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Humanoid

    
       
       
       
     
             
Accept are a heavy, power metal band from Germany formed in 1976 by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, singer Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O.) and bass player Peter Baltes. During a near fifty year career, the band has released (to date) seventeen studio albums, five live ones and nine compilations - 'Humanoid' released in 2024 is Accept's seventeenth album...    
             
...and features eleven songs across a fifty minute run time. The current line-up consists of founder Hoffman, singer Mark Tornillo, drummer Christopher Williams (Elegant Weapons), bass player Martin Motnik (ex The Roxx), and (second) guitarist Uwe Lulis (ex Grave Digger, ex Rebellion).    
             
Now when it comes to legends, Accept are right up there with the best, the band one of the earliest metal bands ever, pioneering the power metal sound - a sound that lives on today! Landmark albums such as 'Breaker' (1981) and 'Balls To The Wall' (1983) brought Accept to a worldwide audience, cementing their position as a leading force in heavy metal - a position the band still hold today, with the likes of (the more recent) 'Blood Of The Nations' (2010) and 'Blind Rage' (2014) keeping Accept at the forefront of the heavy, power metal genre. The bands newest album 'Humanoid' has a mind bending array of metal anthems - from fast paced and aggressive to mid tempo and melodic, Accept are on fucking fire, kicking the album off with the heavy hitting and immediate 'Diving Into Sin'.    
             
Pounding the ground hard, Accept are in their element here oozing with energy and pizzazz - 'Diving Into Sin' an infectious and all conquering anthem that's gonna make everyone sit up and look in the direction of Germany! Germany huh - the European hotbed for power and heavy metal bands, with many of the worlds greatest bands emerging from the country of the Bratwurst, Pilsner, and the Oktoberfest! I could list 'em all for ya, but I'd be here for-fucking-ever - so let's just say that Accept are one of the country's finest exports! And have been for nigh on five decades - the bands latest album roaring on with the title song 'Humanoid'. And a much heavier feel than the (album) opener 'Diving Into Sin', the pace doubling too as the German outfit keep the pedal firmly pressed to the metal. An explosive one-two to launch your new album, Accept are back (did they ever really go away) - and doing what they do best!    
             
Way back in 1818, English author Mary Shelley penned the novel "Frankenstein" - telling "the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment" - and it's this two hundred year old fable that's the inspiration behind the albums third song 'Frankenstein'. And the increase in both energy and pace is stunning, Accept taking the album to new heights of infection, the chorus break a sing a long-able affair that everyone - and I mean everyone - will be singing along to! The attraction of 'Humanoid' (the album) is just getting higher and higher, and to be honest, I'd expect nothing else from one of the greatest metal bands ever! And introducing the mighty anthemic style of heavy metal, Accept march on with the foot stomping 'Man Up', the ground shuddering beneath the band, shaking nearby walls and reducing buildings to rubble - the chant style chorus one of the most gorgeous choruses ever! I defy anyone not to be chanting "man up" well before the song ends! And with a blistering turn of speed, 'The Reckoning' plants one foot firmly on the monitor, galloping forth with incredible purpose and intent! The level of head bang ability since the album began has been sky high, every listener, metalhead and mosher in the world rocking their head back and forth with total enjoyment!    
             
'Cause enjoyment is exactly what's on offer here, 'Humanoid' (the album) taking an uplifting turn with 'Nobody Gets Out Alive' - the melodic and infectious levels rising higher than the fucking stars! 'Nobody Gets Out Alive' is a superb gallop, melding the energy of hard rock with the pulsating rhythm of traditional heavy metal - the smiles on everyones face stretching from ear to ear! What a sensational song! Certainly one of the best I've heard this year - and I've heard a lot! The breath taking barrage of heavy, power metal from the German metal masters takes a back seat for a moment, 'Ravages Of Time' pulling hard on the reins to halt the blistering pace and power! 'Cause in comes a majestic and immensely elegant hymn-like swagger, an air of balladry gliding through the air like a perfectly constructed paper plane! For 'Ravages Of Time' has been perfectly constructed by the band, providing every listener, fan and follower with a timely break from the albums unforgiving power metal assault. And surely it's not by chance that Accept have placed 'Ravages Of Time' right in the middle of the album, a centrepiece you could say, bridging the gap between the albums first and second halves!    
             
Every song on offer clocks in at around four to five minutes in length, paving the way for a quick moving, all consuming rampage of all out heavy metal, 'Humanoid' (the album) changing through the gears to roar louder than ever with the hard hitting and weighty 'Unbreakable'. And a meaner feel too, the band maintaining the incredible melodious streak running right through the heart of the album - and I was gonna say "unbreakable streak", but thought that may come across as a little too cheesy! But then, who doesn't like cheese! Not me - I fucking love it! As I do 'Humanoid' (the album) surely heading onto the shortlist for this years Album Of The Year. And with more hustle and bustle than any other song on offer, 'Mind Games' is a bold blast of mid tempo thunder, the band striding tall and proud across heavy metal territory to reaffirm their position as a leading light in the worldwide metal scene! And let's be honest here, Accept don't really need to reaffirm anything - they're the best at what they do!    
             
And now for a stunning change of sound, 'Straight Up Jack' entering the fray boasting the iconic boogie of hard rock legends AC/DC. Yes readers - AC-fucking-DC! Accept take the bands familiar boogie and metallize it, melding it with their power metal roots to create an astonishing sound! And if you've ever wondered what a metal AC/DC may sound like - wonder no more! For the answer is right here, 'Straight Up Jack' oozing with tonnes of boogie - and I wonder too, if the bands (founding) guitarist Hoffmann will don an Angus Young style school uniform should the band perform it live! And bringing the album to a close, the band are in devastating mood, roaring down the autobahn at top speed courtesy of 'Southside Of Hell' - by far and away the fastest song on 'Humanoid' (the album). The blistering pace is red hot, Accept rounding of a cracking display of heavy, power metal with a song that's gonna send every mosh pit around the world into fucking overdrive!    
             
Overall, a superb power metal album, full of pace, power and a sky high infectious level with a hundred percent head bang ability.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
             
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