Napalm Records label mates Accept and KKs Priest are set to hit the road together this summer, each in support of its own new album. The announcement was made early this month. Set to kick off Aug. 31 in Los Angeles, CA and to run through Oct. 7 in San Francisco, CA, the nearly two-month long tour is in support of each band’s own new record. The latter band’s album was released Sept. 23 while the former band’s album dropped late last month. That record, released Apr. 26, is among the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums, without question, as is proven through its musical and lyrical content. All of the musical intensity that Accept’s fans have come to expect is there throughout this record but there are also some changes of style and sound at points while the lyrical themes vary even more. Each of the three singles that the album has produced to date – ‘Humanoid,’ ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘The Reckoning’ – does its own share to make that clear and they are just a portion of what makes clear, the importance of the noted collective content. ‘Man Up, which comes early in the album’s run, is another example of that importance. It will be addressed shortly. On an even more dramatic note is the record’s midpoint, ‘Ravages of Time.’ This song is one of the most notable changes of style from the band to date. It will be addressed a little later. ‘Straight Up Jack,’ the album’s penultimate entry, is one more example of what makes the album’s overall content so notable. It will also be examined later. When it is considered along with the other songs noted here and that trio along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole therein leaves no doubt that Humanoid is one of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums.
Humanoid, the latest album from Accept, is a strong new offering from the veteran rock act. The band’s 17th album, it offers plenty for audiences to appreciate musically and lyrically, as its current trio of singles makes clear. They are just a snapshot of how that combined content makes the album so engaging and entertaining. The album has plenty of other songs that do just the same, not the least of which is the early entry, ‘Man Up.’ The album’s fourth song, it is slightly pulled back from the adrenaline fueled compositions that audiences have come to expect from Accept, but still has its own immersive blues-based rock a la AC/DC. As a matter of fact, between the vocals of front man Mark Tomillo’s vocal delivery is so easily comparable to that of AC/DC’s Brian Johnson while the guitar work of Wolf Hoffman is just as comparable to that of AC/DC’s Angus Young. At the same time, their work and that of their band mates – Uwe Lulis (rhythm guitar), Christopher Williams (drums), Martin Motnik (bass) and Philip Shouse (guitar) – collectively gives this arrangement its own identity even with the comparison being present. That in itself makes it another notable addition to this album.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Man Up’ is only one half of what makes it notable. Its lyrical theme does just as much to make the song likeable. The theme in question is one of those all too necessary reminders to listeners that life is difficult but that people should not let life’s obstacles get to them. This is made clear as Tornillo sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Sometimes life will hit you/Like a brick to the head/Knock you down/Cover you up/With a ton of lead/You can’t see it coming/And you got nowhere to run/One big inferno/Stand up and watch it burn/In every life/Some rain must fall/It feels like I’m gonna drown/Left in the ocean/With nothing at all/Learn to swim/Buckle down/Man up/Life is hard/Man up/Can’t beat the dealer/Just play your cards/Man up/You got to stay the course/Man up/Only one way back on the horse/Man up.” Tornillo pulls no punches here. This is some tough love, and welcome tough love at that. We all need that firm but caring reminder that life gets tough at times, and all we can do is keep going, as the song states. He goes on to remind listeners in the song’s second verse (which follows in similar lyrical fashion) that “Some things you can’t control/It’ll rip your heart out/Destroy your very soul.” He is right. Those situations do happen and they happen to everyone at one point or another. So the best thing to do is simply to man up, like the song states. This clear message, combined with the song’s equally engaging and entertaining musical arrangement, makes the song overall just one more positive addition to Humanoid.
‘Man Up’ is just one of the songs that serves to show how much Humanoid has to offer audiences. ‘Ravages of Time’ is another of those examples. Much like ‘Man Up,’ this song reminds listeners in its lyrics that life gets tough. However, in this case, it takes a more contemplative route. The brooding musical arrangement comes across as some more contemplative works sort of like Ozzy Osbourne has crafted and even that Zakk Wylde has composed as the head of Black Label Society. This is a distinct change of direction for the band but is still so rich and engaging because of the emotion that the arrangement exudes.
That deeply emotional impact of the song’s musical arrangement is heightened even more as it partners with the song’s lyrical content, which reminds listeners that they have got to make the most of their lives. This message is made clear as Tornillo (sounding much like the late great Lemmy Kilmister here) sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “I’ve been to many places/I’ve drank a lot of wine/I’ve loved a lot of women in my time/I took what I was given/Too much was not enough/And now I’m here to tell the tale/You think you’ll live forever/And it’s all fun and games/But the candle burns two flames/Look at my reflection/The wrinkles in my face/It’s the ravages of time.” This is someone looking back on things and actually having some regrets; it is an introspection that plenty of people have, too. To that extent it makes the song all the more relatable and accessible. That relatability and accessibility continues as Tornillo sings further, “The moment that it hits you/You start to understand/We’re just here on borrowed time/Nothing is forever/Something’s got to give/So you’d better start to live.” And there is that message, that ‘you’d better start to live.” Make the most of life. That is the message here and it is a fully welcome message, too. That contemplative message pairs with the song’s equally emotional musical arrangement to make it that much more engaging and entertaining.
‘Ravages of Time’ is yet one more example of how Humanoid’s overall content makes it so enjoyable. ‘Straight Up Jack,’ the album’s penultimate entry, does its own share to make that clear. As with ‘Man Up,’ the song’s musical arrangement is easily comparable to works from AC/DC, again showing a change from the band in comparison to its existing catalog. One could also argue some 80s hair metal influence, too. The whole is just a fun rock arrangement that will appeal to so many listeners.
Lyrically, the song is just as fun, with it simply being a drinking song. Tornillo makes that 100 percent clear as he sings in the chorus, “give it to me/Straight up jack.” He also sings about getting that “full shot of whisky/Twice the rum/Mas tequila” and that he wants the bartender to “keep it coming.” Yes, alcoholism is bad. There is no denying that. One could argue that there is some concern here, but the song is not outright promoting alcoholism, just going out and drinking with friends. Drinking songs have been around for decades across the musical universe. To that end it is just a loose, fun rock song that is sure to appeal to plenty of audiences and one more example of what makes Humanoid such a fun album overall. When this song is considered alongside the others examined here and that trio alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album overall one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Humanoid, the latest studio offering from Accept, is another strong offering from the veteran hard rock act. Plenty of audiences will find it engaging and entertaining from start to finish thanks to its collective musical and lyrical content. The songs examined here make that just as clear as the album’s current singles. When all of that content is considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album overall one more solid offering from Accept and one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Humanoid is available now through Napalm Records. More information on the album and the band’s upcoming tour in support of the album alongside label mates KK’s Priest, is available at:
Website: https://acceptworldwide.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/accepttheband
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