U.D.O.
Steelhammer
AFM (2013)
Rating: 8/10
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Well, as expected U.D.O. come racing out of the blocks with another batch of face-melting metal anthems. Steelhammer is the band’s 14th full-length studio opus, and as usual is another tour de force of a platter.
These German metalheads have rarely let up the pace since their 1987 debut Animal House, with Udo Dirkschneider and company constantly reminding us where the heart of metal lies. Germany rarely gives way to trend and also provides us headbangers with solid metal bands who’ve never buckled under fads.
Steelhammer kicks like a mule, opening up with the title track, a steaming, seething power rocker that rattles and bangs like a metal factory, introducing itself with a killer Kasperi Heikkinen and Andrey Smirnov twin guitar attack, as Francesco Jovino’s drums pound hard accompanied by Fitty Weinhold’s juddering bass. Udo’s distinctive rasp reminds us of metal’s longevity as he steamrollers through the 16 tracks on offer (‘Shadows Come Alive’ is only available through the digipak version, while ‘Dust And Rust’ features on the Japanese release).
‘A Cry Of A Nation’ plods in with a mid-tempo drum and simmering riff. It’s one of the album’s more melodic cuts but still features a killer chugging riff, with Dirkschneider coming across as Brian Johnson’s (AC/DC) evil twin with that distinctive yet throaty warble.
But as expected, it’s on the cutting ‘Metal Machine’ where the band really shines. This is an ominous track that starts out as a mid-paced rocker, featuring the killer lyrics, “Look and see the metal machine”… the sort of lyric that seemed to have been plucked from the mid-80s and yet U.D.O. make it work with apparent ease, never once straying from their fiery path, with their only aim to batter the senses and crush all in their wake. The same also applies to the sniping ‘Basta Ya’.
‘Devil’s Bite’ and ‘Death Ride’ follow suit, upping the ante. These are hyper thrash tracks – particularly the latter – with their speed metal riffs and thunder horse drums, U.D.O. showing these new thrash hopefuls how it’s done with those sledgehammer drums and earth-shaking riffs.
U.D.O. have always churned out a polished brand of metal, but somehow they refuse to date. One only has to hear the goth-tinged ‘King Of Mean’ with its “holy moses, holy smoke” lyric to appreciate U.D.O.’s metal mayhem. And only Dirkschneider could get away with the lyrics, “I am a chainsaw, I am lightning, the hammer of hell to take your life away” and make them sound so authentic. For me, ‘King Of Mean’ is the best track on the record, a formidable, armour-plated metal jaunt featuring a devilish solo three-quarters of the way through.
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.
Neil Arnold
