U.D.O. | Touchdown

September 13, 2023 Publisher Music Reviews Comments Off

by Dan Skiba
— Guest Columnist —

When you think about true iconic members of the Traditional Metal Club, Udo Dirkschneider has to be listed in your top five. He’s not as good of a lyrics writer as say Ronnie James Dio, or have pipes as strong as Rob Halford, or have the looks of say … well virtually everyone in Metal. But, Metal runs rampant through his veins … always has and it’s a good bet always will … and the Touchdown release is U.D.O.’s next chapter in what continues to be an inspired career. And, to boot, Udo has brought his son Sven Dirkschneider into the band to handle the drum duties … a true family affair to be sure.

The album kicks off with “Isolation Man”, and what jumps out is its driving power and quality production … in other words, the sound is absolutely great and will have you banging your head and playing air guitar within the first 30 seconds. Udo’s signature voice, of course, blends perfectly with the soundscape, and you can almost envision his jugular veins taxed to the point of exploding as he rips out his vocal lines.

The great news is the album never really lets up. Of the 13-tracks, 10 are top notch mid-to-fast-tempo songs oozing with aggression, powerful drumbeats, catch riffs, and impressive solos. If you need to release some frustration, this album can be your pressure valve for the better part of an hour. Touchdown indeed is a flat out success, and one of U.D.O.’s best and most consistent efforts. There’s nothing particularly “new” on offer here, but what is on offer is inspired, well-crafted music that belongs in every Traditional Metal fan’s library. Touchdown scores high in all categories … and Traditional Metal fans need to support this album.

Genre: Traditional Metal

Label: Atomic Fire Records

Line-up:
Udo Dirkschneider – Vocals
Andrey Smirnov – Guitar
Fabian Dammers – Guitar
Sven Dirkschneider – Drums
Peter Baltes – Bass