Predator

Predator is a controversial album in Accept’s discography that has received more than its fair share of hate over the years since its release, much of which it does not deserve. "Controversial," not in the sense that it is terribly bad or poor, as it is often claimed, but because it is "different" and misunderstood. Understand "different" as "dissident from the classic sound of ‘Restless and Wild’." And dissidence doesn't always sit well with the normative world of classic metal fans. At least to some extent, it often raises a mix of incomprehension, prejudice, and hasty misguided condescending judgments. Some of the metal fans' community is not always as flexible and open as they think they are when it comes to stylistic diversity – to say the least. The case of "Predator’s" reception is quite revealing in that regard. So yes, "Predator" stands out as the black sheep of Accept's discography, which is unsurprising considering its bold departure from their classic sound.

But what exactly makes it so "different"? I address this superfluous question first because this may not be immediately apparent to everybody. I mean, many of those who comment on music primarily rely on the vague sensations it evokes in their own feelings, without always possessing the analytical distance or technical knowledge to fully understand what's going on in the music itself. The truth is, Accept added new ingredients to their musical language, and as I will elaborate further, it is generally this aspect that actually sparks contention, even if people aren't always fully aware of it. To add some context, you have to remember that in 1995, the year when the album was written, the music scene was dominated by the grunge movement, and the prevailing narrative was that heavy metal was dead. It was a challenging time for classic metal bands that found themselves marginalized for ideological aesthetic reasons. Like many others, Accept tried to adapt to the changing times. Since their style was considered irrelevant, they embarked on a quest for reinvention. They sought to venture into uncharted territory, incorporating diverse external influences into the album. As a result, you can hear many unusual elements, by their standards, in this album.

For example, Oriental-scale melodies can be heard in tracks like "Crossroads," "Making Me Scream," and "Lay It Down on Me." Furthermore, "Hard Attack," "Crossroads," and "Run Through the Night" showcase acoustic guitar interludes, bridges, or folk-like outros. The album also features tribal percussions on both "Predator," "Primitive," and the outro of "Crossroads." One could also mention Wolf's exotic use of his emblematic electric sitar on "Crossroads" to emphasize the Oriental character of its melodies. Embracing experimentation, they even explored a new wave type of drum machine and bass-driven groove in "Primitive." Intriguing voice processing effects can also be found in "Making Me Scream" and "Primitive." Additionally, Baltes contributes with clean vocals on four songs, contrasting with Dirkschneider’s vocals, adding another layer of variety. Not to mention the subtle psychedelic, funky, and bluesy touches that are infused into "Lay It Down On Me," "Predator's" solos, and "Ain't Over Yet." They also distilled some of their earlier hard rock/blues-rock influence ("Don't Give a Damn"). On that matter, one could also mention the strong AC/DC vibe in the song "Hard Attack." They also explored some alternative metal and hardcore flavor ("Digging in the Dirt," "Crucified"), as well as delving into various experimentations on guitar tones and effects like the wah-wah pedal and overdubs. They even experimented with rap singing on "Digging in the Dirt." It's worth noting that the blues scale and the pentatonic, although common tools in Hoffmann’s bag of tricks, are heavily showcased in this particular album, along with the major Phrygian dominant scale (and its variant the Oriental Hijaz maqam/gypsy scale), ie. another one of his favorite modes. While their classic repertoire relied more on Aeolian and classic minor Phrygian scales (although blues, pentatonic, and Oriental major Phrygian were already present too), many leads on this album prominently feature the two aforementioned scales, which also contribute to creating this dominant flavor/color too, turning it rock-bluesy and strangely exotic.

Needless to say, the list of these elements is already a lot to take for the average metalhead whose musical horizon is most of the time restricted to the classic heavy metal's usual formulas and standards of the 1980s. So yes, many of these alien things may probably appear incomprehensible. To be clear, as I already said, I doubt many fans even noticed all these unusual elements consciously, but subconsciously, it probably impacted their visceral mixed reception in the back of their mind. And I think it's important to highlight it because ignorance is the driving force behind prejudices and preconceived ideas. Simply mentioning all these style names incorporated in this album would certainly be perceived as blasphemous words among the strictly univorous traditional fans of metal. Mind you, I even mentioned the unholy word "rap," The-Genre-whose-Name-Must-Never-Be-Spoken inside the space community of metal purists. These stylistic explorations are nothing short of an abomination for the most narrow-minded fundamentalist fringe of their fanbase that cannot conceive any deviation from their cherished routine. This touches on one of the main problems. The album's underrated status can be attributed to a certain extent to being judged against misguided expectations and irrelevant criteria. Many people evaluate it based on what it is not meant to be - a mere extension of their earlier classics - which clouds fair judgment and prevents them from fully appreciating the album on its own specific terms. This bias is reflective of a significant portion of the classic heavy metal scene, where some fans have become intolerant purists over the years, unwilling to embrace any deviation from their cherished routine, longing solely for the comfort of familiarity. Part of the issue indeed lies with a significant portion of the classic heavy metal scene, where some fans have transformed into intolerant purists over the years. As they age, their mindset becomes more reactionary and close-minded, drowning in nostalgia for the good old days. Any deviation from the norm triggers anxiety, suspicion, discomfort, or even a perceived decline in the genre's purity. They refuse to give a chance to anything that dares to defy the boundaries of their well-worn routine, longing solely for the comfort of familiarity. So yes, if you expect another "Restless and Wild" or "Balls to the Wall", you will be disappointed because that is not the point. You have to address the album according to the specific standards it shaped for itself and not in comparison with the old classics. Comparing it to them is like comparing oranges and lemons – they are related, but it's irrelevant to some extent as the taste is different. But if you listen to it with an open mind, you may understand it better.

Having made this point, let's refine the picture because one cannot hide that many fans also enjoy this album to a certain extent. It showcases that things are not always as simple as the particular attitude I previously described. They are many nuances in the responses to this album. In fact, it is not like it was completely misunderstood and dismissed. So, let’s delve into more precise observations. Yes, I did mention certain innovative stylistic incorporations in this album, but reading the previous remarks, you might get the wrong idea. Some might imagine Accept has completely changed their style and is now playing some cross-over metal. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. "Predator" remains rooted in classic heavy metal/hard rock, albeit with a special flavor. It still retains the essence of their original hard rock/heavy metal roots, and they didn't abandon heavy metal altogether to embrace an entirely new genre. The traditional Accept trademark is still present – powerful riffs, emblematic gang vocals, Udo's typical voice, and flashy solos – but they incorporated new elements meant to spice up the surface of their classic sound. So, it is not like we had to handle a drastic change of style; the changes I mentioned actually take place on the surface of the arrangements, not much on the deep structural construction of the songs. But this in-between position, both classic and expanding, is probably what makes its legibility even less clear for casual fans. As a matter of fact, the music constantly puts familiar elements in motion, giving the impression of charted territory, which might lead listeners to judge it based on familiar landmarks. However, on many occasions, it steps aside, thwarting expectations raised by these familiar references. This may be perplexing, frustrating, especially for those lacking distance or the musical perspective to fully understand what's going on. Embracing this paradox takes flexibility and patience, qualities that many seem unwilling to possess, choosing to remain within their comfort zone. So, the typical reaction of many fans will then be as if, some things are okay – actually the familiar classic elements of the band, and some things are ‘crap’ - the unusual things that step outside their musical landmarks. For the average metalhead, the sensation that something perceived as unusual steps aside their comfort zone and expectations is immediately converted in their mind as ‘this is crap’ without further ado. This is one main factor, I believe, that explains to a certain extent the incomprehension about this album and the mixed reception among certain other parts of their fanbase.

Now, is the purpose of this analytical defense speech to present "Predator" as the ultimate underrated masterpiece? No, it’s not. The question doesn't require dealing in absolutes. Defending its disregarded merits doesn't necessarily mean presenting it as a perfect accomplishment. Just like many situations, there are various shades of grey between black and white. For that matter, nuances and perspective are key. Yes, the album is much better than it is generally appreciated, but it also has its flaws, which won't be hidden in this review. Some ideas are indeed better than others. Certain songs like "Run Through the Night," "Lay It Down on Me," "Crossroads," "Making Me Scream," or "Take Out the Crime" are more efficient than others. However, some have their flaws. For instance, songs like "Lay It Down on Me," "Digging in the Dirt," or "Predator" have excellent riffs and musical ideas, but certain disruptions, like their solo sections attempting to create surprising contrasts with uninspired psychedelic directions, may diminish the powerful vibe initiated by the song. It feels as if the guitar suddenly embarks on an off-topic digression despite the initial vibe of the song. Disruption is not a bad thing per se, but it depends on the context. While they can sometimes surprise and delight listeners, in this case, those solo sections appear more like formal exercises toying with guitar effects, lacking any clear melodic purpose. They seem to impose unnecessary ponderousness that the songs didn't demand. On other occasions, these disruptions work very well; for example, the solo section of "Making Me Scream" suddenly modulating from a Phrygian E key to a classical D minor, with its lyrical dreamy melody. That solo is probably one of Hoffmann’s best achievements on this album (I’ll delve more into that later).

At times, their experimentations may sound a bit awkward, and some interesting ideas are not always fully explored, as if they were unsure of how to develop the initial spark of those ideas. Let’s take the example of their most controversial and hated song among fans, "Primitive." It had a unique spark and the potential to be a strong, unusual song. The idea of a repetitive bass-driven riff supported by a drum machine, reminiscent of Sister of Mercy’s new wave/goth rock groove in songs like "Lucretia my Reflection," was a bold move never seen before in Accept's work. However, it feels like they didn't really know how to fully develop it, sticking instead to a repetitive and bland formula that eventually became quite monotonous. Additionally, the experiment of adding weird distortion effects on the lead vocals in the last verse was intriguing but ultimately didn't work well. Despite these flaws and the excessive hate it received, "Primitive" is not such a bad song overall; the riff certainly lacks relief, but the groove’s idea was interesting, and the classic gang vocals are still efficient. The mischievous character of the solo is enjoyable too, but the song lacks further development to make it a truly memorable track; it’s just an average tolerable track.

So why is there so much visceral hate about this particular song, which has even become the emblem of the album's failure? Aside from the experimental arrangement, one key element of explanation is possibly its use of a drum machine. In the normative world of heavy metal based on some ideological conception of ‘authenticity’, using a drum machine is frequently considered the highest mark of heresy. The truth is this position is often more symbolic than practical, as many average non musician fans cannot always discern when they hear a drum machine. Interestingly, as a comparison, the iconic case of U.D.O.'s later '90s album and the departure of their drummer Stefan Schwarzmann shed light on this matter. Fans who had always claimed that using a drum machine was heresy were perfectly fine with UDO's drums, not realizing that U.D.O.'s records entirely used programmed drums, as revealed later that Stefan Schwarzmann actually didn't play the drums; they were indeed programmed by Stefan Kauffmann in the studio. In other words, the same individuals who blamed "Primitive" for using a drum machine were actually praising U.D.O.'s programmed drums for being real, true, and authentic. This exemplifies how people's hasty judgments are often based on biases, impressions, and beliefs more than on effective perceptions. Many mixed reactions about this album, while not completely unjustified, seem to be rooted in prejudices, confused impressions, incomprehension, and lack of flexibility in the face of stylistic variations that shift out of their comfort zone. All of this is not digressive as it may seem; it just exemplifies once again the earlier observations that many reservations about the album actually do not always concern its actual artistic content per se but are unconsciously influenced by biases about perceived differences.

In any case, although not everything about this album is necessarily flawless, it displays a strong enough main substance. There are plenty of aspects that make it a creative and compelling work of art. The album's riffs are generally catchy, and the melodies are engaging, accompanied by appealing hooks and atmospheres. Speaking of the latter, it's worth noting that the atmospheric elements may have been another factor contributing to the polarized reception of "Predator." Over the years, I've observed that some Accept fans seem uncomfortable with some of the more atmospheric songs in their repertoire. The idea of immersing listeners in a song's atmosphere rather than bombarding them with relentless riffs somehow seem to be incomprehensible to some of them. Yet, atmospheric elements are a frequent presence in Accept's music; songs like "Making Me Scream," "Lay It Down on Me" (intro), "Ain’t It Over Yet," "Run Through the Night" (bridges), or the previous album "The Beast Inside" have explored various atmospheric aspects. One could also mention the case of classic songs like "Neon Nights", the opening of "Metal Heart," "Cold Winter Nights," or "Wargames," or the interlude of "Heaven is Hell." This aspect of Accept’s creativity has often been overlooked because it seems like many fans don’t really get it or don’t perceive it, as focused as they are on the more action-packed aspect of the music. And yet, these atmospheric elements are also powerful, vivid, and immersive. However, for those just seeking high-speed riffs and straightforward anthems, it may remain incomprehensible or monotonous. Now, the issue is that they are quite present in this album. And these atmospheric elements explored by the band hold some of the most interesting and captivating aspects of the album, exemplified by the nightmarish landscape of "Making Me Scream." Quite interestingly, among the elements that help set this atmosphere, the reverb effects applied to the vocals, reminiscent of a comet's trail, lend a ghostly, dreamy feel that perfectly enhances the song's mood.

Regarding the solo performances, it is fair to say that they do not always reach Hoffmann's best standards, and even some of the longer elaborated solos, like on "Diggin in the Dirt" with its various key changes, may come across as mere uninspired improvisations on the blues scale. The album's solos are sometimes lacking the characteristic power, lyricism, and melody of Hoffmann's usual style, and instead, deviate into uncertain and purposeless digressions. Although you may occasionally find decent solos like those in "Hard Attack" or "Run Through the Night," many of them remain at best average. However, exceptions lie in the solo of "Crucified" where Wolf’s flair for melodic lyricism is back, and in "Making Me Scream," which exhibits one of the most grandiose, oneiric, tragic, and epic solos he’s ever made. This solo revisits the melodic contours of "Princess of the Dawn's" solo but approaches it differently through alternative harmonization and a different scale (employing the harmonic minor scale instead). As for Udo's performance, despite his initial reservations about the album's direction, he nevertheless delivers a very professional and expressive vocal delivery. For example, on songs like "Predator" and "Make Me Scream," his vocals possess a vicious and menacing quality that perfectly complements the lyrics and the songs' moods. Udo's professionalism and integrity must be stressed and credited, considering how much he was unconvinced by the orientations that Peter and Wolf chose for this album.

A mention about the lyrics too: it is clear that they are probably far from being the strongest point of this album, especially when compared to the previous standards set by their once author, Deaffy (Gaby Hoffmann), in the earlier releases. The lyrics generally lack substance, interesting subjects, or thought-provoking stances. For example, a song like "Take out the Crime" surprisingly presents a simplistic anthem to mindless repression of crime without consideration for context, misery, or social factors contributing to crime. This stands in total contradiction with the band's and the author's strong social stance displayed in their previous albums. Of course, one could yet mention the Orwellian theme of "Primitive," which gets closer to Deaffy's traditional privileged thematic areas, but here it remains quite superficial and not so thought-provoking. These lyrics appear like a mindless excuse to put words to music, and it's a bit disappointing, particularly when considering the high-quality texts they used to accompany their music before, including their previous album, "Death Row."

A word on the production too. Producer and co-founder of Accept, Michael Wagener, is in charge of the mixing, just as he was for the classic albums such as "Breaker," "Restless and Wild," and "Balls to the Wall." While the raw, pared-down sound is generally the trademark of Wagener, as exemplified on all of Accept's albums he collaborated on, which many fans cherish, I, for my part, didn't find myself fully captivated by his approach. He’s competent and professional, and even legendary in his domain, no question. However, his creative input generally takes on an austere and crude approach that doesn't particularly seek to sublimate the sound of the album, but rather stays true to its original intent. That’s a quality that musicians generally appreciate, as they prefer to avoid extensive processing of their sound. While his work remains sincere on this album, I don’t think it adds any additional soul. As with all the albums he produced, most of the creative side is entirely left on the musicians' hands. His input is generally transparent in comparison to the sophisticated interventionism of producer-arrangers like Dieter Dierk. So yeah, the production is straightforward but not particularly memorable per se.

In conclusion, "Predator" is an album that deserves more credit and appreciation than it has often received. While it differs from Accept's earlier classics, and some of its experiments may not have fully hit the mark, there is a lot to enjoy here, and many of the innovations added to the classic sound are actually quite enjoyable. It's important to note that these additions are not as bad as they are often perceived. On the contrary, it is precisely these departures from the norm that make the album interesting and worth exploring. Furthermore, these experimentations do not harm the core sound of the band most of the time; despite a few occasional uncertain explorations, most of the time, they rather appear as subtle welcome touches meant to liven up and expand certain aspects of it. In doing so, they breathe fresh air into the old dusty habits they were rooted in. The more marked use of the oriental scale and occasionally of the classical harmonic minor scale in this album, for example, contributed to adding many unusual interesting colors to their sound. Yes, I know that even the main songwriters, Wolf Hoffmann and Peter Baltes, eventually grappled with self-doubt and came to repudiate this album under the weight of so much hate from the fans. However, I still remember how they once said they were proud of their achievements and how they had opened their own horizons when the album was released. As Wolf Hoffmann said: 'We needed to do it exactly as we wanted to be. Let's not be afraid to break the rules! Sometimes, you prevent yourself from trying certain things because, you know, you're not supposed to. Well, too bad! Now on, if we want to put acoustic parts or some tribal percussions, we do it! And this is also the reason why Peter, our singer, sings three songs. These songs needed something special […] and we really wanted these songs. They enabled us to bring Accept to another dimension, if you know what I mean. That is why, in my humble opinion, Predator has such depth. And I hope our boldness will bring us new fans." (Olivier Rouhet, "La chance aux teutons - Interview avec Wolf Hoffmann," Hard Rock Magazine, #9,‎ January 1996, p. 68-69).

This is the genuine image that I will always keep amidst the various contradictory discourses, i.e., when their perception was still fresh and close to the creation process, not yet contaminated by various subsequent heated reactions and the negative moods of haters that eventually distorted a fair appreciation. The album exemplifies a specific mindset prevailing at that time: the band's willingness to step outside their comfort zone, take risks, and explore new musical territories. There is an array of creativity and musical exploration on this album that is worth discovering and appreciating. For those willing to embrace change and broaden their musical horizons within the band's own standards, "Predator" offers an interesting experience worth exploring. Note that, although I tried to analyze the sometimes excessive, irrational reactions to it, it must be added that I'm not blaming those who don't have the distance to their own reactions. You cannot blame people for what is conditioned by ignorance, unconscious norms and lack of perspective. But it was essentially done to put distance from the distorted and sometimes misguided image they may sometimes convey about the unusual sensation the album may generate. If you have this resource, if you are capable of setting aside stylistic norms and expectations for a while and keeping an open mind, you may find yourself enjoying a somewhat interesting and intriguing album. While it may not reinvent the wheel or stand as their greatest career achievement, it remains an interesting and commendable effort that deserves more consideration than the hate and incomprehension it received.

Accept, one of the biggest Teutonic heavy metal forces, had problems during early 1990s, just like so many other metal bands. Grunge had eaten a big portion of metal music's pie, thanks to record labels pushing it to public like no tomorrow. And public was so thrilled about something new... However, Accept didn't touch grunge, but they still tried to sell their platters in the USA, where guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was now living in. Nothing wrong with that, definitely, but for the fans of Teutonic metal, it wasn't the best of choices to go and do it differently.

So this is what happened when a German heavy metal legend gets USA-fied! And Ozzy-fied, of course. Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann's love for AC/DC never was a secret affair, and this is not the first album where this trait was heard. On their 1989 album 'Eat the Heat' they had an US vocalist, and hair "metal" thing going on. I think Accept's Teutonic touch and trademark melodies got reduced more and more after vocalist Udo Dirkschneider's comeback album 'Objection Overruled' (which was a totally Accept-sounding album), up to this, his last ever Accept album. By the way, this also features another forming member, the bassist Peter Baltes, but the drummer is a session one.

'Predator' is quite a varying album, which quite probably may be the result of a band starting to break up. The opener is a AC/DC rocker with some Hoffmann's lead guitar magic, which makes it Accept together with Udo's very much unique raspy, shrieking and insane voice. Cowbell on the beginning of 'Crossroads'! And a weird vocalist... Wait, it is Mr. Baltes, returning behind the mic after a long time! Udo takes the control soon, even though the song continues as a duet, while Wolf put out his best trademark guitar melody: The most Accept song on offer, right here.

'Making Me Scream' has some Helmet-ish stop-and-go rhythms and Mid-Eastern melody, but also contains rather driving Accept part. However, the album get more US-style with 'Diggin' the Dirt', bluesy yet heavy rocking and drops the German bits. Mötley Crüe did this kind of heaviness much better on their self-titled album... Why? One main reason is that it's nothing too catchy!

On 'Lay It down' it is time for Mr. Baltes to take the lead vocals. He's actually a good vocalist, if not at all unique, but very hard rocking one. The chorus of this hard rocker is hugely anthemic, exactly what actually was needed after the previous song. Lazier bluesy rock happens next on 'It Ain't over yet', with more of Baltes's vocals and Wolf's quality lead guitaring. Man, I feel Jeff Healey vibes... Which in a way isn't a bad thing at all, but on an Accept album..?! Yes.

The title track gets back to heavy things, but maybe a tad too much so, because the melodiousness is basically absent. Lovely cat vibes on guitar, though! Faceless rocker 'Crucified' is saved by its lead guitar work, weirdly reminding about Arch Enemy. More of them forgettable songs follow, as 'Take out the Crime' and 'Don't Give a Damn' really has nothing to save them from mediocrity. And that word... It doesn't go with Accept to me! 'Run through the Night' has that touchy vibe that the band can do without sounding fluffy, and easily is one of them highlights. But... 'Primitive'... Now this is the fucking last nail, really! Accept doing something like poppy Genesis (even though they had much better pop songs compared to this) or something in more hard rock and heavy metal style. Just. Doesn't. Fucking. Work. I do not wonder that Udo skipped doing vocals for this song.

The production is very good, except for the drums, which sound way too produced. Mr. Hoffmann was the sole guitarist here, and while there are moments with several simultaneous guitar tracks, we also hear him playing his guitar without other guitar tracks. Udo's vocals at times do have some effect on them, making it less raw of course. Now this is a good time to mention, that big gang vocals are present! A total Accept trait, that.

Udo Dirkschneider left after this, but had had his band U.D.O which made a comeback. 'Predator' was the last Accept album for a long, long time. The band went on a 14-year hiatus, but managed to pull a great comeback. While 'Predator' remains one of them worst Accept album for me, it's far from a totally shabby one. I mean if this was by a random band, it could feel so much better, because this drops the trademark traits of the band too often. I do not count this kind of thing ever on the final score, though. But still... This is what it is: Not a totally bad album, but one of the least Accept-ish ones from them certainly. But, you know, these things always happened...

(Originally written for ArchaicMetallurgy.com)

1993 gave us two luminaries from the 80’s reformed: Mercyful Fate and our heroes here. The Great Danes had no karma to clean; they were back on the strength of two impeccable albums and an inordinately successful solo career of their frontman. However, the case of the German legends was a bit different: they really messed it up with their last instalment “Eat the Heat”, and although Udo did do a good job with his own band on a string of albums, the Accept saga and the way it was left in the late-80’s, in shambles that is, brought a solid aftertaste.

But all was good once the guys started shredding, with “Objection Overruled” and especially “Death Row” being consistently strong releases, nearly reviving the old times of glory. It was really good to hear fresh old school tunes in the midst of the groovy/aggro domination, coming from two great camps… it’s 1996 now, and the Fates shoot the equally solid “Into the Unknown”… how about this “Predator” here?

The major spoiler first: as much as I appreciate Mr. Baltess’ vocal contribution in the past (“Seawinds” from the debut; “The King” from “I’m a Rebel”; “Breaking up Again” from “Breaker”), here his involvement behind the mike is ruinous, to put it mildly. He participates on whole three tracks, and regardless of how unconvincing the latter may sound anyway, his rough unmelodic timbre damages them beyond repair. Having been relieved of vocal duties for ages, he simply has forgotten how to sing his gruff semi-clean recitals only fitting the modern groovy dragger “Primitive”, but just a bit. Yep, Baltess’ bigger involvement can already be taken as a sign that the band are giving up the idea, with not much steam summoned for the execution of the opus here. It’s not a complete throwaway, and tunes like “Crossroads” and the vivid “Crucified” will easily remind of the band’s older days, with more diversity served for better (the brooding doom-laden title-track) or worse (the angry quasi-groover “Diggin' in the Dirt”). The tribute to AC/DC that is “Hard Attack” can be skipped, a merry blasé frolicker, but neither “Making Me Scream” nor “Take Out The Crime“ is completely deprived of balls, with “Run Through The Night” hitting a high towards the end, a perfectly acceptable dark sing-alonger that should have been the closer as the mentioned “Primitive” is another unnecessary wink at the ruling vogues.

Udo’s in shape, always delivering with passion in abundance, and judging by his performance alone, one may think that the band are just starting. Hoffmann is the other notable participant, needless to add, his tasteful visionary leads adorning the not very exciting material. In the composition department there’s quite a bit left to be desired, though: not much (metal) heart and soul have been poured during the recording sessions. And this is where a more varied approach to song-writing comes to save… diversify the palette, attract crowds outside the strict Accept fanbase; add just the right amount of bouncy grooves to keep the 90’s audience happy, too.

Only that the intended therapy didn’t really work. Is it possible that the guys had gotten tired of each other again, after playing and composting together for over four years? Cause chemistry was obviously lacking… or they just saw the not very lucrative returns? Well, you can’t expect to make tens of millions once more, not in those inhospitable times anyway… breaking up again seemed like the most logical decision. For Udo that meant resuming his solo career; for the others it meant parting of the ways with not much added to their resumes… until the reunion in 2009 which saw even Herman Frank jumping on the wagon, helping with the production of several fairly cool classic heavy metal records. The Accept flag is only raised by Hoffmann, from the old line-up, at present… these wolves, a restless breed; they’re not done yet with this bitch called life.

I can't say I'm a Accept fan. I like their early stuff by occassion, but at the end of the day, I think they are a little bit overrated band, just as most of other BIG names from German traditional HM scene. Accept was always in a league of commercial heavy metal which isn't a very good thing, especially when they didn't had anything new and specific to add to the world of traditional heavy metal. Yes, I never realised what's the deal with Accept as they were always something like a so obvious German answer to Judas Priest or something like on a half way between Judas Priest and AC/DC. Sure, they were a good, no-bullshit "street" metal band once, but remember that there were countless other bands of such type who just didn't had a luck to be hyped and pushed into mainstream during the 80s as Accept was.

However, you really can't ignore classics such as Balls To The Wall or Restless And Wild, and their discography is decent (although not flawless), but "Predator" is just complete bollocks! I just don't know where to start to express my total distaste in regards to this album. Maybe I can recall my disappointment when I bought it over a decade ago and how I hated it even back then when I was younger, and... you know, it was in mid-to-late 90s when there wasn't too much of a mainstream heavy metal. I used to think that's pretty bad back then, but when I look at today's again-growing retro mainstream HM in incarnations of various HammerFalls, Nightwishes, Rhapsodies, Primal Fears, Kamelots, Dragonforces, Edguys and other shitfests from corporative crap major "metal" labels - I just changed my mind about it.

Well... Predator. What a inconsistent, pointless, misdirected, mediocre, bland, uninspired and boring piece of heavy metal without it's essence and soul! But let's start slowly...

The opening Hard Attack is just one average AC/DC rip-off, and hell, what a perfect introduction to the total boredom which this album is! The following Crossroads is even more boring and pathetic, it's softy semi-ballad which just screams AOR (just mentioning of that cursed word is enough to make ass of a metalhead freeze in absolute dire, if things didn't changed much these days). Udo Dirkschneider sounds the worst ever - his raw voice is just so out of place here on this overproduced shit which is just a excuse for an album. Raw singing at an album with a poppy production? There's nothing wild and exciting as it's suposed to be. It's not working at all, he just irritates as hell.

Bassist Peter Baltes took the mic and sung Lay It Down and It Ain't Over Yet. His calmer voice actually fits more for this album than hysterical Udo's, but these tracks are probably the lowest point of this CD which is full of fillers anyway. Imagine some stereotypical pub band who's playing even more stereotypical kind of hard-rock covers and have a few utterly boring own tracks... These two tracks aren't any different than that, except they are recorded and produced with a high-budget which even shit can make to look like a gold. But, shit stays shit however.

Production is another major headache. It's too clear, sterile, souless and clearly made for commercial corporate market, not REAL heavy metal (whos into undergound side of HM probably knows what I'm talking about - all the best traditional heavy metal releases are a little raw in production and not watered-down and cleaned by high-budget production to be appealiding for the mainstream crowd!). This is just a sign how Accept calculated with this album and wanted to be "modern" and stay with the trends. Yes, trends. This album is so inconsistent - you can almost hear a little smell of NU-metal - just hear these semi-breakdowns at Digging In The Dirt followed by stupid chorus ("What do ya want from me, What do you try to say. Stop! Stop diggin' in a dirt" ... or something like that) which makes even falsecore bands like Biohazard or Hatebreed sounds meaningful and great. Awful.

It's a lie to tell that Accept isn't a skilled band, but anyway, who cares when they failed to deliver fair songs here. They delivered here only a weak attempt to save their asses in a commercial way, but luckily - failed. You can hear as well some lost 80s glam metal in semi-ballad Take Out The Crime (this one is actually only quite bearable), funky-pop garbage with a metal riff in Primitive, already mentioned overpresent AOR aura... There are pseudo-progressive and "exotic" parts (just hear these arabic-like acoustics in Making Me Scream - it may work great for dark bands like Solitude Aeturnus, but here is just a total flop), bluesy parts, tribal rhytms on Predator song, country-like parts (oh, no! my ears!!!)... But, all these are on their overall boring AC/DC hardrock basics of their songwriting's trademark - all packed in polished mainstream pop sound which makes it even more awful. Quite a lot diversity some may think, but unfortunately there's no good songs, nothing interesting and these "experiments" didn't save this album from the total boredom. Yes, there's still a lot of catchiness in the songs, but it's a bit forced - which just leaves a horrible fluffy taste in ears. It irritates. A lot.

Lyrics are a nightmare for itself and just a right sign how this album is uninspired. There's nothing wrong with simple spontaneous lyrics, they are welcomed in heavy metal and punk, but lyrics here are totally pointless, unfocused and seems like they just suffering from the someones lack of IQ. You won't hear Lemmy's catchy yet interesting short badass lyrics, you won't hear something sincere, full of energy, heart and attitude like Saxon had on Wheels Of Steel LP, you won't hear something rebellious in a way of old Discharge or Venom. Lyrics here are just mindless, random, formulaic, stereotypical as fuck and repetitive babblings. No point, no focus, no actual story, balls, imagination, anything - seems they are written here just to make a few rhymes to flow and to have some catchy words in the chorus. Hear the words from the choruses and you will get the "meaning" of this album - there's a lack of ideas, concept and direction in every song on this CD. "Crucified, deep inside! I'm feeling crucified!", "Primitive! I wanna be primitive!", "Predator! I'm a predator eating you alive! It's a call of the wild!", "I don't give a damn what you think of me!"... and so on and on. Notice that there's hardly any humour or charm. This album is actually full of lyrics about, hmm... about just nothing. It seems like one endless void of blah, blah, blahs and nothing more.

If some of their earlier stuff were quite wild and energetic here and there, this one certainly isn't. This album is one of the worst HM releases I ever heard, it even makes well-hated Celtic Frost's Cold Lake to look like a fuckin' masterpiece. What a mess and what a boring shite of an album. Accept look here just as a bunch of old, frustrated, sad and pathetic cock-rockers that now make you want to punch 'em right in the face without any regret.

Avoid this crap, it's even not worth downloading. You won't lose anything if you don't hear it. However, if you are about to research how heavy metal failed so bad to such sad and low levels in mid-90s, then I truly recommend you this one as a MUST HAVE CLASSIC.

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Predator is probably right next to the Self-Titled album in the race for most ignored Accept album. It's no mystery as to why: when compared to its predecessors - Death Row and Objection Overruled - it certainly comes out of left field. That isn't to say that this album is in any way a poor effort, though. It just takes some time to sink in.

Wolf Hoffmann is clearly the chief creative force, here. His Classical and Country influences are very apparent, particularly on 'Crossroads', which may actually be the strongest track on the album. The main Achilles' Heel of 'Predator' is Peter Baltes' completely unwelcome melodic singing. Yes, Accept's bassist has a very nice singing voice, the problem here is that he seems to sing during parts that would sound much better with Udo growling them out. Lay it Down is a perfect example of one such missed opportunity. Just picturing in your mind Udo singing the chorus, it becomes immediately apparent just how misplaced Peter's melodic singing is on this album. In small doses, like on 'Crossroads', the contrast of clean singing and Udo's growls really works in the music's favour, but the frequency of Peter's intrusion in the proceedings is really distracting and out-of-place, ultimately, and 'It Ain't Over Yet' is a perfect example of this.

The record flows extremely well, otherwise, and actually succeeds in many ways that Death Row and Objection Overruled failed, mainly by finding its own sound, and somehow bringing the band's diverse musical influences together while maintaining the Accept sound, somehow. That diversity probably reflects the fact that the band was pulling in different directions at this point, but oddly enough, I think that works in Predator's favour. It opens up with an exceptionally strong track (Hard Attack), and ends on a slightly awkward note, with a song that probably shouldn't even have made it into the final mix (Primitive). Really, though, the good and exceptional material on this album outweighs the bad by alot. And certainly, if given a choice of another Accept album in this new (and very good) style, or the band breaking up, I'll take the former every time. Recommended.

Stand-outs: Hard Attack, Crossroads, Lay it Down, Take Out the Crime, Run Through the Night

Not-so-goods: Primitive, It Ain't Over Yet

Take the sound of AC/DC and put it together with a bit more Heavy Metal from the 80s and you’ll get what you get while listening to this album. It rocks very straight forward and Udo Dirkschneider has an unmistakeable dirty, often a bit screaming, voice. The music has a really cool midtempo groove and the guitar playing wants you to start playing your air guitar.

Especially the first track “Hard Attack” is characteristic for this album. Cool and groovy guitar sounds, excellent singing of Dirkschneider and sing along text makes this song to a real party hit!

The following tracks “Crossroads” and “Making Me Scream” let you take away your air guitar. Not because they’re bad, just because “Crossroads” sounds a bit like a ballad and is not so catchy as the opener. And “Making Me Scream” changes a bit to often in the guitar sound that you can playing your imaginated instrument on. But this two songs also have a cool sound that works on every party and they’re also could be singed along.

Then it’s time to start a real Metalhead party. “Diggin’ In The Dirt” takes you at your balls from the first second! It’s almost a duell between Dirkschneiders voice and the heavy rocking guitars. When Dirkschneider makes a short break, than the guitar screams up high and when the guitar stops screaming, Dirkschneider starts another attack against your brain. I can not get this song out of my head since I’ve heard it the first time.

But now it’s not the time to “stop diggin’ in the dirt” like Udo wants from you. Still being euphoric because of this great piece of Heavy Metal the fifth song “It Ain’t Over Yet” starts and destroys this euphoria. It has a very strange sound and the voice…
I don’t know how to describe it. There is no feeling in it. Sounds like there is somebody who is jabbering something to an unenthusiastic jam session of a guitar player and a bored drummer. Please skip this track while listening to this cd, because it destroys the general impression of this album.

After this sudden feeling of weakness by the musicians (I don’t know how to say it in another way) they’ve regenerated and have something special for you that makes you forget the slip that you’ve heard before:
“Predator”, “Crucified” and “Take Out The Crime” are the next three songs. And they’re all great. “Predator” has something evil in it’s whole sounding. “Crucified” has amazing soloparts that sounds a bit funky, but still heavy. And “Take Out The Crime” sounds like AC/DC has enough of Blues influenced Hard Rock and wants to start a Metal era. Hard Rock influenced Heavy Metal has to sound this way and no other! Three masterpieces in a row. Fantastic!

But sadly Accept were not able to hold these level ‘till the end. “Don’t Give A Damn” sounds like AC/DC again. But not much heavier. It’s a Hard Rock song that makes you sing along the refrain and playing air guitar again. For partying it’s good, but it’s not as great as the three songs before.
“Run Through The Night” is heavier again and has riffs that are sharp like razorblades. But then suddenly it gets more like a ballad with leads into a great solo. Good song, but the separate parts will fit together perfectly. Especially the singing will not fit to the rest.

Here the cd stops. Or better: Should be stopped. Because the last track sounds like a radio song with just stupid refrain. The title is “Primitive” and it sounds like that. Nothing can be heard of great guitar solos or a dirty Heavy Metal voice. It also sounds a bit like the pop-punk band “The Offspring”. To come to an end: Stop the cd after the tenth track and you’ll be happy (if you skipped the fifth track). Otherwise you will have a bad aftertaste.

This is HARDLY the follow up we could have wanted from Accept after the smash-and-burn success that was "Death Row". We find Accept coming to the end of their careers, entirely lost as to what they mean (though Udo apparently remembered as his first solo album back is more Accept than this), and barely able to cobble together this half-assed record that sounds 1/2 "ok" and 1/2 absolute crap. As Accept are one of my favorite bands, I'd normally fawn over the material on even an "iffy" record but the bad on this record is totally unforgiveable...and the good tracks are simply just that. Good. (No kids, nothing on this record is "great".)

Overall, the feel and production are a bit more raw than on "Death Row". The guitar playing is still Wolf and he does some interesting things on at LEAST every song but the catchy riffcraft we found on the record previous is not here. The record seems aimless and devoid of all things important for metal. When the record does come alive for the cruise-missles "Hard Attack", "Don't Give a Damn" and the spacious "Take out the Crime" one feels as if the overall idea of Accept has been lost to a sense of solid hard rock. This folks, is no "Restless and Wild". Udo of course, puts in a typically brilliant performance that lifts the record into the realm of entertaining, but sadly...even he cannot save the record from it's obvious flaws in songcraft/production.

This is by no means meant to discourage longtime Accept fans from buying this CD as the few good moments will do more than enough to please them. This record simply closes the doors on the bands past brilliance and drags them further into being a cult sensation. Wolf Hoffman and Udo work hard to bring the record up in terms of performance...but they just couldn't compose something on the level of their past works. It's good...but Accept were always GREAT. This works sadly, as a "quality letdown".

For Accept fans...buy this for the considerably entertaining (if lacking in the original greatness of Accept) "Making Me Scream", "Hard Attack" and "Take out the Crime". Otherwise, if you are looking for an introduction to the mighty Accept...this is hardly the CD for you.

I say buy it...but buy it with extreme caution and reverence for the past works that build the Accept catalog.