Accept the Rise of Chaos: Download Now on Mediafire

Accept have been around for so long churning out the same brand of old school Germanic metal that they’ve essentially become a younger, heavier version of AC/DC. That’s really not a bad thing, as AC/DC are known for their consistency and sticking to their (big) guns. Accept have taken a similar course, delivering album after album of ’80s-style rocking metal with just the right tune and quasi-pop wit. The Rise of Chaos is the fourth album to feature Mark Tornillo on vocals and continues to build on the foundation the band has built since the ’70s. It also marks the departure (again) of energetic guitarist Herman Frank, as well as the much less energetic drummer Stefan Schwarzmann. With the entire lineup shuffled around, there are no real surprises to be found here and the basic recipe remains the same: hard rock songs for classic metal lovers who like to sip beers while playing atmospheric tunes. As with the cherished old AC/DC, songwriting matters at this point in Accept’s career, and once again, most get it. But not without some costly mistakes along the way.

The opening sequence “Die By the Sword” is a prime example of the Accept playbook at the height of operational strategy. It’s got just the right amount of riffing aggression, flashy ax work, a huge, anthemic chorus, and plenty of those Teutonic oooh-oooh-ooohs Accept is so fond of. Tornillo even uses Halford-like howls and shrieks to put a bold stamp on the entire package before it’s shipped. It’s a song that I think about regularly and I love it. However, just as expectations (and chaos) rise, “Hole in the Head” comes out with the opening line “I need you like a prison sentence” and things start to go wrong. It’s not a totally bad song, but it’s very routine and generic with some really unfortunate lyrical choices (“I’ve tried so hard to leave you”). asco

ACCEPT Live

1985 – Kaizoku-Ban (Live In Japan)

2005, Japan, MHCP-788, Remastered]

TRACK BY TRACK

I’ve listened to THE RISE OF THE CHAOS about five times (so far) and have chosen individual songs. Maybe you can briefly comment on these clues?

Wolf Hoffman: Sure.