Released by: AFM Records
Release Date: May 29th, 2013
Genre: Heavy Metal
Links: http://www.udo-online.com/
Line Up:
Udo Dirkschneider (vocals)
Andrey Smirnov (guitar)
Kasperi Heikkinen (guitar)
Fitty Wienhold (bass)
Francesco Jovino (drums)
Tracklist:
01. Steelhammer
02. A Cry Of A Nation
03. Metal Machine
04. Basta Ya
05. Heavy Rain
06. Devil’s Bite
07. Death Ride
08. King Of Mean
09. Time Keeper
10. Never Cross My Way
11. Take My Medicine
12. Stay True
13. When Love Becomes A Lie
14. Book Of Faith
Sometimes when a band breaks up it signals the end of an era so to speak. Other times a band will forge on creating music that cheapens the prior catalog of material. And other times still a member will leave a band to pursue a solo career overtaking their previous bands greatness, or simply crashing and burning under the weight of their own ego. Lucky for fans of the legendary German band Accept, as well as those who loved the music and vocals provided by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, both band and singer are still putting out top notch metal, just not as one unit. Just as Accept have been able to take the significant loss of such an iconic singer and move on putting out some of the best material they have in their career, at the same time U.D.O has managed to release some outstanding solo albums as well.
Steelhammer is his latest and continues to demonstrate his greatness. His voice may not be for everyone, however for those of us that get it, it is a treasure that keeps the metal alive. Musically, the songs are just as strong as anything he recorded with Accept, yet beyond the obvious metal music comparison, has created a sound all his own while remaining true to what brought him to the game. With standout tracks like “Take My Medicine,” “Metal Machine,” and “Death Ride,” it packs a metal powerhouse punch that doesn’t let up. Still sounding as fresh as ever, Udo still is one of the masters of metal, and that my friend is awesome!
Honestly, there’s not a helluva lot to be said about Steelhammer other than prior fans of U.D.O. and Accept have another German metal masterpiece on their hands, and despite the amicable split, there are two forces pumping out some of the best metal out there. Forever linked in the pantheon of metal legend, it’s nice to know that a band can lose a vocalist and fans of both gain two outstanding music creators. It doesn’t happen often, but this time it exceeds giving the fans more metal to get them through the tough times we live in.
Written by Chris
Ratings Chris 8/10
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