Nominally formed in 1976, but in fact tracing a heritage all the way back to the late 60s, Accept are the perennial heavy metal band, even if their list of ex-members is starting to look like a phone book, and their influence can be felt in both traditional heavy metal and thrash circles. Helmed since the beginning by Wolf Hoffman, who has remained unstinting in his dedication to metal, Accept often seem eternal and the title of this, their sixteenth album, represents an outlook that one suspects has been there since the very beginning. Featuring eleven tracks, overseen by production wizard (and long-standing collaborator) Andy Sneap, Too Mean To Die is the first album to feature the talents of new bassist Martin Motnick and new rhythm guitarist Philip Shouse, and their addition to the fold seems to have provided Wolf with even greater impetus than on the previous (and well-received) outing, The Rise Of Chaos.
Opening on a horror trip, Zombie Apocalypse employs familiar lyrical themes, the band revelling in the doom-laden introduction before unleashing a more typically thrash riff, complete with Angel Of Death scream. It’s an exhilarating opener and one that shows that, line-up changes notwithstanding, it’s business as usual in the Accept camp. Having hit the ground running, the band grind out Too Mean To Die in the manner of Metallica covering Motorhead. Pummelling rhythms, throbbing bass and searing leads are the order of the day here, and the band attack the song with a vicious combination of punk energy and metal proficiency. However, for all the metallic thunder the band are able to bring to bear, Accept are equally proficient at conversing in the language of the blues and Overnight Sensation (lyrically slamming vacuous influencer culture) sees the band come on like Bon Scott’s AC/DC with a serious case of riff fever. It offers a neat contrast to the faster-paced opening tracks, whilst the gang-chant vocals will undoubtedly set the audience going when the band return to the live stage. Heading back to heavier pastures, the acid-etched vocals of No One’s Master may add a touch of grit to proceedings, but they can’t disguise the brilliantly catchy melody that underpins the track. The first half is rounded out with The Undertaker, a complex piece that moves from bluesy introduction, through a throbbing, bass-led monster reminiscent of Youthanasia-era Megadeth, to epic, folk-infused chorus. A grandiose track that flows through numerous ambitious passages, The Undertaker sees the band flexing their musical muscles to deliver a dark, fluid piece that stands as an album highlight.
With a brash, sarcastic title, Sucks To Be You is a sharp shock of potent heavy metal reminiscent of Overkill, all grinding riffs and ravaged vocal chords. It gives way to the dark groove of Symphony Of Pain, which maintains the momentum by cheekily interpolating Beethoven’s fifth into the bridge before the final chorus. With the title feeling rather like a challenge, The Best Is Yet To Come is a surprisingly slow-paced piece of music that offers a defiant take on the aging process. In contrast, the folk-infused How Do We Sleep, with its thunderous intro on the toms, gets the pulse racing once more with its taut riffs and incisive lead work. Shaking off the sort of dead weights who blame their misfortunes on others, the tough-as-nails, Not My Problem is simply a cracking metal track – no more, no less – with a down ‘n’ dirty Motorhead vibe that bristles with leather-clad attitude. Strangely, the album ends on a very different note, with the instrumental Samson And Delilah deftly interpolating Saint Saens with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in a manner reminiscent of Therion. It serves as a cinematic closer, drawing upon all of the band’s myriad influences in the process and, although it might be considered an odd finale (especially given the blood and thunder that preceded it), it is a fantastic showcase of the band’s instrumental skills.
Too Mean To Die is a potent reminder of Accept’s many strengths and, from the moment it detonates with Zombie Apocalypse it’ll have you hooked. There are no surprises here, Accept have simply refined the formula to its essence and combined a series of cracking songs with a typically blistering production from Andy Sneap. Let’s face it, if you worship at the altar of metal, you already want this album, now buy the damn thing already. 8.5/10
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