Accept Albums (17)
'All Areas - Worldwide'
Release Date 6/30/1998
Tracks 13
Label Pure Metal
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
It appears at least that All Areas is just the inevitable catalog addition from a group well into the twilight of their career, and it would be altogether useless if Accept wasn't such an exceptional live act. Perhaps a contract needed fulfillment or maybe the rent was just due, but no matter the reason for this disc's existence, it is not without merit and may be the best live recording from one of metal's most consistent live acts. The quality of the recording is commendable and the performances do not lack any of the enthusiasm and precision that fans would expect from Accept. Highlights include all the early-'80s material, and not just the most recognizable "Balls to the Wall" and "Fast As a Shark." "London Leatherboys," "Starlight," and "Princess of the Dawn" are but a few of the classic Accept gems that rock just as hard on All Areas as they did when they were originally tracked almost 20 years prior to this 1999 release. A fair amount of cuts from the group's later recordings are also included on this two-disc set, and while the newer songs are indeed listenable, they don't really hold up when compared to the old treasures. To the extant that there are any, fans of Accept's entire catalog will surely enjoy this release, but most listeners will probably have to skip more than a couple tracks before they get through the entire play list. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
'No Substitutes'
Release Date 12/1/1995
Tracks 10
Label Sony Special Products
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Looking back at '80s-era heavy metal, Germany's Accept are oft-times overlooked. This can be attributed to the fact that they didn't have a pretty-boy lead singer (in fact, Udo Dirkschneider was the virtual antipretty boy) and, despite a few flirtations, never truly crossed over to the MTV masses. But it's not to say that they didn't have their share of metal anthems (albeit in a somewhat derivative Judas Priest style), most of which are included on the budget-priced, ten-track compilation, No Substitutes. Since most of the group's albums are getting increasingly hard to find on CD (and that they arguably only issued three "classic" metal albums: 1983's Restless & Wild, 1984's Balls to the Wall, and 1985's Metal Heart), a short but sweet overview such as No Substitutes comes in handy. Tops include one of the first ever thrash metal tracks to sweep the metal underground, "Fast as a Shark," the dark "Balls to the Wall," as well as such head-banging anthems as "Metal Heart" and "London Leatherboys." Granted, No Substitutes is by far not a definitive Accept comp (too many strong album cuts go unnoticed in favor of such subpar selections as "Russian Roulette" and "Shake Your Heads"), but it does serve as an adequate primer. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As various versions of Accept had been only sporadically recording mostly subpar material throughout the late '80s and early '90s, 1993's Objection Overruled -- featuring an essential lineup and a sound quite reminiscent of the group's most popular releases -- is generally considered a strong comeback effort. Udo Dirkschneider's return to the studio with essential members Wolf Hoffmann (guitars), Peter Baltes (bass), and drummer Stefan Kaufmann was indeed cause for excitement among the band's worldwide audience, as it had been seven years since a lineup of this kind of legitimacy had produced a new disc. From the cover art to an almost identical sound and musical structure (most apparent in the opening guitar and drum strains of "I Don't Wanna Be Like You"), some not-so-subtle echoes of Balls to the Wall permeate Objection Overruled. Highlights include all of the record's faster material. Songs like the title track and "Sick, Dirty and Mean" seem to suit Dirkschneider's beyond-human vocals and Hoffmann's equally blistering guitar tone much better than the mid-tempo and balladic numbers. Far from being a total success, Objection Overruled should interest longtime fans of Accept, but neophytes are highly encouraged to seek out much earlier recordings, specifically the four discs released between 1980 and 1984. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Shortly after Accept's inaugural split in 1990, Epic dusted off some live tapes and issued the group's first live full-length, Staying a Life. Although not the group's first-ever live release (it was predated five years earlier by the EP Kaizoku-Ban), Staying a Life does a faithful job of capturing Accept at the peak of their arena metal powers, circa their Metal Heart era. The proof why the German band was handed opening slots on quite a few popular mid-'80s tours (Kiss, Iron Maiden, etc.) is evident throughout -- rocking versions of "Metal Heart," "Screaming for a Love Bite," "Restless and Wild," and "London Leatherboys" surely got a few mullets headbanging on this fateful night. And of course, Accept's two best-known tracks -- "Fast as a Shark" and "Balls to the Wall" -- are included, as they close out the set. They may never have reached arena headlining status Stateside, but Staying a Life proves that Accept was on equal footing with just about any metal chart-topper from around this time -- especially when it came to the concert stage. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the time they reconvened to record 1986's Russian Roulette, creative differences were beginning to tear German metal stars Accept apart at the seams. While guitarist Wolf Hoffman wanted to continue pursuing the commercial metal formula first explored with the previous year's Metal Heart, vocalist Udo Dirkschneider defended a return to the harder-edged approach that had characterized the band's uncompromising breakout releases Restless and Wild and Balls to the Wall. The first few songs on Russian Roulette (including the all-out thrash of "T.V. War" and the chugging riff and gang choruses of "Monster Man") are promising enough, and the pounding intensity of "Aiming High" and the familiarly chugging riffery of "Another Second to Be" offer the disc's last real bright spots. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With 1985's Metal Heart, German metal institution Accept attempted to add catchier choruses and melodies to their high-octane guitar riffing in a clear ploy to crack the American market. Not that this move in any way upset the balance of their thus-far smooth-running metal machine, which had been gaining momentum with every release since the start of the decade. No, Metal Heart was certainly a step toward accessibility, but a cautious one at that -- and, frankly, there was no toning down when it came to the lacerated larynx of gifted lead screamer Udo Dirkschneider. You gotta hand it to Accept, they sure knew how to make an entrance by now, and the apocalyptic title track is about as dramatic as it gets (the operatic "Bound to Fail" comes close), with guitarist Wolf Hoffman taking the helm on a long, mid-song solo excursion containing equal nods to Beethoven (very nice) and Edward Van Halen (get real). First single "Midnight Mover" is next, and along with the even more melodic "Screaming for a Love-Bite," it places obvious emphasis on hooks and melodies (and proved to be the toughest to stomach for the band's more hardcore fans). But despite another strange detour into jazz territory with the bizarre "Teach Us to Survive," Accept still packed amazing power, heaping on their Teutonic background vocals for the ultraheavy "Dogs on Leads" and gleefully pile-driving their way through relentless moshers like "Up to the Limit" and "Wrong Is Right." The brilliantly over-the-top "Too High to Get It Right" finds Dirkschneider screeching like never before, and to cap things off, the band really cooks on "Living for Tonight" -- arguably the best track all around. A winning set. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
