Accept

Accept is a German heavy metal band from Solingen, Germany, active since 1971. The group develops from an earlier project, Band X, and takes its name in the early 1970s after Udo Dirkschneider reforms the band following military service. It becomes professionally established in 1976 after appearing at Rock am Rhein and then secures a recording contract.

Early line-ups and first albums

The first stable line-up includes Udo Dirkschneider on vocals, Wolf Hoffmann on lead guitar, Peter Baltes on bass, Jörg Fischer on rhythm guitar and Stefan Kaufmann on drums. Early personnel changes are frequent: Gerhard Wahl is replaced by Fischer, and Frank Friedrich leaves before the debut album is released, with Kaufmann taking over on drums. Accept’s first album, Accept, appears in 1979 but does not achieve major commercial success. I’m a Rebel follows in 1980 and draws media attention, helped by television appearances.

Breakthrough and 1980s releases

Accept builds its profile with Breaker in 1981 and touring with Judas Priest on the World Wide Blitz Tour. Restless and Wild arrives in 1982 and includes “Fast as a Shark”, a track often discussed in relation to the development of speed metal, with Kaufmann’s drumming singled out in that context. The band’s commercial breakthrough comes with Balls to the Wall in 1983, its fifth studio album. That record becomes its only album certified gold in the United States and Canada and includes the title track. The lyrics of the album address politics, sexuality and social relations.

During this period Herman Frank is part of the group, and Fischer later returns for touring in 1984, including festival appearances and support slots for Iron Maiden on the World Slavery Tour. Metal Heart follows in 1985, produced by Dieter Dierks, and is supported by international touring and the live mini-album Kaizoku-Ban. Russian Roulette is released in 1986.

Line-up changes, breakups and reunion periods

Dirkschneider leaves in 1987 and later forms U.D.O., working with material connected to Accept members. After auditions that include Ken Tamplin and Rob Armitage, the band recruits David Reece and records Eat the Heat in 1989, the only Accept album to feature him. Fischer departs again before recording, other musicians are brought in for touring, and Kaufmann is temporarily replaced after a back injury. The band stops activity at the end of 1989. A live recording from 1985 is issued as Staying a Life in 1990.

Accept returns in 1992 with Dirkschneider, Hoffmann, Baltes and Kaufmann. This line-up records Objection Overruled in 1993 and tours internationally, followed by Death Row in 1994 and Predator in 1996, the latter recorded with drummer Michael Cartellone. The group becomes inactive again in 1997.

Later line-up and recordings

After members pursue separate projects, Accept reunites for a 2005 tour with Hoffmann, Baltes, Dirkschneider, Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann. In 2009 the band reforms again with Mark Tornillo on vocals after Dirkschneider declines to take part. Blood of the Nations appears in 2010 and marks the start of a new recording run, followed by Stalingrad in 2012, Blind Rage in 2014 and The Rise of Chaos in 2017, all made with Andy Sneap.

Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann leave in 2014 and are replaced by Uwe Lulis and Christopher Williams. Peter Baltes leaves in 2018 after more than four decades with the band and is replaced by Martin Motnik. Philip Shouse joins as a third guitarist in 2019. Too Mean to Die follows in 2021, and Humanoid is released in 2024. The band signs with Napalm Records in 2022.

Style and legacy

Accept is associated with heavy metal, hard rock, speed metal, glam metal and power metal. It is also linked to the emergence of speed metal and thrash metal and to the German heavy metal scene of the early to mid-1980s. Across its history the group undergoes many line-up changes, with Wolf Hoffmann as the only constant member in the period described here. By 2024 it has released seventeen studio albums, five live albums and nine compilation albums, and it sells more than 17 million albums worldwide.