Search - Accept :: Death Row

The Most Unfairly Underrated Accept & Metal CD, maybe of all

LawrenceSvetlana | USA | 09/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you can't stand hip-hop and boy bands and hate the music scene's degenerating into watching teen stars going bad and flashing their naked, high-mileage beavers, grow some guts and go back and rediscover some old Accept. This is still raw and heavy stuff, but it was truly hardcore in 1995. With slightly better production and a little more direction, I think this cd would have had taken Accept to the Balls to the Wall type of popularity. The cd's got a great cover, but the rest of the packaging leaves a lot to be desired; the insert has one picture of Udo and Wolf repeated on ever page with the lyrics (I'm glad we get those) superimposed over the pic. The music, though, is awesome. Led by Udo's growling malevolence and Wolf Hoffmann's electric brilliance, this cd rocks. And you can't say enough about Wolf. He goes from tight, precise, tough rhythm chores to wreaking lead-guitar havoc that is so good I can't call it anything other than divinely-inspired demolition. Giving all due respect to everyone else in the band, Hoffmann makes this cd and blows so much of his guitar competition away on Death Row. Any guitar player would want this cd to see how good one determined shredder can be doing it all --rhythm, leads, ambient fills-- on his own and making it all awe-inspiring. 90% of the vibe here is vicious and doesn't give quarter to anyone. If you're a weak sister or have one weak-sister cell, you'll know by song one. But you've gotta give Accept kudos for trying to add some unusual stuff to the heavy-end of the music spectrum. "Generation Class II" is a bass-led tune where Peter Baltes finally gets his come-uppance. You also get one melancholy Green-minded, confessional ballad that's more timely now than ever (and it is a very well done tune). The two instrumental pieces would have been better left off, but they are Wolf's Satriani-type moment, so I'll take them in honor of everything else he's accomplished on this album. As to the rest of the album, most bands would be happy to get two or three songs this heavy on a cd, and Accept rips through 12 of them, one right after the other. Every single one of these songs rank with the best that Accept ever put out, and they are much better than many current metal band's best stuff. So if you like your metal rough and want the best guitar musicianship to boot, get this cd. Accept was doing deathly hardcore metal before it became popular. They've always been underrated, but even among Accept fans, Death Row is probably the least understood and most unfairly underrated metal cd of all time. It deserves to be listened to.

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Accept - 'Death Row' (Volcano)

Mike Reed | USA | 02/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Good later day release by the German metal ensemble.This is probably the best effort that Udo and crew had unleashed since their all out high and mighty 'Restless&Wild' album.Modern day metal classic.Be warned,this record is H-E-A-V-Y!!Check out the earth shakers,like "Dead On","Prejudice","Like A Loaded Gun" and "What Else".Udo's unmistakable vocals and Wolf Hoffman's stunning guitar work has rarely been more so intact.Well worth hunting down a copy.Nice!"

Heavy as hell...

Aerik Von | New York, New York | 04/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After the somewhat lacking (yet still fun) "Objection Overruled" the stomping/slashing "Death Row" came as a total shock. THIS was the Accept that we had to know and love and THIS was the Accept that was making music on par with early records such as "Balls to the Wall" and "Russian Roulette". The production is top-notch, the band are playing like a cage pack of starving pit-bulls and Udo has rarely sounded better. Accept made a record for the 90's with this one. This change bothered quite a few but the new sound was bloodthirsty, loose and rocking...I, for one, am left extremely satisfied by this new vitality from a "reunited" band that manages to sound fresher than the Priest and Iron Maiden reunion albums (Ripper and Bruce #2 era) that would come shortly after.



This record is brimming with classic hooks and riffs from the opening "Death Row", to the slamming "Sodom and Gomorrah", to the grinding "Stone Evil" or even the sliding "What Else?". The lyrics are politically charged with an actual mind behind them and Udo delivers them with such conviction that it might matter little as to what lyrics are printed in the sheet. Udo could sing the phone book in this manner and I'd purchase it! Wolf Hoffamanns riffs AND solos are both singable without one song falling under the radar of at least being fun. This may not have been the epic "two guitar" Accept of old...but this new form is stripped down, sweating with fever and ready to fight the power.



I give this two thumbs up for being a "comeback" era album by a band that still manages to sound fresh and lively. It's more intelligent than most Germanic metal offerings and is worthy of EVERY metalheads attention and is a MUST own for fans of Mr. Dirkschnider and Accept.



BUY OR DIE!!!"