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Rating: It is said that changes are never a good thing. For my part, I somewhat agree. One must always consider the perspective from which a change is carried out. If it is done to try to give a new image, then so be it. But if it is done with the intention of being a placeholder, where one can cover an evident situation of difficulty to make it seem to the eyes of people like everything is under control, then one begins to sink into wrongness.
In the music realm, countless changes have occurred, some good, others awful. Let's take two bands that even the stones know, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The former, with Dickinson entering in place of Di Anno, was able to make that quality leap from those first two albums that depicted them simply as a heavy metal band strongly linked to punk sounds, and which saw in Air Red Siren that essential change that led them to worldwide fame. The latter, with the arrival of Owens, suffered the total hatred of fans towards the latter, who strongly wanted Rob Halford's return to the English group. A change made by the Priest that is also strongly tied to the reasons of the fans, having in some way become attached to Halford, and categorically renouncing anyone who was put in his place.
In Accept, more or less the same thing happened. With Udo's departure in 1986 due to internal disagreements with guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes regarding musical changes leaning towards AOR, the Wuppertal elf decided to leave the band after the tour for the promotion of "Russian Roulette". Now, the decisions that Hoffmann and company had before them were essentially two: either leave everything after the true historical figure of Accept had gone, or attempt a change. They chose, as we know, the latter, hiring singer David Reece, a singer who before joining the German group was part of lesser-known bands like U.S. Metallers and Sacred Child. The difference between Reece's style and Udo's is evident and significant. If the latter became famous especially for his vitriolic, grating, and annoying voice for some, Reece had warmer and softer tones that partly recalled a certain David Lee Roth.
In 1989, "Eat The Heat" was released, an album that sharply divided the opinions of the German group's fans. Accompanied by a rather anonymous cover, both in the American and European versions, depicting the band posing behind a stage, the CD is full of excellent moments, alternating with others that are not awful but extremely banal. Let's start with the positive notes, pieces like "Generation Clash" (which will later be presented on the "Death Row" album) and "X-T-C" definitely have an impact, supported both by an excellent bass, in the former, and good riffing in the latter. Fast songs in full Accept style like "Hellhammer" manage to earn this song the title of hit of the album, and mention the excellent work of Reece behind the microphone, with a tone that grows more and more, reaching the refrain, the same goes for "Stand 4 What U R". And now let's move on to the drawbacks. "Break The Ice", despite succeeding in its intent, musically feels like already heard, and the ballads "Love Sensation" and "Mistreated" definitely do not raise the rating. Ballads? In Accept? Seriously? Special mention goes to "D-Train", which with its pounding progression, and relentless use of the double kick, literally breaks the listener's eardrums, and even Hoffmann, with his continuous, non-stop riffing, stands out as the main protagonist.
Giving a final judgment on "Eat The Heat" is difficult, both because it is a very, very difficult album to assimilate, and because it is difficult to place it in the history of a band like Accept, who made Udo a cornerstone. As already said, the album is full of highs and lows, more highs to tell the truth, and passion seems not to have been lacking in its making. For this, the real score would be 3 and a half stars, but trying to be as objective as possible, I give it 3 stars. Who knows that this album, with other careful listens, might surprise me further.
No Udo, no Accept? Possible. But I would never say never...
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 Prisoner (04:15)
She's a dancer
And she's holdin' on
To dreams of fame
No loser
But in her mind
It's coming apart
It's felony to me
To give it up -
She's gonna lose it
Been holding back on love
Pretending there's no way to turn
She's a prisoner
Got a lot to fight for -
(prisoner)
Prisoner - prisoner of fame
Got a lot to fight for -
(prisoner)
She's a dreamer
And I imagine her
That she'll be mine
Chasing a dream
The lights they call
Got no love anymore
'cause she gave it all
It's insanity to me
To give it up -
She's gonna lose it
Back holding back on love
Pretending there's
No way to turn
She's a prisoner
Got a lot to fight for -
(prisoner)
Prisoner - prisoner of fame
She's a prisoner
Ooh yeah - (prisoner)
Prisoner - prisoner of fame
(can't you see what' going on)
It's mystic magic
Dancing on air
Some call it tragic
She's fading - fading away again
(prisoner)
04 Chain Reaction (04:37)
Tired of the routine
- I never ever get it right
I've been lookin' for some action
To divert my attention
Got no rhyme or a reason
Feel the sign, feel the time, the time of the season
Tonight I'm gonna make the grade
Out of the cold nothing can stop
Nothing gonna stop me now - no !
I know I need chain reactions
I know I need heavy action
I know I need chain reaction
All I'm lookin' for is the attractions -
(yeah another boning day
I couldn'tt take no more
Turnin' down the blue mood
As long as I'm runnin' with the back I know I'm free
Chain reaction - life atraction
05 D-Train (04:25)
Life is something very srange
Never know where you are headed for
What to do nothing new
Nothing seems to be worth living for
'Cause sometimes you fall off the track
But that don't mean it's wasted
Come on get your timing right
And check out what's a coming
Don't kiss the d-train
Kiss the d-train
You think you got no place to run
But just ahead there
is an open floor, yeah
'Cause you can't run-no-you can't hide
and you won't see while
walking with closed eyes, no
Come on it ain't paradise
But that don't mean it's wasted
You've gotta get your timing right
And check out what's a coming
Don't kiss the d-train
Kiss the d-train
Don't be messning with the d-train
Kiss the d-train
Stay wawy from the d-train
Kiss tha d-train
Knock that shit off!
06 Generation Clash (06:23)
Generation clash
Warnings around me
Coming on strong
Hear the desire
That young dudes are fools
But systems will berak down
The way they all do
A general burden
When ever we're through
Powers are freezing
The that they are
They fornicating
With each others minds
Typical outcome in whatever we do
We stand on our own rebellion the groove
Generation clash
Generation clash we got the guts to go
They're blaming our music
Say we're wasting time
The fever's been itching
While we stand in line)
'cause you're always bitching
You can't hold back the time
Searching for teasure or something to hold
We'll find our pleasure in the cast you mond
Generation clash --------------
Generation clash and so the story goes
Generation clash ain't gonna nose
Generation clash ain't got the time to know
Hey mom (generation)
Have you always followed the golden rule (clash)
Cause this just happens to be my first love (generation)
And that being (clash)
A must - a must (generation)
That being playin' my guitar (clash)
We try to follow your golden rule
Don't seem to matter we ain't from your school
We tries to reason tried to turn it inside out
Without no compromising my guitar will scream out loud
Generation clash
Generation clash - that's how the story goes
Generation clash - and only time will show
Generation clash - you gotta gotta let me go
08 Mistreated (06:54)
I´ve been hurt so many times
And been told so many lies
No one cares what´s on my mind
At all
I feel lost while on my own
There´s no place I call home
But I still want to believe
I´ve not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
It´s my heart that goes on
To believe there´s someone
Who needs me to carry on
´till the end
I´m holding on
I´ve not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
I know in ways - have to be strong
Pouring my strain - it´s turning out wrong
Feels like a stream of endless old fears
But I still want to believe
I´ve not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
I´ve not been ...
These are the days when dreams are lost
Bleeding in vain and wearing the cost
Of nonpaid lies - i´m crying for help
But I still want to believe
I´ve not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
I´ve not been ...
I´ve tried more than once before
To find out what i´ve done wrong
Still don´t know how to go on
To understand why i´ve been mistreated - mistreated
Still don´t know where to go
Stil got no place I call home - call home
I´ve been hurt so many times
And been told so many lies
No one cares what´s on my mind
At all
I feel lost while on my own
Can´t believe there´s someone
Who needs me to carry on
I´m holding on
I´ve not been mistreated
Not been mistreated
I´ve not been mistreated
09 Stand 4 What U R (04:04)
Stand for what you
Trust in what you're fighting for
No time on looking back
You're on your own
Stand for what you are
Trust in what you're living for
Open up the door
On time for looking back
You're on your own
You say that time's been passing by
Feeling there is nothing concrete
Living for the moment --------
Blinded by your dreams
All you're saying you can't day
It's getting harder every day
You can't change who you are
Something you gotta face
You fell for promises
No one really ever made
Invisible pictures come true
Going through changes
Hoping that they never fade
Hold on don't reach for the stars
Can't spot time's been passing by
It's like living on a one way street
Stop trying to escape
From the real world
And hanging by your string
Still you're saying
You can't hold on ...
All you're saying you can't day
It's getting harder every day
You can't change who you are
Something you gotta face
You gotta stand for what you are
Trust in what you're fighting for
No time on looking back
You're on your own
You gotta stand for what you are
Trust in what you're fighting for
You gotta face it -
Make in on your own (2)
Stand 4 what u r
10 Hellhammer (05:29)
Blame it n your passionplay
But I know it's just a game
Why don't we fight the fight
Evil it's not here to stay
Broken words are broken ways
I can see it in your eyes
You love the masquerade
And you don't seem to care
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
Living out your fantasy, yeah
Never evr sell your soul
Don't surrender your control
No tenderhearted fools, yeah
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
In your lap of luxury
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
Spread your wings and you'll be free
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
Living on the edge won't save ya
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
Hellhammer
Hold on - on your pwn
All for one - together we make it
You and me - can touch the sky
One for all - in the name of love
Only we can change the world
Make your dreams reality
One foe all - it's the human key
Don't lose control -
don't lose your soul
Stop living out you destiny, yeah
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
Living out your fantasy, yeah
Hellhammer - hell - Hellhammer
It's making too long the time has come
Hellhammer ...
Hellhammer ...
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Stop losing control without no freedom
Hellhammer ...
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