Accept

An iconic heavy metal band, Accept's mix of breakneck tempos, powerful guitar riffs, and fist-pumping ferocity helped pave the way for speed and thrash metal during the 1980s, with the group continuing to release acclaimed albums well into the twenty-first century. Accept formed in Solingen, West Germany, in 1976, and released its self-titled debut three years later. Although personnel changes plagued the band's lineup from the very start, Accept developed a core cast of musicians that included vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, bassist Peter Baltes, and drummer Stefan Kaufmann. All four members appeared on 1982's Restless and Wild, which became the group's first release to chart in the UK, the Netherlanders, and Sweden (where it peaked at Number 7). Even so, it was 1983's Balls to the Wall that officially transformed Accept into an internationally-renowned act. A moderate hit in Germany and Sweden, the album went gold in both America and Canada, with its title track becoming a signature song of the heavy metal genre. 1985's Metal Heart and 1986's Russian Roulette furthered the band's mainstream success, although progress began to stall in 1987, when Dirkschneider left the group and launched a successful solo project, U.D.O. He rejoined Accept's lineup in the 1990s, a decade that found the band releasing albums like 1993's Objection Overruled (a Top 40 hit in Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland) and 1996's Predator. After a 14-year hiatus, Accept reformed with a new frontman, Mark Tornillo, and launched the band's most successful era to date with 2010's Blood of the Nations. Blind Rage followed in 2014, peaking at Number 1 in Germany, Number 1 in Finland, Number 9 in Switzerland, and Number 35 in America. Meanwhile, 2017's The Rise of Chaos marked the final appearance of the band's longtime bassist, Peter Baltes, while 2021's Too Mean to Die introduced a reshuffled lineup that included guitar hero Philip Shouse. Humanoid followed in 2024 and enjoying international success, reaching number 5 in Germany, number 6 in Switzerland, number 57 in Japan, and number 7 on the UK Rock & Metal chart.

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