U.D.O.
— Leatherhead EP (2011)
AFM Records
There is an old saying, favoured by the English and
Americans alike, that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Few artists prove
that maxim quite as reliably — or as proudly — as Udo Dirkschneider. The
diminutive German with the unmistakable rasp built his legend as the voice of
Accept during what is widely regarded as that band's classic era, before
striking out on his own in 1987 with U.D.O., the outfit that still bears his
initials today. Nearly a quarter-century and more than a dozen albums later, he
shows no interest whatsoever in retiring the formula that made him a metal
institution — and the "Leatherhead" EP is proof.
Released through AFM Records as a four-track appetiser
ahead of U.D.O.'s thirteenth studio album, "Rev-Raptor" (issued on 20
May 2011), the EP does exactly what a good teaser should: it tells longtime
fans precisely what is coming, without giving away the whole meal. If
mid-tempo, Accept-flavoured heavy metal with choruses built for shouting along
is your idea of a good time, this EP delivers it in full.
The title track, "Leatherhead," is one of
two songs here that also appear on "Rev-Raptor" itself, and its
lineage is easy to hear — there are echoes of "Balls to the Wall" in
its stomping, mid-paced gait. It is a perfectly solid opener, though not one
that reinvents anything. Its official video, incidentally, was filmed in
Nürnberg and later included as a bonus feature on the "Rev-Raptor"
digipak edition.
Far more exciting is "Rock 'n' Roll
Soldiers," the EP's second "Rev-Raptor" preview track, which
carries a "Metal Heart"-style swagger and a chorus practically
engineered for festival singalongs. This is, without question, the standout cut
of the release — a song built for the stage, and my personal favourite of the
four.
The remaining two tracks are archival treats rather
than new material. "Free or Rebellion" and "Run" were both
originally released on U.D.O.'s 2004 "Thundervision" DVD, and it's a
welcome move to see them find a proper audio release here. "Free or
Rebellion" is another rousing, sing-along anthem — the kind of song built
to be played loud enough to test the patience of every neighbour on the street.
"Run," meanwhile, is a power ballad of the sort U.D.O. has delivered
throughout his career: pleasant enough, if not among the strongest examples of
the style he's produced.
Rounding out the package are two video clips — one for
"Leatherhead," the other for "Jingle Balls," a curious
one-off U.D.O. recorded with Evil Disposition, a band assembled from staff at
the EMP mail-order merchandise company.
Taken as a whole, "Leatherhead" is unlikely
to go down as U.D.O.'s finest hour, but it was never meant to. As a stopgap
between full-length albums, it is honest, unpretentious, and squarely aimed at
the faithful — and on that measure, it succeeds. Fans of Dirkschneider's brand
of unreconstructed heavy metal, this reviewer included, will find plenty here
to enjoy while the countdown to "Rev-Raptor" continues.
Nick Parastatidis
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