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Accept – Too Mean To Die

Florian Buechting Media Review No Comments

Accept - Too Mean To Die

Accept - Too Mean To Die
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Accept does Accept music - and they do it in style
  • Some really cool songs
  • There is even Beethoven in "Too Mean To Die"

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Might be slightly monotonous if you are not a fan of the band

Covid-19 has some weird impacts: as a major German pressing plant had to reduce operation due to the pandemic, a couple of releases had to be delayed. One of them is Too Mean To Die by the German metal legends Accept. Instead of 15th January 2021, the album has finally been released two weeks later. Here is my review.

 

Accept – About The Artists

Accept is indeed one of the legendary acts of the German music scene. They have been formed in 1976 in Solingen, Northeast of Cologne. The original members were Wolf Hoffmann, Udo Dirkschneider and Peter Baltes. Their roots making music together are according to Wikipedia even down to the late 1960’s and a band called Band X. The band had two break-ups of overall ten years. Hoffmann is the only original  band members, the lead guitar player is nowadays joined by five band members: Mark Tomillo (lead vocals), Philip Shouse, Uwe Lulis (both rhythm guitar), Martin Motnik (bass) and Christopher Williams (drums). This also means that the band is majorly residing in the USA nowadays. Too Mean To Die is already the sixteenth studio album of the band. Since the 2010 Blood of the Nations, all albums made it to the Top 10 of the German album charts. They are, however, also successful in other markets like Scandinavia. The two most popular tracks likely date back to the Udo Dirkschneider (who recently released We Are One with U.D.O.), namely Balls to the Wall (1984) and Fast as a Shark (1982). The latter has been listed as 33rd best heavy metal songs of all time by Martin Popoff.

 

Accept – Too Mean To Die – Track by Track

The eleven track album lasts 52 minutes.

1. Zombie Apocalypse

Zombie Apocalypse feels familiar from the very first moment. Yeah, this is accept. Not maybe as at the Dirkschneider years, but Mark Tonillo is leading the band and this song right into the comfort zone of the fans of the band. What you see on the cover is what you get… to listen.

2. Too Mean To Die

Any doubts about what I said about Zombie Apocalypse? Then just wait for the title track on position #2! The song is quicker, more powerful and having all the guitar power in the lineup just pays back in songs like that.

3. Overnight Sensation

I need instant gratification
I’m an overnight sensation
A subject of adoration
Overnight sensation
Gonna be an overnight sensation

That’s fingerlicking good… Damn that was a chicken roaster’s slogan – but Accept fans might feel a bit like at this Colonel Sanders classic. The Overnight Sensation just feels so much like Accept – and the vocals during the chorus will definitely be a lot of fun on the next Accept tour. Accept featuring Accept on this one.

4. No Ones Master

Their mantra is lies and deception
When honesty’s all that I crave
I decline and there’ll no exceptions
I am no one’s master
No one’s slave

No Ones Master might not add that much new character to the album, but it is a nice uptempo rocker, indeed.

5. The Undertaker

The undertaker is a busy man
For he and death go hand in hand
He works all day and digs all night
He loves the death, they are his life
No mortal can escape his plan
He sifts us all as grains of sand
And then one day he too shall pass
And as he’s dying, death will laugh

If you struggle whether you want to grab a ticket for the next Accept tour – just listen to The Undertaker. Cool lyrics – and a chorus which will be a crowd’s favorite, I am sure. A rather slow track, but with a lot of cool elements. Great fun!

 

6. Sucks To Be You

After The Undertaker, which could become a band’s classic, Sucks To Be You is rather one of the hidden and unremarkable tracks. Not bad at all, but just a solid one – somehow the downside of the “Accept featuring Accept” character of Too Mean To Die – if you do it like you do it best since years, you sometimes do things too similarly.

7. Symphony Of Pain

Well, the celebrations of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday had more or less to be cancelled completely. How does that relate to a song by Accept called the Symphony Of Pain? Listen to the instrumental parts and spot the Beethoven quotes – a smooth way to honor the Bonn-born classic genius (and a great piece of rock music as well).

8. The Best Is Yet To Come

When it rains, I look for rainbows
When it’s dark, I see the stars
Call me a dreamer, call me naïve
I will always say, the best is yet to come
Call me a simple man, call me naïve
On my dying bed I’ll say
The best is yet to come

Rather midtempo, lovely lyrics, The Best Is Yet To Come is definitely a tiny little (five minute) metal anthem in the Too Mean To Die song compilation. The song strongly reminds of songs like It Snows In Hell by Lordi – and I love that track.

9. How Do We Sleep

How Do We Sleep is another album filler somehow. It is not bad at all, I especially love the backing vocals – but overall, the almost six minute long track has a lot of potential to be the opportunity to grab a beer on the next tour. At least, you will happily bang your head to the rhythm while fighting through the crowds.

10. Not My Problem

Not My Problem comes with two great characteristics. First of all, it is quick and a good headbanger in Accept-style. Secondly, the chorus has this lovely “scream back”-characteristic, so that the crowd can perfectly interact with the band. Accept fans will thus love it.

11. Samson And Delilah

The album closes with an instrumental rocker. I feel it is a nice fit to Too Mean To Die in total. Nice track for guitar lovers.

 

Accept – Too Mean To Die – Spotify

Here is Too Mean To Die on Spotify:

 

Accept – Too Mean To Die – My View

If you read my review, my overall view about Accept’s Too Mean To Die might not be a big surprise any more. It is really good album, Accept fans will love it. If you are not too much into the music of the German metal legends, though, it does have some repetitive parts. Accept is doing what Accept is doing for at least ten years, since Mark Tomillo joined the band. There are some positive suprises – but overall, expect a realy solid Accept delivery and you will have a lot of fun with these eleven tracks.

 

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