FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Because I have all kinds of write-ups on my hard-drive for all sorts of albums you’ve never heard by all numbers of bands you’ve never heard of, it’s time for another high-in-fiber edition of Sounds from the Stoner/Doom/Psych/Whatever Underground, this one zooming in on German imprint Electric Magic Records.
“Well, it is really one of those funny stories in life which started as a big coincidence. The short version is that, about a year and a half ago we met Mark Tornillo and loved the way he sang. It wasn’t planned out at all. We were not auditioning for a singer or anything. We just happened to meet during a jam session. Peter (Baltes) and I were spending a day just jamming some old riffs. Somebody suggested we call Mark and have him sing along with some old songs. We realized he has a killer voice which was suited perfectly to our old material. The idea to reform was born in that moment. Within about a minute and I half Peter and I just looked at each other and we knew we had to do something.”
Allan Grusie in conversation with ACCEPT guitarist and founding member Wolf Hoffmann about their reformation and the excellent Blood Of The Nations comeback album.
It’s tragic how such a welcome comeback could be snuffed out so cruelly, but what a way for Heaven and Hell to go out: sales and attendance exceptional, everyone finally getting along, not to mention proud of everything they’d accomplished in such a short time span. And with Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell, we have a perfect way to cap off that magical run.
It seems to me that there are two possibilities here. Either MMX was done with a lot of thought and they over analyzed it or they were as fucking high as Hunter S Thompson.
Lords Of Depravity Part II is an amazingly thorough, well-put together package but it might just be way too much for the beginner Sodom fan. At a running time of over six hours there is a shitload of Sodom to be had for a reasonable price.
Despite my quibbles with the lyrical content, this album is a great piece of throwback metal, Andy Sneap harnessing the classic 80’s Accept sound and bringing it into the 21st century. Their last Udo-less effort may not have aged well, but Blood of the Nations is timeless.
Helped by the fantastic production of Andy Sneap, you have the perfect combination of old school Accept with a modern touch. All their trademarks are here. Excellent riffs that are undeniably Accept in feel/tone, with those huge gang vocals and twin guitar attack will have you grinning from ear to ear.
Sure, I listened to all the metal gods growing up: Maiden, Priest, Sabbath, etc; but there was another band I had an obsessive appreciation for, one that didn’t belong on so lofty a pedestal–yet I put them right up there.
That band was Teutonic metal pioneers Accept.
Make no mistake, this is POWER metal. The songs on At The Edge of Time are arranged with a classical ear, the attention to detail on this album cannot be denied.
While this is indeed a different vibe from the more nostalgic, fantastical vibe given off by Alcest’s albums, Lantlôs remains very similar in feel. This fact alone should be enough to help one decide whether or not .neon is worth pursuing.