Band:	Accept
Album:	Blood Of The Nations
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	August 20, 2010
Guest review by:	Valentin B

01. Beat The Bastards
02. Teutonic Terror
03. The Abyss
04. Blood Of The Nations
05. Shades Of Death
06. Locked And Loaded
07. Kill The Pain
08. Rollin Thunder
09. Pandemic
10. New World Comin'
11. No Shelter
12. Bucket Full Of Hate
13. Time Machine [digipack and Japanese bonus]
14. Land Of The Free [Japanese bonus]

As you may have heard if you have any interest in Accept whatsoever, Udo doesn't participate in this latest incarnation of the band, but fear not, as you are to be treated with extremely similar vocals (with a hint of Rob Halford and an American accent) from Mark Tornillo, a former vocalist for an unknown band called TT Quick.

Let's get to the album itself though. The first thing you (should) notice once the first track is over is that Accept are back with a vengeance. The sound is beyond excellent, with every instrument clearly audible. Wolf Hoffman opens his riff-cellar wide and offers us some rare 1982 Essen Sauvignon Blanc's which are sure to please the tastebuds of every classic metal taster.

Fast, angry tracks like "Beat the Bastards," "Locked and Loaded" or "No Shelter" will surely remind the listener of certain songs from the early 80s comparing murderers to predatory fish and referencing bicycle parts. Epics like the first track that was unleashed on the internet ("The Abyss") or "Shades of Death" are there to get the heads in a steady forward-backward motion, with some incredible vocal performances from Tornillo and mind-blowing soloing by something that I can only believe is God disguised as Wolf Hoffman. All these tracks are actually chock-filled with the most awesome riffs ever spawned from Wolf's mind probably since the days of Metal Heart and maybe Objection Overruled.

The single "Teutonic Terror" might just be the best track on here, and easily arises to the level of the 80s greats, and will most probably be a great addition to Accept's live setlists in the future. There are also midpaced heavy epic singalong songs to keep the juices flowing and the throats sore.

The tone of the album is much, much darker and more mature than your usual Accept album, especially in the lyrics department, so don't expect happy sing-alongs and the like. Everything here is pissed off and angry, except for "Kill the Pain" which is the album's ballad, a role it fulfills easily, and "New World Comin'" which is probably the least pissed-off of the tracks. Did I mention the album is consistent like a giant slab of concrete, with only 1-2 tracks that could be only slightly classified as filler? Oh wait, I just did!

So there you go, 72 incredibly consistent minutes of classic metal bonanza. If you even like only 1 song by Accept, get this album, you will not regret it.

PS: Yes, I know what you were going to write, "boo hoo it's not Accept without Udo!" shut up. This album is awesome and that's the end of the story. Listen to it and you'll say I'm right because let's face it, I'm always right.