Product Description
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2013 album from the German Heavy Metal band fronted by former
Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. Steelhammer is one of the most
powerful albums the band has created so far. Steelhammer marks a
return to the band's roots, a return to real, drum sound
and biting Metal guitars. This contemporary yet traditional
mixture will definitely blow your mind.
Review
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The riffs kick in....the siren induced whammy echoes through the
speakers like a armor plated ambulance ready to rescue you from
the pounding you are about to receive on U.D.O.'s 'Steelhammer.'
The album is the most fetching and headbang forcing album the
former Accept vocalist has released since the phenomenal
'Thunderball' (2004). Rhythmic anthems like 'A Cry for the
Nation,' 'Metal Machine,' 'Stay True,' and 'When Love Becomes a
Lie' have all the hallmarks of all time U.D.O. classics that fans
have enjoyed over the years, such as 'Thunder in the Tower,' 'Man
and Machine,' 'Lay Down the Law' and 'Blitz of Lightning.' Fans
are also treated to the softer side of the power biter in 'Heavy
Rain' and perhaps his most interesting offering ever, the
monumental 'Book of Faith.' The album is the first to feature new
guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen (Ex-Amberian Dawn), who brings a
fresh young exciting flare to the veteran act. 'Steelhammer' is
an essential album to any metal fan's collection. --Metal
Underground.com
'Steelhammer' gets it right from first to last; it's a fine dose
of 'keep it true' heavy metal. There's a good variation in tempo
across the songs, with lots of catchy melodies and hooks, and
burning guitar solos. For pure heavy metal, some of the best
tracks are 'A Cry of a Nation', a commentary on world financial
politics, 'King of Mean', 'Steelhammer', the accessible 'Never
Cross My Way', and 'Stay True'. The most curious song here maybe
the final one. 'Book of Faith' is developed with a strong
symphonic layer for an epic feel and has some interesting
religious allusions.
Of course there's Udo's trademark vocal style. While that grizzly
bear ra growl remains, Dirkschneider can vary his approach.
Probably the most notable is on 'Heavy Rain', a ballad where Udo
is equally raw and smooth, not a contradiction for him. Then
there's the audio effects applied in 'Timekeeper'. Then there's
his true melodic metal side in 'Never Cross My Way' and 'When
Love Becomes A Lie'. Or the Spanish language song 'Basta Ya',
written and performed with Victor Garcia Gonzales of Warcry.
UDO's 'Steelhammer' is simply a very good classic melodic heavy
metal album, with Dirkschneider at full strength and in fine
form. Easily recommended. (4.6/5.0) --Dangerdog
One can randomly flick through any track on 'Steelhammer' and be
guaranteed a blazing experience. Whether it's the piano-led
starkness of 'Heavy Rain' - a magical swooning journey bereft of
any metal - or the pounding bulldozer that is 'Stay True', one
can only marvel at the staying power of U.D.O. Simply put, this
German five-piece are going nowhere, and long may they remain
tattooed on our psyche, because without these sort of veterans
metal would be truly dead and buried. (8/10) --Metal Forces