Dirkschneider
Live! Back To The Roots
(AFM Records)
The mighty German force called Udo Dirkschneider is back. You may remember him from Accept or his main band UDO, which is still going strong decades later. The man is as big a monolith as that of Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson, showing an uncanny amount of strength at sixty-four years of age. Accept fans won’t even know the difference, as he still manages a powerful performance complete with all the current members of UDO intact for what I’d consider to be a worthy tribute to Accept. That means that we have Sven Dirkschneider on drums, Fitty Weinhold on bass and the dual guitar tag-team of Andrey Smirnov and Kasperi Heikkenen as have appeared on the previous couple of UDO records. The listener already knows that they’re getting a strong lineup, which makes for an electrifying performance. That being said, the listener also needs to keep in mind that the massive performance consists of twenty-five Udo-era Accept classics, including fan favorites like “Balls To The Wall”, “I’m A Rebel”, “Metal Heart”, “Son Of A Bitch” and more. In fact, so much more that you’ll be amazed. While Udo Dirkschneider has played several of these classic songs with Accept before, and notably thousands of times – there are several not so popular cuts here, which bring some needed variety to such a hefty setlist. Even “Princess Of The Dawn” is unexpectedly performed here, which pushes over the ten minute mark while cuts like “Neon Nights” and closer “Burning” are extended far beyond their album performances. Such a thing is necessary though, because this is the last time that Udo and his merry troupe want to play these Accept classics, forever closing a chapter on that part of his life.
As for the performances in general, one can expect a traditional warm sounding style of German classic heavy metal that is probably older than some of the readers here. But if you’re new to this material, don’t fret! As is the same with many classic video games like Super Mario Bros or The Legend Of Zelda, the material here that Dirkschneider performs on stage has aged exceptionally well. There’s a reason why these hard-hitting riffs, tremendous solo numbers and hooky choruses have done so well over the years and this is the demonstration that proves it. This is the testament to the power and legacy of Accept and the German heavy metal legend that once fronted them. Just in listening to these pieces now, I can see why they’re so memorable and could simply not be replaced throughout any span of time. If you think that bands like Priest, Maiden, Saxon, Sabbath and Manilla Road are without equal but have yet to hear even an ounce of Accept music, then consider this your chance to experience the power, majesty and glory that used to reign back in the days where rock was king of the world. The material here is timeless for a good reason. Some of you might have even been conceived during some of this material, so please keep that in mind. That’s just how far back it spans.
Erasing that slightly uncomfortable thought out of my head, (even though I believe I was probably conceived during Foreigner) it is no secret that fans of eighties rock and metal in general would love to get their hands on this two-disc release (also available as a three-vinyl set) even though I feel it is unfortunate that there is as of yet no DVD performance to accompany the fine music that we’re getting here. Normally I would consider that a bit of an issue, but the fact of the matter is that even though this performance is now available at many fine retailers, the show is not yet over. You heard me. The most surprising part of this review isn’t the album itself, but the fact that you can still catch Dirkschneider on this once in a lifetime tour through several countries in the world spanning the US, Russia, Israel, Japan and back through Europe for a second round of heavy metal thunder! Listen to the album, but please allow yourself the experience of a live Dirkschneider performance if you ever get the chance. From listening to this earlier recorded European performance, by which several shows were completely sold-out, I can tell you that you’re in for a rewarding experience regardless of how you choose to experience these legendary cuts. Bands across the world have covered them and now you can hear them as they were meant to be heard by the man responsible for that incredible era of heavy metal. There’s nothing quite like Accept and there’s nothing quite like Udo Dirkschneider, but you don’t need this album to tell you that. Pick up a copy of Live! Back To The Roots today and embrace your metal heart!
Purchase Live! Back To The Roots here: Amazon | AFM Records
