Customer Reviews

Mission No. X

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although i don't own it yet, ive heard most of the tracks on this one. Overall a very solid release. more along the lines of the UDO by numbers albums they have put out lately. But for that reason, its crisp, clean and flawlessly executed although a bit repetitive and a tad unoriginal on a few of the tracks.
But the album does have its unique moments , like "mean streets" along with its more run of the mill numbers like "primecrime on primetime". OVERALL id give it a 7.2/10.
Personally i find the 24/7 ep that was released b4 this album to be more interesting. it features 2 tracks off of this album and 3 bonus tracks that are smokin.
Amazon mentions the bonus video on the import? not sure if its included but they also mentioned the same for the 24/7 ep which i do own and its not there. so make sure beforehand if it matters to you.

Because let's face it people, they all pretty much sound the same it's just that some of them are better at sounding the same than others. I just listened to this four times in a row (the men in white with the nets are coming for me as we speak) and this is what I've gleaned about this album.

Firstly it IS like pretty much all the others, solid hard rock/metal with the inimitable Udo on lead gravel throat. The rest of the band comprises Stefan Kaufmann + Igor Gianola (G), Fitty Wienhold (B) and Francesco Jovino (D) and the whole thing blends into one solid fist of hard riffing rock. I mean I'm not sure (cos I'm too lazy to find out) but given the title this must be solo slab #10 for Udo and you'd like to think he knows what he's doing by now! The production is as you'd expect, modern and full but not overly shiny or prissy and since it was done `in house' by Kaufmann you'd have to assume this is exactly how the band wanted things to sound...emphasis on guitar and vox with enough of the rhythm section left in to let you hear the melodies that underpin a number of these tunes.

Secondly the band aren't afraid to address a number of concerns from the fairly generic `tough guy' stuff to displays of deft touch such as Cry Soldier Cry which is (you guessed it) a diatribe against war in it's discussion of the pointlessness of the soldiers experience.

I scored the limited edition version and yeah the way the titles are embossed onto the cover is nifty but I wouldn't stress overmuch if you can't get it. They probably care in Germany. And yeah there is a video track that has the clip for Mean Streets which is one of the better rockers on this disc though it wouldn't open on my machine. Other standouts being the aforementioned Cry Soldier Cry, the nice and cruising 24/7 and if you are into your guilty pleasures the sheer cliché of Breaking Down the Borders will give you your fill. Oh and check out Eye of the Eagle which is another tune that helps this get over the line into four star territory.

Serviceable though not earth shattering.