at some type of radio friendly metal rocker.

Upon my first listen, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that this album was indeed a classic heavy metal album, but to my ears, sounded rather run of the mill. But, to be honest, I had already take off points before even listening to the album and in addition, I had listened to it in the car on a long tiresome drive. So, essentially, my bias and inability to properly immerse myself into the music led me to believe that this album was rather lacking when in reality, it is quite a gem.

Once I was able to give "Blood of the Nations" a fair shot and listen to it in desirable conditions, I was able to hear the solid effort from Accept’s reunion. Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank put forth a beautiful display of guitar work, pumping out classic sounding riff after riff while creating harmonies that one can only sit back and admire. The drumming is executed with acute precision, creating the tempo and rhythm that help being the songs together. But, most importantly, there was Mark Tornillo's vocals.

Now, just like Blaze and Ripper, there was going to be some concern about the shoes Tornillo would try and fill, which would not be an easy task. Aside from a few songs on Youtube, I hadn't really heard much of Tornillo's work with TT Quick, so it was hard to judge how he would sound on "Blood of the Nations". With that said, I must admit, I was thoroughly impressed with his performance. First, Accept did not try and simply emulate Udo's voice, nor did they try and write songs that would better suit Udo and expect, Tornillo to sing. This was one of the mistakes both Bayley Maiden and Ripper Priest made. Rather than trying to creating a new, but familiar sound with their new singers, they tried to stick to their old formula. They would quickly discover that removing the most iconic part of the equation would not end well. Anyhow, rather than follow the same path, Accept decided to write songs that were both in vain of old Accept, but made sure to add new life into the sound from the past. This resulted in solid structure to the songs and also allowed Tornillo to both ease long time Accept fans into his arrival, but also establish that he was his own voice, not Udo-lite. Speaking of voice, Tornillo does have a little Udo to his sound, and also a hint of Bon Scott or Brian Johnson of AC/DC. So, those thinking there isn’t’ a little spirit of Udo on this album will be in for a nice surprise.

In closing, "Blood of the Nations" far exceeded my expectations. It is a worthy addition to the Accept catalog with or without Udo. I'm not going to try and compare the Udo albums to any of the modern releases, just as I don't try and compare the Ozzy and Dio Sabbaths. This was an excellent album all around and one that I recommend both fans of Accept and metal heads in general to give a listen. One thing is for sure; unlike Maiden and Priest, upon hearing the effort Accept created with Tornillo, I would say there is a long and bright future ahead for the band.

Highlights: “Blood of the Nations” “Beat the Bastards” “Bucketful of Hate” “Teutonic Terror"

-Into the Abyss of Oblivion
thestainedglassassassin.blogspot.com

Accept the blood. - 91%

hells_unicorn, February 14th, 2013

A metal legend was born in the latter days of the 70s, one that would join the likes of Motorhead and Riot in bridging the gap between the old school hard rock of the 60s and 70s with the thriving beast that would become the NWOBHM. Suffice to say, Accept is a band with a long, albeit uneven history, shifting lineups quite often and falling into a state of seemingly permanent hiatus in the latter 90s. All bets were off on whether a band could regain its foothold after more than a decade of studio silence and the absence of their charismatic helmsman Udo Dirkschneider, but those who would end up banking on a glorious return held within "Blood Of The Nations" hit pay dirt with a vengeance.

This isn't a reunion in the sense that most would define it, but an out and out rebirth with the obligatory return to outright youthful vigor generally unseen by a band as old as this, literally as if they came forward in time from 1983. Naturally the band shows some signs of maturity and progression as the songs have gotten a bit longer and quite darker, but the nuts and bolts that make this wrecking machine work remain largely unchanged from the chunky riff monsters that defined "Restless And Wild" and "Balls To The Wall". But perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that vocal replacement Mark Tornillo proves to be quite competent and even slightly more adept at his craft than Udo was, bringing forth an impressive assortment of AC/DC inspired shrieks to match the band's signature sound and a surprisingly clean cut lower ranged croon that dredges up images of the lighter side of the 80s, albeit amid a backdrop of dark and forbidding music.

Arguably the only area where this album seems to leave a tiny bit to be desired is in how ambitious it is in spite of its fairly simple, catchy formula. Particularly on longer epics such as "The Abyss" and "Shades Of Death", there is an uncharacteristic melding of complex change ups and atmospheric curve balls that, while not unheard of in more modern metal outfits, do deviate a bit from the band's traditional 80s sound. It ends up working quite well as the ideas presented endure continued repetition and limited variation, all held together by a versatile and impassioned performance courtesy of Tornillo. The only time when the band seems to shift all but completely away from their roots is the mostly acoustic ballad "Kill The Pain", which largely exploits the cleaner side of Tornillo's voice and comes off more like a middle ground between the old ballad work of Judas Priest and some of the handiwork heard out of recent European power metal outfits.

The real meat and potatoes of this album are found when experimentation gives way to a slightly modified version of Accept's established orthodoxy, which comes in two familiar forms. On the speedier side of things is a crusher of a song in "Locked And Loaded" that finds itself pretty close to "Painkiller" territory, not unlike a number of recent German bands in Primal Fear and Iron Savior that have played up the same formula. The opener "Beat The Bastards" takes a similar route but relies more on straightforward aggression and attitude and slightly less on flash and technique. These are where Tornillo's gravely shrieks really come into focus and Herman Frank's axe work truly shines, cutting through the air like an ensemble of swinging katana blades. On the other end of the spectrum is an impressive collection of mid tempo bruisers with all the crunch and punch to rival the heavy hitters on "Balls To The Wall", of which "Teutonic Terror", "Pandemic" and the title song prove to be the most memorable and reminiscent of the good old days minus an updated production and a meaner guitar tone.

A large number of so-called reunions have come and gone and few truly live up to the height that they tend to garner, but this is one of those cases where the trend proves not to be an absolute rule. Doubters who think that this band can't function without their iconic front man are encouraged to give this a go regardless of their loyalty to Udo, as this is pretty far from being another "Eat The Heat". There are few things more metal than a blood-covered hand giving a peace sign, and the same proves to be true for this band even after more than 30 years on their quest to bring the wrecking ball to the world.

Later submitted to (www.metal-observer.com) on April 7, 2013.

A Take-No-Prisoners Comeback! - 94%

Metal_Jaw, April 25th, 2012

After a trilogy of decent but increasingly sub-par albums unleashed in the 1990's, everyone's favorite German metal giants Accept went into what seemed like a permanent hibernation. Former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider continued the traditional metal route while everyone else seemed to stay hidden. But a fateful May 2009 meeting between Wolf Hoffmann and Peter Baltes here in my home state of PA led to the decision to bring Accept back from the dead. Armed with a crushing Andy Sneap production and a kicking new vocalist, Accept was back, and holy shit the world couldn't stop them!

The band has never, and I fucking mean NEVER, sounded better on another studio album than "Blood of the Nations". Wolf Hoffmann, one of the most dependable and underrated guitarists in metal, dukes it out with perfection against Herman Frank, the two of them letting loose with some truly crushing and awe-inspiring riffs and memorable solos. Peter Baltes keep his bass crushing and loud, allowing to bring out that wicked teutonic sound we all love. Stefan Schwarzmann's drumming is really only decent; his double bass is solid but nothing like Stefan Kaufmann. Still his work is far from bad. Then we have Accept's new vocalist, Mark Tornillo, formerly of Jersey rock/metal band TT Quick. How does he fare? Uh...PRETTY FUCKING AWESOME! He has just as much raw, driving force in his voice as Udo, if not more. Hell, I think his range may be better, too, letting it rip with an array of raspy screams and some cackle-heavy crooning. His voice channels a bit of that Udo rasp just to let you know it's Accept you're thrashing to, but leaves enough room for his own thing so he's not a total copycat. All in all, one of the finest additions to a metal band ever.

The songs on here, mostly, kick quite a bit of ass. Though, I do have some nitpicks. The Sneap production gives prowess and a big, event feel to the instruments, but Tornillo I think gets pushed into the background a bit. Not too much, but it is annoying that he isn't more up and front. There are 12 bloody songs (13 if you have a copy with "Time Machine"), most of which run 5 minutes or longer, allowing for an album that runs over a fucking hour! I think that's a bit much. Additionally, many of the songs bash along at a mid-pace; there's only about 3 or 4 true speed metal songs in here, which may be a turn-off for some listeners. Didn't bother me, because before this album snags a bit at song seven, we get RAPED by six crushers! From the opening notes of speeder "Beat The Bastards", you know this is Accept, and they're really out for blood now! "Beat" has wild, aggressive vocal work and one of the best solos on the album, going through subtle, rising tempo changes, always staying melodic yet aggressive. Followup "Teutonic Terror" is a personal favorite, armed with a nifty main riff and a stomping anthemic drive. The lyrics may be a bit cheesy for some, but fuck them, this is Accept! Then we get the masterful "The Abyss", a chugging epic armed with a moody, vicious chorus and one hell of a big solo. The title track I like, but now as much as the first three, though the epic "Shades of Death" is even better. This sucker is really moody and dark, and the gang-vocal heavy chorus is pretty catchy. Things get fast again with "Locked And Loaded", this one armed with really great bass and drum work. After "Locked", the album goes hit or miss. The softer songs "Kill The Pain" and "No Shelter" (I think that's a softer one?) don't do much for me and bog down the album's pace. Closer "Bucket Full of Hate" I find just so-so, despite being pretty damn aggressive, it just passes by.

Overall, this is probably one of the best comebacks in metal. The bandmates never sounded better, and Mark Tornillo is one hell of a welcomed addition. The album is a bit long and, to be expected, some of the songs just aren't that good. But most tracks totally effin rock. If you don't have this yet, stop what you're doing and get it now!

Beat The Bastards Down! - 90%

Twisted_Psychology, October 7th, 2011

Originally published on http://suite101.com

Along with such acts as Heaven And Hell and Alice In Chains, Accept is one of several bands that has reformed and decided to release new material after over 15 years of inactivity. But like those two other bands' glorious comebacks, Accept's revival has been done with a new vocalist in place of the fan favorite.

Yes, Udo Dirkschneider didn't want to take part in this reunion due to the success of his solo career, leading the rest of the band to hire Mark Tornillo of TT Quick fame in his place. Add in a production job helmed by mega-producer Andy Sneap and an appearance by guitarist Herman Frank for the first time since1983's Balls To The Wall, and you've got one of the more interesting comebacks of recent memory.

When taking into consideration that the band aimed to bring back their classic 80s sound, it isn't too surprising to say that Blood Of The Nations sounds a lot like a cross between 1982's Restless And Wild and the previously mentioned Balls To The Wall.

Despite the absence of Dirkschneider, many of the band's old techniques and signature elements are firmly established. You've got the upbeat riffs that instantly recall AC/DC, the raspy but melodic vocals, the choral backing vocals seen on such songs as Bound To Fail and their most famous anthem, and an overall energetic delivery.

Of course, there are a few noticeable changes as the songs are even more epic than before. While the band has always had its flirtations with more choral and classical territory, there are several songs with even more complex structures than usual. Fortunately, it's all done in good taste and the actual band members always manage to stay on top.

Speaking of band members, the performances on this album are extremely well done and show another batch of men eager to shake the stigmas associated with their ages. The production greatly aids the guitar riffs and do a lot to help the rhythm section stand out on several occasions.

The new vocalist also manages to stand out a lot, though never in the ways that many detractors would hope. While Tornillo's delivery sounds a bit like Udo at times, he manages to show his talents well and frequently brings to mind such vocalists as Bon Scott and Andi Deris of Helloween.

The songwriting also offers a lot for the listener as every song stands out in spite of there being so many. The Teutonic Terror single may very well be the best of the lot thanks to its triumphantly marching guitar harmonies and dramatic vocal flourishes during the pre-chorus.

In addition, the awesomely titled Beat the Bastards and No Shelter bring some speedy moments and the album's epic sound can best be heard in The Abyss and Shades of Death. Also worth noting are the Metal Heart-esque Pandemic, the more melodic New World Comin', and a ballad in the form of Kill The Pain.

The lyrics on this album are also noteworthy for having been written by the new singer. Most of the band's past songs had been written with manager Gaby "Deaffy" Hoffman, but the band has admitted in several interviews that they wanted to let someone else write them now that they have an American singing for them.

As expected, the lyrics aren't exactly the stuff of thought-provoking intellect but their images of warfare and general chaos go along well with the music at hand. That and they don't sound as garbled as what had been written on past efforts, so that's always a plus!

All in all, this is a fantastic album that will surely become another one of the top efforts of 2010. Like the other great comebacks of the last few years, this album showcases a band that is full of energy and ready to keep going for long as they are able to do so.

Of course, a few Udo die-hards may dislike what this album stands for and there be a lot to digest at times, but there is nothing on here that you could label as filler. Recommended to metal fans everywhere!

Current Favorites:
Beat the Bastards, Teutonic Terror, The Abyss, Pandemic, and New World Comin'

Good but too fattening. - 77%

Empyreal, January 4th, 2011

Accept have been gone a while, and now that they’re back, they seem to expect us to just, uh, accept that and embrace them with open arms, forgetting entirely that they broke our hearts, ruined our lives and left us wondering for YEARS and YEARS while they were gone. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s NOT THAT EASY, Accept! You think you can just…walk back into our lives, like nothing ever happened? Well, you can’t. But I will review your comeback album known as Blood of the Nations, which might just justify such a long absence from the scene. So…does it?

Well, it’s certainly energetic. You can’t say the band half-assed this one, as it really shows a lot of energy and vigor in its 70 minute runtime, and never slips up on the pedal-to-the-metal madness. But that’s the thing; 70 minutes? That’s a lot for a band like Accept, who aren’t exactly known for their musical dynamics so much as their sensibility to write short, catchy tunes. And it does tend to drag, as much as I hate to say it. There is a lot of music on this album, and none of it is bad, but the long length gets monotonous after about a half hour of it.

The band itself is composed of several classic Accept members like Herman Frank, Wolf Hoffman and Peter Baltes, Stefan Schwarzmann on drums, and new singer Mark Tornillo on vocals. Tornillo has a big reputation to live up to, as this was always a band focused around the charismatic vocals of Udo Dirkschneider, and most fans were rightfully skeptical about a new guy replacing him. Tornillo does a very good job though, with a husky, raspy sneer to his voice that reminds of Brian Johnson of AC/DC if he was possessed by Satan. The vocals on here really are quite good, and have a lot of confidence and swagger to them, which is good for a singer who hasn’t really established himself yet in the minds of the fans. Kick-ass performance, all things considered.

The music is Germanic heavy/power metal with big, beefy guitars and a healthy Teutonic crunch. The production is really excellent, by the way – accentuates the music and brings out just the right clarity and vibrancy of the sound. The songs are all in the same rocking, bone-crushing mode, with standouts like opener “Beat the Bastards,” the explosive “Teutonic Terror,” the manic “Locked and Loaded” and the more syncopated groove of “New World Comin’,” which will kick your teeth straight in. Closer "Bucket Full of Hate" is also really awesome, and one of the best tunes on here. I don’t much care for some of the longer ones like “The Abyss” or “Shades of Death,” but they are not bad songs either by any stretch.

This is good music that simply drags on for too long. None of the songs are lacking or anything, and the album never loses momentum, but I think it could be even better if the album were shorter or if the songs themselves were shorter. As it is, Blood of the Nations is competent, well executed, enjoyable music that is best tried in small doses. Good, and especially for a band their age.

Accept - Blood of the Nations - 80%

ThrashManiacAYD, October 21st, 2010

Given how every band that sold at least 10 records in their original incarnation has reformed in recent times the (re-)re-birth of German legends Accept should come as no surprise, but for this writer at least, it comes loaded with infinite amounts of potential joy and heartache. That the bands early 80's albums "Restless and Wild" and "Balls to the Wall" are nothing short of veritable stone cold 10/10 classics is simply fact but having neglected to watch them in a previous reformation at Wacken some years ago I have been desperate for my live fix of Accept, a relief which came earlier this year, but now is the real test - a brand new LP.

Of course this is not the full Accept everyone knows and loves as old-time screecher Udo Dirkschneider is seemingly having too much fun with his solo band to want to rejoin the fold and thus vocal duties are now covered by the relatively unknown Mark Tornillo. Filling huge (or should it be small in the case of Udo?) shoes Mark has done a sterling job on "Blood of the Nations", complementing the historic style and legacy of Accept with his gruff Brian Johnson-like throat, yet going far beyond merely aping his predecessor. At any moment chosen his work would be seen to fit the metal bombast of tracks like "Rollin' Thunder" or the powerful opening pair of "Beat the Bastards" and "Teutonic Terror" as well as softer numbers like "Kill the Pain". Infact, if you were unaware of a previous singer you'd rightly believe this is the way Accept have always been such is the agreement betweens his efforts and those of Wolf Hoffman and crew.

Besides the vocalist issue caution has been naturally aimed towards how a band so intrinsically 80's in nature (at least during their peak) would fare in the modern world; the result is virtually as good as anyone could have hoped. Where do you want me to start? "Pandemic", the title track "Blood of the Nations" and "The Abyss" (save for a descent into crooning Bon Jovi territory which I could really do without) rock as hard as "Balls to the Wall", "Demon's Night" or any one of the countless classics on the aforementioned albums with the only key difference being the beefier production outweighing that of yore. Personal opinion will determine which era's production is best (give me the 80's every time) but as Tornillo's sings in "Pandemic" ("It's a pandemic, It's a metal disease") the only thoughts are of how consistently good "Blood of the Nations" is proving itself to be as it appears father time has done little to satiate the band’s willingness to pull out simple, fist-pumping metal the way it’s supposed to be.

To compare the overall songwriting quality of Accept circa 2010 against their peak is a fruitless task; NOONE, not Iron Maiden, not Saxon, not Twisted Sister, penned tunes that quite touch the German's earlier work. But for a band supposedly out of the game for long enough for entire new generations to have formed, "Blood of the Nations" is as simple and brilliant a punch in the face as all us Accept fans could have dreamed. Forget the turgid identikit heavy metal that continues to pour out of Germany, the masters are back spreading their own schooled version of Teutonic Terror and you’d be ready to listen and learn.

Originally written for www.Rockfreaks.net

Back and better than ever - 90%

alexxhighlander, September 1st, 2010

Rarely in the history of metal has a great band been able to replace their vocalist. Some of the greater ones tried it and failed miserably. Well, one listen to Accept's Blood of The Nations and it is crystal clear the German metal masters have just pulled it off.

We're not just talking about any vocalist here. Udo, the short, camouflage clad leader of Accept ever since their inception into the metal universe, with his unmistakeable voice and stage presence. Definitely very hard shoes to fill. Some might even have thought it impossible.

I sure did. As a long time fan of the band, having first listened to them in the early eighties and having bought every single album ever since, I was more than a bit wary when they announced Mark Tornillo as Udo's replacement. But, more than that, I was very upset to hear of Udo's refusal to rejoin his longtime bandmates for one more go. It made me angry, to be completely honest, and I half wished they would indeed find a worthy substitute just for the sake of pissing him off and showing him they still had it in them to make another metal classic.

And a metal classic they have made. Tornillo not only filled Udo's shoes, but busted them open, the guy simply stomped all over his legacy and kicked some serious butt on this album. I was floored. The guy not only can scream and wail to the stratosphere just like Udo used to - and does not anymore, since his solo career is, to me, disappointing in terms of his vocal performance, sounding ever more tired and worn out after each album - but he does it better. Tornillo delivers more power, more attitude, and more melody than Udo ever has.

Now that we got the substitute vocalist and all the comparisons out of the way, what can I say about this album? It's the best thing since Russian Roulette. Better produced, heavier, faster, meatier and ballsier. This is true Accept for the 21st century as Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank churn out riff after ripping riff, with Peter Baltes making it all heavier than hell on bass and Stefan Schwarzmann tearing it up on drums. The drums, by the way, are nothing you've ever heard on an Accept album: double bass, amazing fills, just incredible.

Still, it's unmistakably Accept. The guitar melodies leave no question as to what band you're listening to as soon as starter Beat the Bastards kicks in. But it's in moments like the backing vocals on Teutonic Terror and the title track you get goosepumps and travel back in time and remember another reason why you love this band so much: no one does epic backing vocals like Accept. No one. And they've been ripped off by so many.

At points, the riffing and drumming combination is so aggressive that Accept sound like some modern day thrash metal band, with good pinches of traditional power metal and their feet deeply rooted into 80's heavy metal as essence. The polished production and amazing musicianship make this album such a pleasure from start to finish despite the small faults such as the chorus on New World Comin' being just a new version of Lay It Down On Me from 'Predator', as well as the unecessary ballad Kill the Pain.

Killer cuts: everything but Kill The Pain and New World Coming.

May the fans of newer bands such as Hammerfall once again realize who created all this and are still the undefeated masters.

UDO who? - 90%

Pratl1971, August 24th, 2010

Fourteen Years. It’s been a long decade-plus waiting for German legends Accept to find the blueprint for another album, but here we are with Blood of the Nations blasting my ears like a freakin’ truck load of drums teeming with C-4. The traditional style has not only been making a comeback, but one of the forerunners of the scene is back to lead the charge!

From the very first note of “Beat the Bastards” the oh-so-familiar guitar tone fills your head and makes you smile that the guys have managed to persevere with new vocalist and former TT Quick bellower Mark Tornillo replacing Udo Dirkschneider, and very aptly I add. With some obvious similarities to the aforementioned departed, Tornillo manages to make this band his home, issuing what can only be called a powerful performance that incorporates a Brian Johnson feel to his style. With the recent rash of bands calling upon the old school traditional style, what better band to lead the lighted way than the mighty Accept?

All through Blood of the Nations the quality and tenacity of Accept shines through the music. Not since Russian Roulette back in 1986 has Accept really bashed in my head like this album does; after the disappointing Predator in ‘96 it might have seemed an easy deal to just discard Accept as a ‘blast-from-the-past’ whose “Balls to the Wall” or “Fast as a Shark” will be the last reminders of some former greatness. That is not the case at all, my friends. Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank provide the stellar guitar shred we’re so accustomed to, with even more modern flavor than expected.

“Shades of Death” is a tune heavily drenched in bleakness that is about as evil as Accept gets, with its grueling dark tones, while “Blood of the Nations” is possibly the new anthem for the metal armies around the world. “Kill the Pain”, however, is a slow, reflection piece that illicit some serious introspection within its beauty. From beginning to end this album is just a top-notch effort that might well be one of the better releases of two-thousand-ten’s second half. You honestly can’t help but be amazed at how good Accept still is maintaining its original sound without sounding dated or pigeon-holed; I know I was one that didn’t expect too much, but as you all know I love to be proven wrong. “Locked and Loaded” will make you a believer with its speed metal assault that is second-to-none, it’s just that good.

I’m sure many people dismissed any Accept revitalization with the same wanton fervor as us ever getting a clear answer to the Jimmy Hoffa mystery, but the band that won’t quit regrouped, assembled some amazingly strong songs with an equally resonating singer and pretty much left any doubted waving in the effortless winds of the eternal headbanger’s hair. The standouts for me are “Beat the Bastards”, “Shades of Death”, “Locked and Loaded” and “Kill the Pain”, but I can’t find a weak track within these digital transfers, and that’s saying something for a band that was all but done a decade ago, save for the occasional live album and label cash-grab compilation. I’ve a feeling you’re going to be hearing Accept’s mighty name bandied about quite a bit more these days, and deservedly so - they not only bounce back, they leave some pretty substantial marks on your forehead!

(Originally written for www.MetalPsalter.com)

Accept is really back! - 83%

stefanovic, August 23rd, 2010

What I'm about to write will certainly piss many Accept fans and, as a non-fan but connoisseur of the band’s work, I dare voice it: Mark Tornillo is a better singer than Udo Dirkschneider will ever dream to be. Does that make this new Accept album better than the classic material recorded with the blonde dwarf? Certainly not, but I feel not agreeing on a reformation album with his former and legendary vocalist, Wolf Hoffman & co have been lucky especially when they found in TT Quick'singer an apt replacement that manages to do the "Udo" adding something extra to it.

Really, Blood of the Nations, would not have been that good with Udo on the microphone and the fact is this album surpasses everything the band has recorded after they reunited with Mr. Dirkschneider following the crap-fest Eat the Heat had been.

Blood of the Nations is a true Accept album; it has the catchy choruses, the heavy riffing, Wolf's awesome lead guitars, fast and mid-paced heavy metal songs...Nothing is missing. The compositions are fairly inspired and, though they clearly were meant to please the band’s fanbase, they do not feel too artificially manufactured to me. Actually, when playing the album, I quickly forgot one of the former members was missing and enjoyed it for what it is: a good heavy metal album that doesn’t try to surprise you but works pretty damn well as it is.

Sure, the world of Heavy Metal has changed a lot in the 14 years Accept has been away from it, yet, it doesn’t show as the production is modern and powerful enough and the band, while remaining true to its sound, has managed to enhance it with a few new tricks such as a “balladey” feel on The Abyss or a few keyboards on Shades of Death. Add to that that Tornillo, with a wider and more melodic range than Udo, fits the bill perfectly and you have something enjoyable enough to find its place next to classic albums such as Restless and Wild, Balls to the Wall or Metal Heart.

All in all, if Blood of the Nations will not shake the foundations of Heavy Metal, I’m sure it’ll please those looking for inspired traditional Metal and, though it could have been a little shorter if got rid of the 2/3 fillers featured, it remains a really good surprise and the proof that Accept can live and prosper without his emblematic frontman.

About as good as it could have been - 80%

autothrall, August 21st, 2010

As a massive fan of Accept and Udo Dirkschneider, solo career going on 30 years, it's a difficult prospect for me to face the legendary German band without their iconic vocalist. I've tried once before, when the band released their 1989 album Eat the Heat with David Reece, and got burned, but then, I had been warned, right? Well, it's been 14 years since Accept put out the last record with Udo on the microphone, the lackluster but nonetheless fun Predator. The former front man has been maintaining his solo career with an excellent track record of material that has ranged from good to wonderful, and propelling his Brian Johnson-like air raid successfully into the power metal format. So what of the rest of Accept? Well, they've been working their way up to this.

For whatever reasons, Udo and Wolf haven't come to terms, and the band have once again reached out to a new singer, this one with a bit of history: Mark Tornillo, who was and still is a member of traditional New Jersey hard rock/metal act TT Quick. As a general tightwad and massive fan of the original Accept heyday from about 1980-1986, I was dreading this maneuver, but I have to admit, I am very relieved to plant my size 13 Sketcher sneakers right one my one into my fat head, because Tornillo has actually done a decent job with this material. This is no hack work like the hiring of Blaze Bayley to replace Bruce Dickinson, or Tim 'Tries Too Hard' Owens to replace Rob Halford. Mark Tornillo is not only decent at emulating Udo's brand of vocal mayhem, but he's got a little of his own personality, especially when he delivers in a lower, cleaner tone. Now for the million dollar question. Is he superior in any way to Udo? Fuck no, not in a million years; but let's give some credit where credit is due. The man came into a situation of massive fan bias, he stood and he delivered this record. There is a lot to be said for that.

Thus the onus of responsibility for whether or not Blood of the Nations is a keeper falls on Wolf Hoffman, and to ensure the album is in veteran hands, guitarist Herman Frank, bassist Peter Baltes and drumming madman Stefan Schwarzmann have all returned to the fold. The album is well written and benefits from a great, balanced production which highlights all of the band's traditional characteristics: mid to fast paced rockers and anthems which will have fists shaking all night. Like the U.D.O. solo work, or Saxon of the past decade, the Germans have efficiently modernized their roots mayhem to streamline with the younger power metal crowd, while never abandoning their decades old supporters. There's nothing showy or musically impressive about what Accept does here, in fact they've been dated in that arena for at least two decades, but no flash bulbs are required for this session, because it's got heart where it matters.

Most have already become familiar with the first single/video "Teutonic Terror", which is a pretty standard mid-paced power metal anthem with some simple melodic adornment that gets the head banging with its bombing bass-lines and makes for a smooth introduction to Tornillo's presence, with some 'whoa oh oh' backing vocals and a decent lead segment. This is really nothing special, but it does well to evoke the Accept we all knew and loved in the 80s, with enough modern polish to remain relevant. "The Abyss" opens with a stock slow power metal riff which will sound entirely familiar to everyone who listens to German material of its likeness, but they mix it up with a slice of mystique in the verse and a raging chorus that will sate fans of anything from U.D.O. to Grave Digger. Other standouts are the moody and atmospheric, crushing "Shades of Death" with its acoustic intro and slight orchestration; "Rolling Thunder" which is pure, hit the highway power metal; "New World Comin'", in which the buzz of the bass in the intro and slow, measured riffing remind me of 90s albums like Deathrow or Predator, if less aggressive; and the closing, epic "Bucket of Hate", a music box gone manic power metal and one of the most exciting pieces on this entire album.

The Blood of the Nations is not perfect by any means, and there are a few stock tunes here like "Pandemic" and "Time Machine" which, while not really flawed, simply drift in one of the fleshy listening ports and back out the other, but I feel like the remainder of the material is strong. The lead-in video "Teutonic Terror" turns out not to be one of the best of the bunch, but let's keep in mind that with the "Time Machine" bonus track, this is over 70 minutes of new Accept...and at least 50 minutes of that are exactly what we've all been hoping might one day happen again, a work of very solid quality. Tornillo is not as unflinchingly psychotic as his predecessor, but who the fuck really is? No one is going to replace The Man, and no one needs to. Wolf Hoffmann and his merry band have put their writing gears to the grind, their pedals to the proverbial metal and delivered a tight, focused comeback album that conjures up the strengths of Accept past, present, and with some persistence, the future. The pooch has not been screwed here; it's still wagging its virginal tail and tongue, waiting for you to pick up and toss its balls to the wall and beyond.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com