In a definitely no way fan-fleeching attempt to get more cash out of aging metalheads AFM are reissuing Accept's first four ground-breaking albums as exclusive Digipak editions! These "Platinum Editions" come with exclusive bonus material (I'm A Rebel, Breaker and Restless And Wild include previously unreleased live tracks recorded on the latest Dirkschneider tour (many people may note that Udo Dirkschneider hasn't been a de facto member of Accept for a number of years ), while Accept includes an audio-recorded interview with Udo Dirkschneider (about the foundation of Accept and the band's early days)
AFM suggest that, "The Platinum Editions give the countless Accept fans a chance to complete their collections with the best versions available on the market." That's open to some debate given many of us bought them first time round on vinyl and still love that particular audio experience. What's not in doubt is that these are seminal records in the heavy metal genre, yes the production values on the eponymous album weren't great and still are exactly stellar and it's telling that neither the current version of the band nor Dirkschneider currently play anything from the album but it's an essential curio in the band's progression. It's nowhere near as heavy as the albums which followed and one can see a clear debt to fellow Germans Scorpions but tracks such as "Lady Lou", "Tired of Me" and "Sounds of War" deserve to be hauled out of obscurity.
I'm A Rebel is one of my favourite albums so I don't apologise for the 4 star rating even though the album is arguably another stepping stone to solidifying their classic sound on Breaker and Restless and Wild. Imagine AC/DC procreating with Judas Priest in British Steel mode and you get a flavour of what to expect. The Young brothers even supposedly turned down the title track as well! The song is a massive cheesefest but it's so infectious and certainly gave the teenage me a way into metal for which I shall be eternally grateful. There's a real energy to the album and in "Thunder And Lightning", "China Lady", "Do It" and "I Wanna Be No Hero" we can see the kind of riffs which were to catapult the band forwards very soon.
I would have liked more bonus material from the vaults to be honest but there is a good deal of quality metal within these two early Germanic winners.
Ratings: Accept 3 stars I'm A Rebel 4 stars
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing: Accept (Platinum Edition)
1. Lady Lou
2. Tired Of Me
3. Seawinds
4. Take Him In My Heart
5. Sounds Of War
6. Free Me Now
7. Glad To Be Alone
8. That's Rock'n'Roll
9. Helldriver
10. Street Fighter
Bonus Track
11. "The Early Years Of
Accept" – (Spoken Commentary by Udo Dirkschneider)
Track Listing: I'm A Rebel (Platinum Edition)
1. I'm A Rebel
2. Save Us
3. No Time To Lose
4. Thunder And Lightning
5. China Lady
6. I Wanna Be No Hero
7. The King
8. Do It
Bonus Track
9. I'm A Rebel (Live)
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