ACCEPT REAFFIRM THEIR METAL LEGENDS STATUS WITH 'THE RISE OF CHAOS'
Accept: 'The Rise Of Chaos'
Released August 4th 2017 (Nuclear Blast)
Words: Brian Boyle
You've got to hand it to Brian Johnson and Sammy Hagar; those guys took over from two of the most iconic frontman in rock, then hepled secure number one albums at the first time of asking and in turn won over the vast majority of their respective bands' fan base.
But Accept's Mark Tornillo unfortunately hasn't had such an easy ride. Now in his eighth year in the band, the New Jersey native is most likely still viewed as an imposter by hardcore fans who still crave the days when the German powerhouse was fronted by the legendary Udo Dirkschneider.
But he's definitely doing something right as 'The Rise Of Chaos' is his fourth album with the band and their fourth with Nuclear Blast and with original stalwarts Wolf Hoffmann and Peter Baltes still steering the ship this ten track opus is stone wall evidence that they haven't lost the knack for creating a Metal album laced with power and grit.
Opener 'Die By The Sword' is a demonic growler with Tornillo marking his territory early with a hellish yell in the haunting chorus. 'Hole In The Head' drops momentum down a notch with it's anticlimactic choral roar, however the same cannot be said about the title track - shades of classic Accept afoot with a textnook Hoffmann riff bludgeoning through the anthemic vibes.
As on 'Blood Of The Nations', 'Stalingrad' and 'Blind Rage', Grammy award winning producer Andy Sneap captures the essence of the band with scorching results. The classy 'Koolaid' struts along with a thumping rhythm, complementing Tornillo's menacing vocal while 'No Regrets' breaks down walls with a galloping thrash delivery and 'Analog Man' brings it all back to basics with some proper bar room Metal.
Whilst giving this album several run throughs I had a browse online at top rock/Metal guitarist polls and I fell across a lengthy top 66 with all the usual suspects dominating the top ten, but alarmingly nowhere in the remaining 56 was the majesty of Wolf Hoffmann. Hearing the man from Mainz terrorise the frets on 'Worlds Colliding' and tenacious album closer 'Race To Extinction' makes a complete ass of that poll.
No doubt the Accept purists will compare 'The Rise Of Chaos' to signature albums 'Balls To The Wall' and 'Metal Heart', but for now their worldwide legions of followers can revel in a Heavy Metal album served up in it's purest form.
Tracklisting: Die By The Sword Hole In The Head The Rise Of Chaos Koolaid
No Regrets Analog Man What's Done Is Done Worlds Colliding Carry The Weight Race To Extinction
Accept are: Wolf Hoffmann - Guitars Peter Baltes - Bass Mark Tornillo - Lead Vocals Uwe Lulis - Guitars Christopher Williams - Drums
'The Rise Of Chaos' is unleashed on Friday August 4th, the night after Accept premiere tracks from the album in their biggest gig to date, a symphonic experience at Wacken on Thursday 3rd August.
Last week the German Metal pioneers announced a show at London's Koko on 8th February 2018 as part of a twenty-eight date long European tour.
12th January: (DE) Hamburg - Mehr! Theater 13th January: (DE) Filderstadt - Filharmonie 14th January: (DE) Munich - TonHalle 16th January: (DE) Leipzig - Haus Auensee 17th January: (DE) Berlin - Huxleys 19th January: (DE) Geiselwind - Eventzentrum 20th January: (CZ) Zlín - Euronics 21st January: (HU) Budapest - Barba Negra 23rd January: (IT) Milano - Live Music Club 24th January: (CH) Zurich - Komplex 457 26th January: (ES) Barcelona - Sala Razzmatazz 27th January: (ES) Madrid - La Riviera 28th January: (ES) Bilbao - Santana 27 30th January: (FR) Saint-Étienne - Le FIL 1st February: (FR) Lille - L'Aéronef 2nd February: (DE) Saarbrücken - Garage 3rd February: (CH) Lausanne - Les Docks 4th February: (DE) Frankfurt - Batschkapp 6th February: (NL) Eindhoven - Effenaar 7th February: (BE) Antwerpen - Trix 8th February: (UK) London - Koko 9th February: (DE) Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle 11th February: (DK) Copenhagen - Vega 12th February: (NO) Oslo - Rockefeller 14th February: (SWE) Gothenburg - Trädgår'n 15th February: (SWE) Stockholm - Cruise 17th February: (FI) Turku - Logomo 18th February: (FI) Helsinki - The Circus
Wolf spoke recently about 'The Rise Of Chaos' and about playing the new songs live. See what Wolf has to say in this exclusive video which premiered earlier this week on MetalTalk.
Accept released the second single from 'The Rise Of Chaos' late last week and it's 'Koolaid', a real standout track from the album. Check it out here.
Wolf Hoffmann told us about 'Koolaid':
"'Koolaid' is a well-known flavoured drink, which in the past has been mixed with Cyanide by a cult leader who forced his congregation to drink it: men, women and children. All so everybody could get to heaven.
"Since then, the phrase 'drinking the Koolaid' is referring to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination.
"That common fact, that people believe anything, when sold in the right way, has intrigued me all my life. For me, being critical and alert all the time, is the key to every decision that one makes. That is the main message!"
The Wacken set on Thursday August 3rd sees Accept celebrate the album's live premiere exclusively as a part of a special show consisting of three parts:
Part One will bring fans a classic Accept set, packed with new and old hits.
Part Two will present another premiere: Wolf Hoffmann will be playing tracks from his solo album, 'Headbangers Symphony', released in 2016, with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra for the very first time. On this record, Wolf has covered famous opuses by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart, in a Metal guise.
And in Part Three, all elements can be seen and heard together: Accept will make the holy Wacken ground shake by sharing the stage with the orchestra, supported by a complex multimedia show.
This unique concert experience will take place on this year's 'Night To Remember' which makes it even more special. The 'Night To Remember' is a celebrated, long-lasting Wacken tradition; for one night of the festival a selection of established bands will do something unique and special with their performance.
Wolf Hoffmann told us when the Wacken performance was first announced:
"It's always impressive to see how bands take this evening seriously and how much love the artists and the organising team put into their work to get a varied result. It's a great tradition which underlines and documents the top-notch level of the international rock community like nothing else. We also want to present something that Accept has never done before and we hope we can give something really special to the fans."
Thomas Jensen, organiser of Wacken Open Air, told us:
"Accept have been and are still a very important part of Germany's Heavy Metal scene. We're really looking forward to having them with us once more. With this epic concept, the Thursday evening will be one to remember for sure."
MetalTalk will have a big presence at Wacken this year so stay tuned for the full lowdown on what will be a glorious night. 'The Rise Of Chaos' will be in stores the following morning, August 4th, but you can pre-order yours right here.
And while you are waiting to hear 'The Rise Of Chaos', check out the trailers and behind the scenes videos the band have released in the run-up to the album's release.
Wolf added:
"'The Rise Of Chaos' is something I have been thinking about often. Wherever we go, there is some hidden as well as some visible destruction and it kind of changes the world we know. What was there today - can be gone tomorrow and it's somehow irritating, because it happens on so many levels and no one knows what comes next.
"The cover portrays our last stage set-up, but now clearly destroyed, like... after a catastrophe."
The cover artwork of the new record was created by the Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák.
