Veteran German Metal warriors Accept have, for the most part remained off my radar until recently. Yes, I have known who they are but let's face it; their only hit in the U.S. was "Balls to the Wall". So when they decided to reunite in 2009 and brought frontman Mark Tornillo on board, that move was a definitive game changer and after hearing the first single off of their comeback release Blood of the Nations, I was hooked. Three albums into their revamped career and Accept  are stronger than ever and expanding their fan base exponentially.

 

While the U.S. may have only held mild admiration for the band during the 80's, their current level of appreciation is considerably more. In support of their latest release Blind Rage the band scheduled a handful of dates in the states and I was privileged to have caught their outstanding performance on September 12th at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Ca.

 

Blazing straight into their nearly two hour set, the jam packed house responded with tremendous praise. Not missing a beat they tore through one dynamic hit after another. throughout the night I believe every song on the new CD was played. Admirable mentions from the set are, of course, the first single "Stampede" which is an instant classic for sure, as well as choice cuts like; "Dying Breed and "200 Years," both of which execute precision and artistic talent in one accord. Seeing and hearing these guys in the live capacity has been of tremendous enjoyment. The powerful riffing of guitarist extraordinaire Wolf Hoffman is one of the utmost Metal experiences I've had in my musical lifetime. Visually their performance is just as intense  as the audio portion. I am always one for seeing emotion and the conveyance of one's passion in their face and body language and Mr. Hoffman and company do a splendid job of doing just that. The bottom line here is: these guys put on one hell of a show! Additional favorites that the band emphatically delivered were "Stalingrad" from the album of the same name, "Shadow Soldiers" which offer homage to those who serve and defend our countries and "Hung, Drawn and Quartered," which is something I never want to think about, (the act not the song). Exactly how Mark can continue to put such a strain on his voice night after night is completely baffling to me. My favorite songs were "Teutonic Terror" and, of course the band's ultimate anthem song, "Balls to the Wall", which served as the final songs of the night. Not much from the Udo Dirkschneider era of the band, and I suppose that is because they are selling the band's present day sound, rather than what was 20 years ago; and this way of thinking actually works just fine with me.

 

Accept bring a much needed balance to the Metal scene here in America and the world abroad. They represent the best of the 80's Metal heyday and, at the same time, bring just enough of a fresh perspective to contend with the hoards of lesser than bands in encumbering the field. I expects big things from these guys in the future as they have not finished the course and have a long way to still go. Thank God!

 

-Priest