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Rating: The first half of the 90s for Accept perhaps represents their period of decline. Orphaned by the soul of the band in 1986, Udo Dirkschneider, the German group released the much-debated "Eat The Heat" the following year with singer David Reece, a sort of crossover between Halford’s vocals and David Lee Roth. Although the album contained some excellent tracks and only recently has been reevaluated as a classic of Accept, it didn't sell at the time, and fans disappointed by Udo's departure began to disparage Hoffman's band and company. The band would reunite only 6 years later, also thanks to the release of the live album "Staying a Live," a concert held in Japan during the "Metal Heart" tour, which brought all the members of the group back together for a reunion. In 1993, "Objection Overruled" saw the light, an excellent album that showed the typical sound of Accept, rough and direct, had not been forgotten. A year later it would be the turn of "Death Row," and this is where the problems would begin. Discussions between Hoffman and Udo resurfaced, and all this led to an album that was indeed good, but lacking the aggression that had characterized Accept for the first half of the 80s.
In January of '96, "Predator" saw the light, an album that would prove to be better than the previous one, but would have the flaw of having the characteristic listed above. Immediate songs like "Hard Attack," "Lay It Down," or "Take Out The Time" would make one scream miracle, but it is also true that in this album, Peter Baltes, who was the bassist at the time, sang a good part of the songs. What’s wrong with that? Baltes's voice, while good, was well suited in pieces like "Crossroads," singing together with Udo, but in others like "It Ain't Over Yet," it touches on total boredom, and the same goes for "Primitive." His presence is therefore a very annoying filler, which would create not a few problems for the listener during playback. Additionally, interesting mid-tempo tracks like "Making Me Scream" or "Diggin' In The Dirt" alternate with bland and irritating pieces like the title track, which, being the song that gives the title to the album, is supposed to be one of the best... Well, not in this case.
At the end of the tour, which saw very few dates, Accept disbanded for the second time. Too many internal quarrels, too many differences in thought. The German combo would reunite only in 2005 with the original "Balls To The Wall" lineup, but without releasing any albums or anything else. So, what remains of "Predator"?
An album that could have been, but was not, a wasted opportunity. It’s hard to judge a band like Accept which, even without ever having great popularity in the music scene, managed to release iconic albums in the heavy genre. I don’t feel like dismissing "Predator," as the ideas for good tracks were there, but they were not fully developed. But I consider this album the first misstep of the German band. Obviously, it is recommended only for fans; for those who are just beginning to listen to this band, surely this is not the best album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Crossroads (05:13)
I couldn't talk for the longest time
About the deepest fear of mine
I'm haunted by this hurting spell
To see what I can never tell - it really hurts
Who am I - what can I say
I rather turn my eyes away
I hear my conscience speak out loud
You cannot change - you're way too proud
Don't let me down - I'm standing at the crossroads
Don't let me down - I'm standing at the crossroads
You gotta know, I can read your mind
And see that you're the kind
Who's hiding pain, hiding his life
Behind a wall, a wall of pride
04 Diggin' in the Dirt (04:01)
Nice try - if you wanna get me down
You gotta shoot me twice
Watch out - you better move aside
And try to realize - that I'm alive
Why me - can't you see
You're nothing I wanna be
Back off - you should be aware
diggin' in the dirt - isn't fair
What do you want from me
What are you trying to say
Stop diggin' in the dirt
.... diggin' in the dirt
Stop diggin' in the dirt
.... diggin' in the dirt
Gar lost - if you gotta dig in dirt
Just try your own
Calm dawn - it's making me sick
Right to the bone - we're nor alike
What do you want from me
What are you trying to say
Stop diggin' in the dirt
.... diggin' in the dirt
Stop diggin' in the dirt
.... diggin' in the dirt
07 Predator (03:39)
Roaming through the forest
Along the mauntainsides
Moving through the darkness
I'm a creature of the wild
Sneaking up behind you
Hunting in a pack
Attacking out of nowhere
Always from the back
Predator
[I'm a] Predator
Eating you alive
[I'm a] Predator
It's the call of the wild
Pumping up my powers
My fangs are razor-sharp
Nature's takin' over
My instincts are alive
Predator
[I'm a] Predator
Eating you alive
[I'm a] Predator
08 Crucified (03:01)
Life is like a slot machine
Nothing's guaranteed
You might give your soul away
To cut yourself a deal
I really hate uncertainty
Will I win or lose
Ain't nothing but a game
Going insane - roll the dice again
Crucified - deep inside
I'm feeling crucified
Life is like a lottery
Can I ever win
Will it be another one
Or me - who's cashing in
Ain't nothing but a game
Going insane - roll the dice again
Crucified - deep inside
I'm feeling crucified
09 Take Out the Crime (03:12)
Day or night - seems always right
To execute a crime
But now it's time - to pull the plug
And stop this bloody game - this bloody game
They're black or white
Crime is colour blind
Rage is breaking loose
For our defence
It makes good sense
Lock 'em all away
We've gotta take out the crime
Start all over again
We've gotta clean up the slime
So we can live without pain
We have been told - a million times
Crime will never pay
The loss of life - is hard to take
When evil rules the day
We've gotta take out the crime
Start all over again
We've gotta clean up the slime
So we can live without pain
Take out the crime
You better watch out
When you clean up the slime
When they're doing time
They go out of their mind
They're beyond the point
The point of no return
We've gotta take out the crime
Start all over again
We've gotta clean up the slime
So we can live without pain
We've gotta take out the crime
Start all over again
Come on and kick out that slime
So there's a future again
10 Don't Give a Damn (02:58)
I ain't gonna be damned no more
If I'm standing my ground
There's times when I got no style
Just hanging around
But don't take it for granted
That you're so cool with me
Next time you leave this room
You better slam that door
'Cause I don't give a damn
I don't give a damn
I don't give a damn - what you think of me
I don't give a damn - what you think of me
Don'r you ever come back to me
'Cause you're sure bad luck
You ain't nothing but truble
You never gave ... just took
That's why I don't give a damn
I don't give a damn
I don't give a damn - what you think of me
I don't give a damn - what you think of me
12 Primitive (04:35)
What you're gonna do
When you turn on the news
And a dictator smiles at you
What you're gonna do
When you try to escape
But big brother is watching you
What you're gonna do
When your own flesh and blood
Comes around and beats you up
What you're gonna do
When it's too much to swallow
And they still stick it down your throat
Primitive, I wanna be primitive
Primitive, let me be primitive
What you're gonna do
When it's sin after sin
and you know it's not gonna stop
What you're gonna do
When you feel all the shame
and the guilt creeping up on you
What vou're gonna do
When it's time to take a stand
and it's time for some real change
All I wanna do
Is to shed my skin
And leave it all behind
Primitive, I wanna be primitive
Primitive, let me be primitive
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