Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


Various Artists A Tribute To Accept, Vol. 2

By Peter Atkinson, Contributor
Friday, February 15, 2002 @ 4:32 PM


(Nuclear Blast)

- advertisement -
Though overshadowed by wildly successful countrymen The Scorpions, Germany’s Accept nevertheless left an indelible stamp on ‘80s metal. With their crunching, lock-step riffs, swaggering beats and pitbull-on-steroids singer Udo Dirkschneider’s rabid wail, Accept carved a niche for themselves between the meaker, prettier hairbands and the more savage thrash contingent.

And while they were the object of some scorn for the hokey, synchronized stage antics, Dirkschneider’s troll-like presence and curious homo-erotic aura, the Teutonic titans produced three of the ‘80s finest metalworks in Restless and Wild, Balls To The Wall and Metal Heart before beginning a slow fade. Accept finally called it a day after 1996’s Predator - although Dirkschneider remains active fronting U.D.O. The inevitable tribute album is a bit late in coming, but Nuclear Blast finally stepped forward and rounded up a motley collection of 16 bands - a largely obscure group with Agent Steel as the only American representative - to salute Accept. And as is the case with most tributes, the results are decidedly mixed.

The album gets off to a rousing start with underrated Swedish thrashers Witchery’s ferocious, dead-on take of “Fast As A Shark,” complete with the hilarious “Hi dee, hi doh, hi dah” polka intro. Brilliant. Concluding “Shark” with the opening riffs of “Balls To The Wall” is a nice touch as well - especially since the track, incredibly, is not covered elsewhere. For shame. And when Germany’s lame Raise Hell follows by dragging things down with a pedestrian take of “Slave To Metal,” a pattern of peaks and valleys begins in earnest.

The peaks are certainly worth noting. U.D.O offers monstrous rendition of “XTC,” a track from the forgotten Eat The Heat recorded after Dirkschneider left Accept for a spell. With the mighty mite’s shrill, ballsy voice and a beefier musical backbone, Dirkschneider and company transforms an ordinary track into something grand.

Godgory’s funereal version of Accept’s biggest ballad “Princess of the Dawn” is brilliant as is Therion’s somber, gothic reworking of “Seawinds.” Darkane and Darkseed do equal justice with gruff and gritty treatments of “Restless & Wild” and “Midnight Mover” and Disbelief’s “Dogs On Leads” has all of the menace of the original.

It does take some patience to endure unknowns like Custard or Spiral Tower misfire on throwaways “Aiming High” and “TV - War,” or someone called Rough Silk doing a wretched lounge remake of “Screaming For A Love Bite,” but old fans of Accept will find enough nostalgic thrills here to satisfy. Curious newbies, however, might want to try Accept’s live album Staying A Life instead.

**1/2


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent Reviews
RHAPSODY OF FIRE Challenge The Wind
THE AMITY AFFLICTION, CURRENTS, DYING WISH, MUGSHOT In Boston, MA With Photos!
BLUE OYSTER CULT Ghost Stories
BLACK VEIL BRIDES In Houston, TX With Photos!
GATECREEPER Dark Superstition
AMON AMARTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, OBITUARY, FROZEN SOUL In Portland, OR With Photos!
ULI JON ROTH In Ottawa, Canada
RAVEN, VICIOUS RUMORS, LUTHARO In Ottawa, Canada
BLIND GUARDIAN, NIGHT DEMON In Worcester, MA With Photos!
FIREWIND, EDGE OF PARADISE, IMMORTAL GUARDIAN In Houston, TX With Photos!
KERRY KING From Hell I Rise
DARKTHRONE It Beckons Us All
KAMELOT, HAMMERFALL, AD INFINITUM In Fort Worth, TX With Photos!
ASKING ALEXANDRIA, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, THE WORD ALIVE, NERV In Salt Lake City, UT
ARTILLERY, VAPOR, POTENTIAL THREAT, INFRARED In Ottawa, Canada
BABYLON A.D. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
ILLUSORY The Ivory Tower Reissue
GHOSTKID Hollywood Suicide
DAATH The Deceivers
ACCEPT Humanoid
BRUCE DICKINSON In Santa Ana, CA With Photos!
GREAT WHITE, SLAUGHTER, QUIET RIOT In Houston, TX With Photos!
STATIC-X, SEVENDUST, LINES OF LOYALTY In Salt Lake City, UT With Photos!
JUDAS PRIEST, SABATON In Youngstown, OH With Photos!
ROCK & BREWS Ridgefield, WA Grand Opening With Photos!
WIND ROSE, XANDRIA, LYCANTHRO In Ottawa, Canada
THE ROCK ORCHESTRA By Candlelight In Myrtle Beach, SC With Photos!
DEICIDE Banished By Sin
2024 MONSTERS OF ROCK CRUISE Recap With Photos!
LITA FORD In West Hollywood, CA With Photos!



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News