Customer Reviews

Nailed to Metal

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The release of U.D.O.'s "Nailed To Metal - The Missing Tracks" is a really good live recording. While I have never really been a fan of Udo Dirkschnieder's voice, I found myself really feeling the intensity he delivers his songs has been kept throughout his career. I first saw Accept when they opened for KISS on the "Lick It Up" tour and the fans were Legion at this performance. Yet for some odd reason I was not into them yet. I would change that opinion after a few more listens to the "Restless And Wild" and "Balls To The Wall" albums.

I will admit that this release includes all of the Accept tracks that I loved growing up as a young metal fan. "Princess Of The Dawn", "Balls To The Wall", Metal Heart" and Restless And Wild" as well as "Fast As A Shark" are all here so that made for an enjoyable listen. It is quite different hearing Stefan Kaufmann as a guitar player rather than a drummer, but the guy on this album Lorenzo Milani does an amazing job and there is a killer drum solo done on the CD. I would later find out that Stefan has not been playing drums since 1987, but as I said I was always a moderate Accept and UDO fan. Igor Gianola is featured on Guitar as is Fitty on the Bass. After doing a little research, I found that the tune X-T-C was an older pre-UDO Accept tune. Clearly UDO does this number justice. UDO completists will enjoy it, and new fans can appreciate it since it covers a wide range of stuff.

After giving this piece a listen, I realized I need to dig up my old Accept music and also find my way to the shops to purchase some U.D.O. I advise fans check this one out and be aware that there is also a DVD of this release available for the hungry metal maven.

What's Good About It?

If you're a fan of Accept, then this CD will be a walk down metal lane. All their classics are here; the rapid fire riff that sustains "Fast as a Shark," the simple but effective hooks of "X-T-C," the chugga-chugga guitar work of "Restless and Wild," and the catchy 'woe woe' of "Hard Attack." Most of the Accept tracks are made more appealing in the live setting by extended musical embellishments. "Metal Heart," a track from Accept's greatest album (in my opinion), is a good example of this. The duel guitarists display their talents in an off-the-cuff six-string duel. As far as the U.D.O. group material goes, "Holy," "Raiders of the Beyond," and "Thunder in the Tower," if I didn't tell you they were U.D.O. songs, you'd think they were lost Accept tracks. There's plenty of crowd interaction and sing-alongs to justify the 'live' recording. Oddly enough there's no cover of "Balls to the Wall." Just kidding! Here's a fun drinking game for ya; every time Udo sings the title, take a shot. You'll be on the floor before the end of this nine-minute extended version.

Anything Bad?

One track devoted to a drum solo. Only three U.D.O. songs out of 10; all from the same album, and it's not even their last one. For crying out loud, the group has had eight studio albums! Even David Lee Roth performs all his singles live.

Bottom Line

The best damn Accept tribute band period! There's nothing here that you haven't heard on previous Accept live albums, with three exceptions (and you can hear those on a previous U.D.O. live album). To Udo's credit, he still sounds like he did twenty years ago; angry and gristled. The band is tight and virtually flawless. The CD is really a promo for the DVD, which is packed with more material (9 live tracks, behind the scenes, 10 video clips, discography, biography, photo gallery, and 7 unreleased audio tracks). Be smart, get the DVD.