Customer Reviews

Restless & Wild

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Accept were and are one of the greatest and most underrated Metal bands of all time, and Restless and Wild is their masterpiece. As a kid in the early eighties I was a true metal head into the likes of Sabbath, Scorps, Priest and Maiden, but my whole world took a turn for the HEAVIER when I was kicked in the face by the double bass onslaught of Fast as a Shark! Metal had taken an evolutionary step towards true aggression and somehow everything else seemed a little tamer in comparison. These german metal maestroes captured everything that makes metal so appealing in my book, true musicianship,power, precision, touches of classical/gothic melody that doesen't deplete the noize factor,lyrics that exalt a rude and crude roughneck metal ethic(Ahead of the Pack,title track) vague occultic mysticism (Princess of the Dawn, Demon's Night) and balls out beer swilling anthems (Get Ready, Flash Rockin Man). This is pure blood & guts street level metal with no time for sissy poser wannabes, all filtered through an obviously foreign (german/european) sensibility thankfully devoid of american style concessions to glamor and rock stardom! Despite some opinions to the contrary Udo's vocals are a perfect compliment to the sound and lyrics. His audio and physical lack of beauty may have kept Accept from achieving "stardom" but in my opinion kept them perfectly on track as far as the aesthetics and ethics of true metal go. Accept remain today as they were then, obscure at best outside metal circles, and a joke to music snobs who don't know any better, but that's O.K. only the faithful have a right to know anyway...

Germany's premier metal band. This is the first recording of Accept that I ever heard. As soon as I heard the record scratch at the beginning of "Fast as a Shark", I was hooked. If I had to choose a fave Accept disk, if not this one then Balls to the Wall would be my fave. None the less, it just KICKS BOOTIE. From high tempoed, fast paced, as the title song "Restless and Wild" to more layed back kinda' in your face thumpin' like "Neon Nights", this will appeal to all serious metal-heads. Udo's voice is quite rough on this one, but the intensity of it fits the music to a tee. Wolf, Peter and Stephen are their usual tight trio.

I completely agree with "voidmans" assessment of this CD - hard to add to this very hit-the-nail-on-the-head review.

I have been an Accept fan since their first release, and they put a fresh, aggressive-yet-melodic and 'stand up for yourself' power approach to metal. 'Restless' was their best release, as they combined some blistering fast songs with great 'standard' party-metal and clever ballads. This stuff was considered somewhat underground when it came out, as the metal on the airwaves was either airbrushed or hackneyed. Udo's voice and the twin guitar attack was their trademark (similar to the JP attack), however they were different enough from the rest to demand attention.

This CD still sounds fresh after nearly 20 years - a worthy addition to most any collection!

First Heard this title track back in 83 and I was totally floored. So much US 80's metal sounds cheesy today but this Hard Core EuroMetal will blow your socks off... This album helped me learn how to play guitar and play it hard!!! The lyrics on the title track Restless and Wild are an anthem to be remembered. This album was light years ahead of its time.

All the other songs on this are a must for anybody who likes Rage Against the Machine and Metallica. This is not all thrash either listen to Princess of the Dawn and hear the European Classical Music Influence and let your jaw drop !!!

This album was an eyeopener when it was released. I honestly thought it was the heaviest album ever and that nothing would ever touch it for heaviness. I was quite literally blown away.

Now, over twenty years on it still gets my motor running into overdrive. It represents a milestone in metal for many reasons. Accept, and this album in particular, were the reason that a whole new generation of metal players emerged.

It was German metal. Now we speak of the classic German metal sound, the classic German metal bands but along with the Scorpions, it was Accept that cracked open the floodgates.

With the release of Restless & Wild they truly hit their stride. The groundwork had already been done years previously. They were amazing live, commanded a very large following for a relatively 'unknown' band and managed to lay down an album sound that was far from demo quality but retained all the raw energy of their live shows while avoiding too much slickness and polish. This album took things up to a whole new level.

Back in the eighties reviewers would describe metal bands as playing 'tight'. Accept were so tight as to be almost clockwork but while still retaining a raw energy that constantly put them on the limit.

'Fast as a Shark' is the one that everybody gets pummelled by and with good reason. It's impossible not to get sucked up by it. It's brutal yet has a lot of melody running through it and it's not agression for the sake of agression. Restless & Wild get's into the slipstream of 'Fast ...' and does well to maintain the momentum. However, it's not until Neon Nights emerges to close side one that the listener finally shakes off the effect of 'Fast ...'. For that reason I tend to play this album on random. Neon is a masterpiece of mood and oozes power. 'Shake Your Heads' is metal heaven in spite of the corniness of it all.

'Flash Rockin' Man' is one of my all time favourites and the classic Princess of the Dawn served to let us all know what was to come from Wolf Hoffman in the future.

Udo is most definitely the right man for the vocals. An essential part of the puzzle. Those that say he isn't singing aren't listening. The man is not your average wailer but he has a lot of texture in his voice and he does control it very well. He is truly unique and Accept just wouldn't have been Accept without him.

For any collector of metal albums this is one of the must have's (along with 'Balls to the Wall' and 'Metal Heart'). At the time 'Restless & Wild' was history in the making and set a trend so many others would pick up on much later on.

I normally dont like music this heavy,but this album is brilliant.You can argue about UDO's vocal skill all day,but from the opening track,you know this is going to be a different kind of metal.Neon Nights and Priness of the Dawn are my faves.There are no weak tracks, just some straight ahead 4-4 rockers like FlashRockinMan.I had heard bands like Venom,and liked the dark qualities,but couldnt stand the bad mixing and production.I was looking for something like them that had good songs and production -THIS WAS IT!! I first bought the Balls to the Wall album ,and then backtracked and bought them all.I was blown away by how much better this was.I think it didn't sell well because it was a couple years ahead of it's time.Their first album from 79 isnt bad, but avoid the second Im A Rebel album-it was a step in the wrong direction.they mended things in 81 with the release of Breaker-the beginnings of brilliance for this band.I just wish it had been mixed better.Seek out a used LP called The Hungry Years-it has remixes of the first four albums,including cuts from Breaker and Restless.They basically just added backward snare effects and enhanced the reverb on guitar and drums.The Breaker remixes are definitely better,but the jury is out on the RESTLESS remixes-some are improved,some are not.Nevertheless, if you're a fan of good music(Not Just Metal) Restless is an unbelievably good album.

First up - If you are person that considers bands like Cinderella and Warrant good metal bands, forget it. Likewise, if you grew up with bands like Rob Zombie and Limp Bizkit, you probably won't like this album either.

If, on the other hand, you like great heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, Saxon, and the like...you are in for a treat. Unlike the younger generation - who believes a dropped D guitar tuning and annoying low grunts (which they call singing) constitutes heavy metal - good metal incorporates a thunderous punch yet retains melody and form. Organized mayhem far surpasses a free-for-all noise fest...and thats exactly what Accept achieves with 'Restless and Wild'.

Many people simply cannot handle Udo's high-pitched visceral wails. It's not unlike people that don't like Rush simply because of Geddy Lee's voice. Judas Priest has been very successful with Halford's screams and obvious sexual preference (and yes back then we knew). And what about Ozzy? Here's a guy that is undoubtably the most famous of the genre, yet couldn't carry a tune if he used a forklift. Nowadays, great singers are few and far between - especially in heavy metal, where primal grunts and groans are the norm. Udo certainly isn't Bruce Dickenson, but he is effective and easily fits the niche carved by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann.

Don't be fooled by the picture of Hermann Frank's picture and the twin V's (that became a symbolic staple of Accept). Although a very accomplished axeman himself, Frank didn't perform a single lick on 'Restless and Wild'. This is all about Hoffmann, and he pulls it off remarkably. In my opinion, the mixing could have been better on this album but its nothing to worry about. Hoffmann offers heavy but orchestrated rhythm lines supplemented by crisp solo attacks - that may be a bit too classical for some. There is an obvious influence by Ritchie Blackmore in Hoffmann's chops. Add in a little Randy Rhoads-like flair, and there you have it.

The rhythm on 'Restless and Wild' is adaquate but not anything special. Sure the double-bass thunder on 'Fast as a Shark' is great, but the majority of songs simply supplement Hoffmann's guitar work. Bass guitar is almost non-existent...again only a "filler" for the drive to keep songs going. Thats not a bad thing, just don't expect too much when overall this is a guitar-oriented album.

So, if you like "classic heavy metal" (which I figure the newbies would call it) and never heard Accept...this is the album - errr CD - for you. Speaking of CD's... My review of this is from vinyl. I've heard of some subtle changes between the two, so for the CD I cannot say. Do yourself a favor - get a good turntable...albums in good condition prove that analog still kicks [...] over digital any day. And if you are an oldie like me and have no idea about 'Restless and Wild' then shame on you and get yourself a copy...be it a CD or one like my old HM Worldwide red vinyl.

Accept is my favorite metal band that I've heard from the Fatherland. Their music is consistently much better than the Scorpions. They offer the power metal that punches the listener in the gut (or lower). No over-the-top, progressive Helloween stuff here. They can also play fast, blazing metal and no doubt influenced fellow Deutschland speedsters Kreator. Accept was Germany's answer to Judas Priest and AC/DC. They have the killer Priest-like guitar riffs and the high-pitched AC/DC-esque screeching. Actually, Udo Dirkschneider's voice is rawer than any metal vocalist I've heard. I don't know how he has managed to sing like that for all these decades without his vocal chords being shredded. His voice is an acquired taste and I can understand those who do not like it. It is not easy on the ears but his voice is perfect for the raw, heavy sound of Accept. It enhances the intensity of the music. The guitar work of Wolf Hoffmann and Hermann Frank is incredible. They are right up there with KK and Tipton.

A lot of fans point to 1984's Balls to the Wall as the ultimate Accept album. While it is their most famous album due to the popular title track and music video, IMO, Restless and Wild (which was released the previous year) blows "Balls" to, well, the wall. Restless (Accept's 4th album) is solid power metal. There is nothing weak on this album and no potentially embarrassing tracks like "London Leatherboys" or "Love Child." It begins with a short German folk song clip. I have an interview picture disc where Hoffmann had to explain to the French press that they did not know it was a popular song during the Third Reich (apparently, only the French media picked up on this). It then launches into the furious "Fast as a Shark," which probably was a precursor to thrash. "Restless and Wild" was the first Accept track I heard and it remains my all-time favorite of theirs. "Balls to the Wall" is intense, but "Restless," to me, packs a heavier punch and Stefan Kaufmann's fast drum work is incredible. "Head of the Pack" has a killer rockin' beat and "Shake Your Heads" has that slow metal chanting style Accept is known for. The 6:00 "Neon Nights" is incredible! It has a Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith-era sound (of course, this album came out the year before Defenders). Even with those raw vocals, Udo puts a lot of emotion in this slower yet intense track.

The second side is similar to the first which, obviously, is a good thing. Like side one, it begins with a ferocious, fast track "Get Ready." This song gets the blood pumping! The heavy "Demon's Night" follows. "Flash Rockin' Man" is my least favorite track on the album but that shows how solid this album is as "Flash" is no slouch but is a dark, intense track with a killer guitar riff at the bridge. "Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away" may be the most accessible song on the record as it has a catchy melody. The guitars really drive this track. Like with "Neon Nights," the second side ends with a long (6:27), slower epic song "Princess of the Dawn." It is an incredible track to end one of the best metal albums of all time. If you are a fan of intense, power metal, Restless and Wild is the Accept album you cannot miss.

O.K., maybe i was a little harsh on Accept's 'Balls To The Wall' album, but this is a completely differant story.

'Restless And Wild' is the finest album from Accept, not overrated like 'Balls' is, this was probably as heavy as you could get in 82. The overall feeling of this album is very raw and heavy, yet at the same time melodic because of Wolf Hoffmann's classically influenced guitar chops. Even though the production is somewhat primative, the music more then makes up for it in sheer brutallity, i actually prefer the low qaulity production of this as opposed to the over-produced albums Accept would churn out latter in their career. This album gets a lot of credit for being one of the first "thrash" albums, this is mainly because of the first song "Fast As A Shark", which was one of the fastest tunes of that time period, infact, i don't think there was anything THIS fast or intense by ANY metal band back in the pre-Slayer days. Beyond that song you will find even better ones, like the crunchy title track and the frantic "Ahead Of The Pack". The song "Shake your Head" is average headbanging fair, but ending side-one is the fantastic "Neon Nights", it is my favorite Accept song of all time, very atmospheric and epic. Side-two starts with "Get Ready", a catchy little filler song that is all right, then comes "Deamon's Night" which is probably the most underrated Accept song ever written, it is just so effing heavy and agressive! "Flash Rocking Man" is an Accept staple and got played all of the time in their live sets. "Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away" is a attempt at the charts, i don't like it very much, sounds too much like AC/DC. The final song is "Princess Of The Dawn", it was meant to be a concept song and sounds like nothing else these guys have ever done, it is a great number but i wish the mixing engineer or whoever didn't abruptly cut the song off at the end, kinda ruins the qaulity of it.

I wish they countiued in the direction that this album displayed, it would of been great, instead of trying to become a Scorpions ripp-off band like what they did with their next two albums. I guess the success of the Scorpions became a role- modle for all of the german bands trying to make it big.

When Accept released "Restless and wild" back in 1982, heavy metal was a very dominant musical genre. "New" bands popped up everywhere and some were better than others. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Saxon, Scorpions and of course Accept were proudly exposed in the form of patches on the long haired fans' jeans jackets.

This efforts starts with the furious "Fast as a shark" which has become more or less Accept's trade mark, and closes with a slower fan favourite by the name of "Princess of the dawn". In between there's plenty of heavy metal in the style of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Singer (some might object to call Udo Dirkschneider that) has a growling and rough voice with more in common with Brian Johnson (AC/DC) and Lemmy (Motorhead) than the likes of David Coverdale (ex Deep Purple, Whitesnake) or Ronnie James Dio (ex Rainbow, Dio). But Dirkschneider works just fine in Accept, and the rest of the band (especially guitar player Wolf Hoffman) can surely play. With songs like "Restless and wild", "Shake your head" and "Ahead of the pack", this is a fine example of traditional heavy metal. This effort might not be Accept's best work as some people claim but it would certainly be treat to anyone who's into this kind of metal. It's raw and it's unpolished and it will most certainly upset your neighbours as long they're not real metalheads.