#jorg fischer

[blackros78]

Accept

[metalsongoftheday]

Friday, February 12: Accept, “Russian Roulette”

Russian Roulette’s title track wasn’t the longest thing Accept ever recorded, but it was one of their grandest and most epic statements, arguably second only to “Princess of the Dawn” in that regard.  A deeply cynical treatise on war and the military-industrial complex (that still had room for awkward Deaffy wordplay like “treat a man like a pig”), “Russian Roulette” featured one of Wolf Hoffmann’s all-time best solos, a lethal chorus and a surprisingly dynamic vocal performance from Udo Dirkschneider that balanced his usual insanity with a more restrained approach on the verses that successfully built tension and ominously laid ground for the violence of the bridge and chorus.  And unlike much of Russian Roulette, where the band sounded conflicted and exhausted, here the members of Accept seemed fully engaged with the material and locked in as a group.  Even the somewhat airless production served the track well, making “Russian Roulette” one of their fiercest statements- and ultimately a fitting farewell to Accept’s glorious first run.

[rockhard-ridefree]

[metalsongoftheday]

Friday, December 14: Accept, “Dogs on Leads”

“Dogs on Leads” was not only a bit of an outlier on Metal Heart, but it also stood apart from the rest of Accept’s discography.  All of the usual Accept ingredients were there: Udo Dirkschneider hysterically shrieked Deaffy’s nonsensical lyrics over Stefan Kaufmann’s metronomic grooves while Wolf Hoffmann’s crystalline melodies floated over his crunching riffs.  But the tone and atmosphere was more ominous, as opposed to the band’s usual kicking ass and taking names approach.  From the slow throb of Peter Baltes’ bass to Hoffmann’s clanging on the intro and verses, “Dogs on Leads” felt more like the soundtrack to a spy thriller or horror movie instead of the usual battle scene or barroom brawl.  Nonetheless, the song fit well within the context of Metal Heart, which found Accept trying some new things and broadening their sound a touch, and Dieter Dierks’ production was spacious while also preserving most of the qualities that made Accept take over the Scorpions’ spot as the premiere German metal act of the early-mid ‘80s. And because this was Accept right at the end of their prime, the tune still kicked plenty of ass, even if a little stealthier than usual.

[rockhard-ridefree]

[rockhard-ridefree]

[rockhard-ridefree]

[rockhard-ridefree]

Accept