The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Balls to the Wall
Artist: Accept
Label: Columbia Records
Release Date: 1984

Rating: 4 Skulls
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    • Death's Review:
    You know metal is officially "back" when major labels see fit to reissue old Accept records. Part of the "Metal Masters Series" (which also includes the unfortunate selection of Europe and Britney Fox records alongside a true classic - Metal Health by Quiet Riot), Accept's Balls to the Wall doesn't quite fit in. Accept, the original German thrashers, were much more of an ugly, meat and potatoes metal band than those others. Udo Dirkschnieder came at you like a fucking midget tank dressed in fatigues, with a killer sandpaper voice to rival Bon Scott, yet backed by the epic Wolf Hoffman riffing and dark, ominous post-WWII European industrial vibe. It fucking smoked.

    Personally, I think their prior album, Restless and Wild may be more important to the history of metal (did they invent thrash with "Fast as a Shark"?), and their next record, Metal Heart more interesting, developed and creative overall. Balls to the Wall, however, seemed to have the most immediate as well as lasting commercial impact for the band, at least here in the United States. The main riff to the title track is one of metal's all-time finest, and other tracks like "London Leatherboys" and "Fight it Back" kick serious ass as well. Accept was not an image band, but who can forget the post-apocalyptic vision of Udo and the wrecking ball from the "Balls to the Wall" video, one of the best from this period? Whichever way you slice it folks, this is classic material.

    I like the presentation involved with this reissue, which includes a full booklet with lyrics and an interesting, newly-penned essay on the band and this record and what it all meant. Sure, the homophobe in me feels strange looking at the album cover and jamming songs about guys in leather and shit. But the essay reveals that Accept was never a "gay metal" band, there is a much simpler explanation: most of the lyrics were written by the band's manager, a woman, and were intended as coming from a woman's point of view. Odd, but this explains a lot.

    Listening to this record again after so many years, I realize the quality of Dirkschneider's voice, and the fluidness of Hoffman's soloing. I saw Accept open for Iron Maiden (Powerslave tour) on the Metal Health tour, and I remember that they completely blew me away. After so many years, tracks like "Head Over Heels" and "Losing More than You Have Ever Had" still stick in my head. The beautiful closer, "Winterdreams," still sounds ice-cold and haunting. This isn't a five skull record (but in my opinion, Metal Heart is). Still, it is an important metal classic that helped to bridge the gap in German metal between Scorpions and Kreator. I'm glad to see it reissued with the class the record deserves. The inclusions of two bonus live tracks, "Head Over Heels" and "Love Child," complete the package. If you are an Accept fan, or just are curious about early 80's true metal, this one is definitely worth your time.
    4 out of 5
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