(Breaker) Total Time: 52:56
So what is this all about? A new album by U.D.O. in 2002? That does in fact bring back to mind the excellent material of ACCEPT? But my dears, his doctor could not stop him from taking the stage, against his advice, do you think that the fallacy of the opinion of some lame people that accuse him of barren repetition, would have any effect whatsoever? For all those who never heeded the heavy metal call, may I remind you that ACCEPT reached such a high plateau of success mainly because, of that modest gentleman Mr. Udo Dirkschneider, with his piercing rough shriek that gave another dimension to their admittedly great bunch of songs. The ugly games that life often plays brought a premature end to ACCEPT, in complete contrast to the hyperactivity that has since been possessed the experienced front man, and drove him to success along with his friend and collaborator, Stefan Kaufmann, which apart from the production of the preceding “Live in Russia” has undertaken the mixing duties on “Men and machine”. Here the things are simplified and our own judgment does not require any particular extensions. In any case, the most beautiful things around us do not need make over’s in order to attract us. We take them for granted. Therefore, the present recording is not proposed in any case to all those who seek: a lackluster production, guitar fireworks, a so called touch of “originality”, complicated musical arrangements, subject to various influences and the list could go on and on... On the contrary, the direct negative attitude towards machines and technology of any kind (you ‘d better check the verses of the self titled opus, to see what I mean), makes this record unconditionally recommended to all the authentic heavy metal freaks that take their metal without any bastardizing. Material crunchy as hell, incompatible and impervious to all the nu-shit out there, crude, and anticonventional, it’s intended for all the impenitent lovers of a sound that seems to defy the passage of time. The ballad “Dancing with an angel” didn’t need the contribution of Doro to shine through, while it would not spoil it for me, if it did not exist at all. In view and with respect to the preceded masterpieces that consolidated ACCEPT, the grade couldn’t have been any higher, but don’t be put off by that, because this is an excellent album . For Historical reasons I will just quote the line up that helps out Udo, where along Stefan, we meet Igor Gianola (guitars), Fitty Wienhold (bass) and Lorenzo Milani (drums).
