Yes folks, this is real HEAVY METAL...well most of it.

If you're a fan of classic Accept and melodic metal of the eighties, this collection of 12 tracks (plus four previously unreleased bonus tracks) by Mr. Udo Dirkschneider and his band will have you almost gasping for more. The sub-title - '20 Years Of Metal' - says it all…

'Holy,' 'Man And Machine,' '24/7' and 'Heart Of Gold' are outstanding melodic metal tracks and a joy to any fans ears. But the problem is there's some lighter stuff too which ruins the hard rocking' mood: 'Cry Solider Cry' doesn't really have much place in an album that is supposed to represent METAL and neither does 'In The Darkness.'

The bonus tracks are also debatable as the unreleased songs 'Shadow Maker' and 'Terror To The Wall' are really not that great. An acoustic version of 'Balls To The Wall' is enjoyable but out of place and a live version of 'Bullet And The Bomb' is entertaining but not all that necessary.

Fans will be picky about the track listing but newcomers will love it.

***½

Review by Neil Daniels

www.neildaniels.com