U.D.O – Touchdown
U.D.O – Touchdown
Atomic Fire Records
Release Date: 25/08/23
Running Time: 53:53
Review by Paul Hutchings
8/10
I’ve been reviewing albums by the diminutive German Udo Dirkschneider for many years. He’s one of heavy metal’s most distinctive front men, from his appearance to his gravel-soaked vocals which are his trademark. He’s also unashamedly focused on his own music, which he delivers once more with aplomb on his latest release, “Touchdown”.
It’s been over 35 years since his first solo album “Animal House” was released, not long after his first departure from Accept, the band who he’ll forever be tied to, whether he likes it or not. Since then, he’s delivered records with clockwork regularity, with a vast discography behind him. After a brief period playing songs by Accept under the Dirkschneider banner, he’s back under the U.D.O name with “Touchdown” the follow-up to 2021’s “Game Over”.
Ther first thing to note is that former Accept bassist and long-time friend Peter Baltes has joined the ranks, replacing Tilen Hudrap who left due to health reasons. When Baltes stepped in at short notice to help in summer 2022, neither had any idea that it would turn into a permanent arrangement. “It just felt so incredibly familiar and right to me,” Udo says. “Somehow, what belongs together has come together again.” That it has, along with Dirkschneider’s son Sven on drums, and the dual guitar work of Andrey Smirnov and Fabian ‘Dee’ Dammers, is testimony to the quality of the band.
Produced by Martin Pfeiffer (Redhead Studio; Wilhelmshaven, Germany), with sound engineer Stefan Kaufmann (ROXX Studio; Solingen, Germany) also part of the team, “Touchdown” benefits from a crisp, fresh production. The instruments can breathe, the guitars razor sharp, Baltes low-end bass rumble locked in tight with Sven whilst Udo is on fine form throughout. He’s not blessed with a huge range, and instead focuses on his natural, machine-gun delivery that plays to his strengths.
There are 13 songs of solid quality on offer here. From the power of opener ‘Isolation Man’ about the legacy of the pandemic, to the thick riffage of the title track that brings the album to a triumphant conclusion, “Touchdown” is simply anthem after anthem. The title track is a prime example of the intensity of the band’s writing, with a high tempo, and squealing guitar work that is visceral and incisive. You simply can’t help punching the air as the song races towards the finale.
Put simply, Udo is in as good a shape today as he was when belting out ‘Fast as a Shark’ all those years ago. At 71 years of age, the man is another metal icon who is criminally underrated. His long career may be drawing to a close, but if he continues to produce records of this quality, then the man from Wuppertal is likely to be around delivering high quality heavy metal for a good few years yet. We can only hope.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Isolation Man
02. The Flood
03. The Double Dealer’s Club
04. Fight For the Right
05. Forever Free
06. Punchline
07. Sad Man’s Show
08. The Betrayer
09. Heroes Of Freedom
10. Better Start to Run
11. The Battle Understood
12. Living Hell
13. Touchdown
LINE-UP:
Udo Dirkschneider – vocals
Andrey Smirnov – guitars
Fabian “Dee” Dammers – guitars
Peter Baltes – bass
Sven Dirkschneider – drums
LINKS:
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