“Balls to the Wall” is one of the most iconic Metal albums of all time. A genre-defining as its press release tells the unadvised fan who, as it could be possible, still do not know it, or have not seen its video at YouTube – I say it is a kind of impossible mission because every time I go through YouTube the video is suggested. This re-release, or re-imagination according to the press release, celebrates the album 40th anniversary. I cannot help it, but listening to this album still gives me the goosebumps after almost 40 years I met it for the first time. It is impossible for me not to write a passionate review of the album that was one of Metal hymns during the turbulent years of adolescence. An album that helped shaping the person I am today and I am not exagerating. Its undeniable the power of its message.
Dirkschneider are the band Udo Dirkschneider, former Accept legendary vocalist, put together to play the songs he helped shaping during his time with the band. Well, I guess it would be a natural thing that a re-imagination would take place. In one hand, the instrumentals are pristine sounding like they did forty years ago with very little, but very little differences that only the most attentive fan could notice – I did. One of the reasons is that Peter Baltes, former Accept classic bassist, is with them. “Winterdreams” is the only one that changed considerably the instrumentals, mostly particularly the guitar leads. Our queen Doro Pesch did a wondrous job giving her voice to this timeless Metal music classic. A song that there was something with my eyes… On the other hand, Udo was very wise, due to the celebration’s sake, to invite special featuring vocalists for each song and to have them do the main vocals of each one of them. Udo did the backing vocals in most of them. I have no clue if he did it on purpose, but there is some kind of balance between the old Metal generation and the new one. Of course, this formula has its pros and cons. For instance, “Head Over Heels” with Dynazty’s Nils Molin is simply one of the most marvelous ‘covers’ I have ever heard. I had the same feeling when I heard Dio’s fitting to Black Sabbath’s classics. There was again something with my eyes that I cannot tell what…
It is so interesting how some vocalist change their vocal’s technique to fit the song, for instance, I could only recognize Saxon’s Biff Byford the second time I heard it. The same happened with Kreator’s Mille Petrozza, whose voice is its own signature, with “Fight It Back” one of the most iconic tracks of an album whose tracks are all iconic and timeless. “Balls to the Wall,” as many classic albums and that’s why they are classics, survived with flying colors the quest of time.
Ok, now one special paragraph to the song that from where I am standing is a Metal music classic anthem; the album tittle track and very special warmer “Balls to the Wall,” one of the many Metal music anthems about freedom and the struggle against real oppression. Liberty here is the real liberty from all oppression that now and them spreads like a disease among humankind. Not the so-called liberty some are pro today that is a kind of liberty with strings attached, so, no liberty in fact. The special guest here is Sabaton’s Joakim Broden whose sapientia made him perform it in a way the only difference from the orginal was his tone of voice. Somehow in my mind I pictured a young Joakim Broden singing it at home. The dude showed all the respect the song required. Here he and Udo do a real vocal duo where both share vocals as if it were question and answer. The guitars’ tones are just perfect as if the original guitar duo Wolf Hoffman and Herman Frank were th responsible for it. From it I got the impression the choirs and other vocals features were recorded from the original tapes.
For the better or for the worse, “Balls to the Wall RELOADED” is a very respectful album as Udo and some of the guests as Twisted Sisters’ Dee Snider with “Losers and Winners” kept all the way the original form of the songs. It does not replace the original, which is a required album in any metalhead’s collection, but it may work as a reminder to the future generations when bands as Accept ruled the Earth.
P.S.: It’s albums as “Balls to the Wall” that made me embrace Metal music as a way of life. Its message of freedom as a release of any kind of oppression shaped the way I see things until today. Liberty is the most precious gift any human can have or give other humans. Its powerful emotional music had its own way of reaching people. It was strong, fast, but, still, sensitive. A long hail to Accept and Udo Dirkschneider.
Dirkschneider “Balls to the Wall RELOADED” will be released on February 28th via Reigning Phoenix Music.
Track Listing:
01 – Balls to the Wall (feat. Joakim Broden)
02 – London Leatherboys (feat. Biff Byford)
03 – Fight It Back (feat. Mille Petrozza)
04 – Head Over Heels (feat. Nils Molin)
05 – Losing More Than You’ve Ever Had (feat. Michael Kiske)
06 – Love Child (feat. Ylva Eriksson)
07 -Turn Me On (feat. Danko Jones)
08 – Losers and Winners (feat. Dee Snider)
09 – Guardian of the Night (feat. Tim Ripper Owens)
10 – Winterdreams (feat. Doro Pesch)
Watch “Balls to the Wall” official music video here:
Source: metaladdicts.com
