Touchdown
Rating: 8
Review by: Tom Elke
U.D.O. has a new album entitled “Touchdown,” with a Release Date of August 25th on Atomic Fire Records. The legendary Udo Dirkschneider reunites with former Accept Bass Player Peter Baltes on the album, and has welcomed him into the band!
“Touchdown” is Produced & mixed by Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer, and mastered by another former Accept member Stefan Kaufmann. This is a team familiar with U.D.O. having worked with them previously. And it comes through with the sound Production, it is fantastic.
This is an album that contains 13 Tracks, and has a running time a little over 52 minutes. The Tracks on “Touchdown” are primarily mid-up tempo, but some Songs have a little different sound to them and some Time Signature changes, like “The Betrayer” and “Heroes of Freedom.” The record even includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the Title track. There are also a couple Tracks that have a sort of “Message” to them, like “Forever Free and “Fight For the Right,” as Udo is a Humanitarian & believes in several important Causes.
But this is a Metal album to it’s core, the musicianship is outstanding by all the members of the band. Fabian Dee Dammers and Andrey Smirnov have become a very formidable Lead Guitar Duo, with both playing Lead Solos. The Guitar work on this album is excellent. Sven Dirkschneider on Drums is simply outstanding, he seems to get better with each Album, as he really impresses on “Touchdown.” Udo still sounds the same in that voice we have come to expect and love. And with Peter Baltes in the band holding down the low end with his great playing, this is a Group of superb musicians.
“Touchdown” is yet another excellent Metal album in the U.D.O. Catalog. Go get it, and turn it up!
U.D.O. Lineup:
Udo Dirkschneider – vocals
Andrey Smirnov – guitar
Sven Dirkschneider – drums
Fabian Dee Dammers – guitar
Peter Baltes – bass
Track Listing:
1. Isolation Man
2. The Flood
3. The Double Dealer’s Club
4. Fight For The Right
5. Forever Free
6. Punchline
7. Sad Man’s Show
8. The Betrayer
9. Heroes Of Freedom
10. Better Start To Run
11. The Battle Understood
12. Living Hell
13. Touchdown
(Bonus DVD; CD digipak only) Dirkschneider – Live At Wacken 2022
1. Starlight
2. Living For Tonite
3. Midnight Mover
4. Breaker
5. London Leatherboys
6. Princess Of The Dawn
7. Restless And Wild
8. Son Of A Bitch
9. Screaming For A Love-Bite
10. Up To The Limit
11. Metal Heart
12. Fast As A Shark
13. Balls To The Wall