He’s back!!! It’s so awesome, when legends of hard rock and heavy metal, such as Accept, K.K. Downing, Night Ranger and many more, can and still release kick ass albums in these decades. And U.D.O. is without exception, one of them. Udo Dirkschneider, the original singer of Accept, has released “Game Over”, but it isn’t … over for him yet! He still has what it takes! One of the topics that he brings, is global climate change and he tries to make an awareness with this record. It starts with “Fear Detector”. Good guitar riffs, solos, tempos is what we are used in a U.D.O. song and in this we can clearly hear it. Udo brings a new lineup – Andrey Smirnov and Fabian Dee Dammers are the masters on the six strings; Tilen Hudrap delivers the bass and Sven Dirkschneider, his son, is on the drums. “Holy Invaders” has some new technique guitar riffs, that complement with the old ones. Andrey and Fabian have studied hard those solos. “Prophecy”is the next song and this one has an Iron Maiden vibe. The harmony of the guitars and the riffs sound like Steve Harris has written them, and I think this is great! Let’s not keep our eyes empty but full – “Empty Eyes” has one of the sickest intros of the last ten years. The listener will listen to more expressive, modern, radical, wild guitar riffs. The chorus gives that mystical vibe too. For me, one of the best. Period. “I See Red” has a great guitar execution. “Metal Never Dies” … and it won’t! It has to be the National Anthem of our generation and the next ones that will follow. I believe! It’s groovy, in a mid-tempo, that resembles Accept’s “Balls To The Wall”. “Kids And Guns” is a protest. A protest against the Third World, which converts children into soldiers. Continuing in the relevant vibe of AC/DC, it sounds like “For Those About To Rock”! “Like A Beast” is 100% speed metal. “Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye” is a low key, serenate, acoustic ballad. On the other hand, “Unbroken” is groovy and “Marching Tank” will make you march and obey – the bass, the guitar construction and the drum energy are the key point for this one, not to mention the chorus! “Thunder Road” has “thundery” guitars. A solo and a slow drum compass give “Midnight Stranger” a welcome! Awesome guitar work here. We have two bonus tracks; “Speed Seeker” is the first one, it is very 80’s, and we have “Time Control”, which has U.D.O.’s energy at its fullest. The album finishes with “Metal Damnation”, a U.D.O’s signature. With 42 years of history Udo Dirkschneider is a myth and has more to come. Wait for it and you’ll understand why. Horns up!
♦ 8,5/10
Raquel Miranda
