Artist: U.D.O.
Label: SPV Records
Release: 2002
Rating: 3/5
The dinosaurs are alive and kicking. The legend of Accept, reborn as U.D.O., rolls on. Udo Dirkschneider isn’t budging from his musical comfort zone by even an inch. So every record from the pen of this legend is a trip back to the golden age of the eighties, when Accept and Judas Priest marched side by side in the same battle line. The opening riff of “Private Eye” reminds you of “Electric Eye” (Judas Priest), and the lyrics are right there to seal the deal. The opening line of the “Black Heart” chorus goes like this: “Black Heart, Dark Mind” (“Rock Hard, Ride Free” – Judas Priest), and the chorus riff is set up just like on that Judas Priest classic. I’ll admit I come off as a bit of an idiot for even deciding to compare the two bands. Accept and Judas Priest developed at the same time, but totally independently. The latter swerved hard away from the style that once sort of tied them to Accept, experimenting like crazy back in 1986, while U.D.O. are the logical continuation of Accept (hence the dinosaur thing) and don’t stray one bit stylistically with each new release. So U.D.O. haven’t served up anything fresh here. We got a record that lives up to expectations. Punchy music with open riffs. Proper elemental heavy metal, a masterclass in heavy metal. “Silent Cry” is a great example of how the guys know how to build up atmosphere in their songs too.
Drummer Lorenzo Milani is the band’s fresh new addition. He makes versatile use of his toolbox, the cymbals really stand out on the transitions and perfectly cover Lorenzo’s pounding on the bass drum and toms. Udo made the most of Lorenzo’s excellent work and, as a seasoned producer, filled the gap with that always cranked-up classic sound of electric guitars.
Throughout the songs, whether in the transitions or just between verses, you come across loads of guitar embellishments. Both axemen indulge in plenty of slides and string bends. The solos are typical eighties in style. No shredding at all, just careful economy with chosen notes, which fit so perfectly into the songs that they keep all the punch of the record or even crank it up. The guitar tone is pure “Gibson” and very lively, so it went through only a little producer “ironing”.
“The Down Of Gods” has childish lyrics: “Ohhhh heavy metal, the law for one and all”. I’m slowly getting sick of this. Is Udo really still that childish? Does he truly believe in it? Anyway, this time too the screeching wrecker covered his vocals in the choruses with layers of backing voices.
Yep, a solid hour of punch is once again in front of you, with open flowing riffs and, of course, that unique screeching. The record wraps up with the romantic “Unknown Traveler”. It opens with a distorted riff that immediately slides into a trio of compressor-drenched electric guitars, pushed into the background. Up front you get the acoustic guitar and the rhythm line, until the chorus, of course. Then U.D.O. turn steel-hard again. The solos in this song are tastefully split between acoustic and distorted.
Udo got the idea for the song and the album title “Man And Machine” from watching his 14-year-old daughter, who spends entire days sitting at the computer, where she eats hamburgers and popcorn and drinks Coke. The ballad “Dancing With An Angel” splits the record in two. It’s a duet between Udo and singer Doro. They clicked nicely. Proof that it’s not all about full-throttle thrashing. In short, a “yes” for a new U.D.O. classic.
Lineup
Udo Dirkschneider – vocals
Stefan Kaufmann – guitar
Igor Gianola – guitar
Fitty Wienhold – bass guitar
Lorenzo Milani – drums
Production
Stefan Kaufmann
Tracklist
1. Man And Machine
2. Private Eye
3. Animal Instinct
4. The Dawn Of The Gods
5. Dancing With The Angel
6. Silent Cry
7. Network Nightmare
8. Hard To Be Honest
9. Like A Lion
10. Black Heart
11. Unknown Traveller
Album length: 52:56
