Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Accept > Death Row > Reviews
Accept - Death Row

Move Over Dio, Udo's the Real Midget of Metal - 70%

Flamos, March 27th, 2009

I’ve always found Accept to be a very underrated talent. Sure, to most people they have the hit “Balls to the Wall” and from there on out they’re completely forgotten. “Death Row” was an album released in 94, after many considered the band to be far past their prime.

However, this is a good record. Udo Dirkschneider is as unique as ever here, with his beastly vocal style and his thick accent. Overall he’s strong here and can hold up throughout the entire album. The bass here is tough to hear, mostly from the low production. Even on the highest volume level it’s difficult to listen. Peter Baltes is an accomplished performer, but it’s unknown here. The drumming on “Death Row” is above average but nothing spectacular. Now, the highlight here is the guitar playing. Wolf Hoffmann is possibly the most underrated guitar player not only in metal, but also in the rock world itself. The riffs here are extremely catchy yet simple, and his solos are unbelievable. Without him, I’m not sure if this album would be a good as it is. The line-up has it’s blunders, but it also has it’s gold.

The album begins with the title track, “Death Row,” which is an ok song. Nothing really that spectacular about it. However the next song “Sodom and Gomorra,” is the best on the record. Its hook is astounding and the guitar playing is ridiculously fantastic. I also enjoy Udo’s vocals here; they fit perfect with the song. Which isn’t much of a surprise. Many of the songs are longer than they should be and the do drag with repetitive characteristics. Songs like “Dead On” and “Like A Loaded Gun” are good examples. This doesn’t completely destroy the album though. The main problem is that it loses steam over time. “Stone Evil,” Bad Habits Die Hard,” and “Prejudice” are all quite boring and worthy of the skip button. For some unknown reason “Generation Clash 2” is present here. Which is the original “Generation Clash” re-recorded. This is basically a waste here and I’m baffled it made it onto the record. “Writing on the Walls” is a nifty ballad worth listening to.

Yes, many of these songs are below average, but the first six tracks are all-great and should be listened to. However, the rest of the album has many holes. The production isn’t that good, the line-up is average, but few songs do shine. Accept fans will enjoy it, but others will find this to be unsatisfactory. Listen to it for the first six tracks and “Written on the Walls.”

Accept's Painkiller - 65%

BotD, April 17th, 2007

Yes, I just compared this to Painkiller, though I should clearly state only in style not in substance. Both albums share the atmosphere of an older, seminal band ratcheting up the aggression and attempting to reclaim their past glory. Judas Priest succeeds far better (despite many overrating Painkiller) than Accept in this nostalgic sentiment, however; mostly because Judas Priest actually forged new ground and wrote far better songs for Painkiller than are present on Death Row. Furthermore, the direction of Painkiller was not a huge departure from Judas Priest’s heritage, while Death Row lacks all the hallmarks that forged early Accept classics.

Let’s start with Udo. He phones in his performance, relying far too much on the gang vocals he pioneered. Concomitantly, the chorus suffers Iron Maiden Syndrome, i.e. inundating the listener with the chorus into obnoxiousness. Repetitiveness is a theme that pervades this album and I will touch upon the topic again. What happened to the Udo that crafted the enchanting melodies of “Breaker” or “Midnight Mover” and carried many a mediocre Accept song with his varied and powerful performance?

As I said earlier, much of this album devolves into ennui. The songwriting and the riffs are just not up to task. Death Row overflows with simple riffs (even by Accept standards) rationed out quite penuriously and then drilled into the ground with overlong songs. I don’t know why Accept during this period obviously destitute of creativity decided to increase the duration of their songs, because they are noticeably longer than, for instance, Russian Roulette. The riffs are not necessarily bad and in fact constitute some of the heaviest stuff Accept has put to record, just repetitive and then strung along far past their expiration date. For a ready example of Accept’s bankrupt inspiration, you need not look further than “Generation Clash II,” which sounds far too similar to the original for its own good (even if I like the sequel better).

Nevertheless, one thing saves this album: the solos. Wolf Hoffman’s leads inspired hordes of power metal guitarists in his early work and here he is at the top of his game. Nearly every song has him covering up for the flaws of the song with some amazing soloing. This fact only furthers the analogy to Painkiller, but it must be restated this is not Painkiller in quality. Nothing sticks out as terrible, but don’t expect any new Accept classics.

Meh... - 90%

Snxke, December 6th, 2004

After the somewhat lacking (yet still fun) "Objection Overruled" the stomping/slashing "Death Row" came as a total shock. THIS was the Accept that we had to know and love and THIS was the Accept that was making music on par with early records such as "Balls to the Wall" and "Russian Roulette". The production is top-notch, the band are playing like a cage pack of starving pit-bulls and Udo has rarely sounded better. Accept made a record for the 90's with this one. This change bothered quite a few but the new sound was bloodthirsty, loose and rocking...I, for one, am left extremely satisfied by this new vitality from a "reunited" band that manages to sound fresher than the Priest and Iron Maiden reunion albums (Ripper and Bruce #2 era) that would come shortly after.

This record is brimming with classic hooks and riffs from the opening "Death Row", to the slamming "Sodom and Gomorrah", to the grinding "Stone Evil" or even the sliding "What Else?". The lyrics are politically charged with an actual mind behind them and Udo delivers them with such conviction that it might matter little as to what lyrics are printed in the sheet. Udo could sing the phone book in this manner and I'd purchase it! Wolf Hoffamanns riffs AND solos are both singable without one song falling under the radar of at least being fun. This may not have been the epic "two guitar" Accept of old...but this new form is stripped down, sweating with fever and ready to fight the power.

I give this two thumbs up for being a "comeback" era album by a band that still manages to sound fresh and lively. It's more intelligent than most Germanic metal offerings and is worthy of EVERY metalheads attention and is a MUST own for fans of Mr. Dirkschnider and Accept.

BUY OR DIE!!!

I Accept it!!!! - 95%

PowerMetalGuardian, February 18th, 2003

There are three main metal bands every metalhead should know. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Accept. While hiting out classics during the 70's and 80's, Accept was widely accepted in the traditional metal scene. However, during the 90's Accept lost steam and didn't hit the top of the charts like they did in the past. This due to the start of mainstream pop and alternative shitty music. Accept did not change to become mainstream, they kicked out the heaviest riffs of 1994! Unlike all of the other Accept albums, Death Row is more agressive. The vocals are the same style, with Udo doing his usualy Over Kill/ Ac Dc vocals. In some songs like Guns 'R' Us and Like A Loaded Gun the vocals are the usual, but in some parts they are very low, almost mean sounding. The lyrics are pretty cool; death and all that good stuff. A most familiar thing with these lyrics are that they state certain issues and how they stand on them, like Prejudice. Musically, it is like Accept's previous albums but better. You can definetly tell in the riffs that Accept has become more agressive in everything they do. With this agression also comes more faster songs like Sodom and Gomorra and Bad Religion, which have the best Accept riffs in them. All the songs are fast and agressive, no ballads like past Accept albums have. There are two instrumentals: Drifting Away and Pomp and Circumstance. Drifting Away is actually pretty slow so I guess that song is the ballad for all you Accept fans. Pomp and Circumstance a song written in the UK which is used primarily in HIgh School Graduation Ceremonies! Ah brings back ols memories. Plus it is a heavyier version of the song with busting artificial harmonics. Man I wish I knew how to place this for my graduation!!! Anyways, if you are truly an Accept fan, or a metal head, don't leave out Accept's newer stuff! It is just as good!