Three years passed since the release of U.D.O.‘s last album Decadent. During these three years the band parted their ways with the drummer Francesco Jovino (now Sven Dirkschneider, Udo’s son play drums), second guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen and went to a huge two years tour under name Dirkschneider to put an end to Accept‘s heritage. And now it’s time for U.D.O.‘s new, 16th album Steelfactory.
According to the band members, music was created during their tour, so Accept‘s heritage has not gone away. It’s still the same straight and powerful songs, quite simple technically, with Udo’s recognizable charismatic vocals.
I’ll start from a huge lack, which is not lack at all on closer look: this album is very predictable. On the other hand, when you get an album from U.D.O., you hardly expect something totally different from their older stuff. You expect U.D.O., “the same as it was but new”. Well, Steelfactory gives it fully.
Steelfactory brings 13 songs of typical Teutonic Heavy Metal. Quite various, as it possible in a narrow genre’s frame. Here we got some fast, aggressive songs (an opener “Tongue Reaper”, “Rising High”, “Eraser”) and middle-tempo with Fitty Wienhold’s deep pumping bass (“A Bite Of Evil”, “Make The Move”). Also there are some Hard’n’Heavy “oldtimers” (“In The Heat Of The Night”, “Rose In The Desert”) and closing ballad “The Way”.
With this, there are some outstanding songs. “Raise The Game” sounds little bit closer to Thrash Metal, or rather it sounds more like U.D.O. covers Megadeth (e.g.) or something like that. Slow “One Heart One Soul” is great for live shows. It can be remembered easily and great for chanting.
Well, the most outstanding song, as for me is “Blood On Fire”. Heavy Metal tango? Here you go! Especially when it’s not just “tango”, but legendary “La Cumparsita”, which everyone heard for sure. That’s exactly an oldschool Accept‘s spirit, where in the beginning of the song can be heard “Slavic March” from Tchaikovsky and “Für Elise” from Beethoven as guitar solo. Andrey Smirnov’s guitar is flawless here.
In a word, if you don’t expect some radical changes from U.D.O. (and not so radical too), this album is for you. Steelfactory isn’t worse than his predecessors and sometimes even better. Teutonic Heavy Metal as is.
Steelfactory will be released on August, 31 via AFM Records.
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