U.D.O.
Man and Machine
SPV
3.0 EYES

Who can fault aging Teutonic institution Udo Dirkschneider, formerly of Accept, when he puts out yet another album that sticks mostly to the formula that made him a minor metal demigod? The man's in his fifties, with twenty-five years of show biz under his tiny bullet belt, and this is what works for him. He's got a voice that could peel paint and make flowers die under most circumstances, but when he puts it down on tape with this particular brand of mid-tempo, head-shaking Kraut hard rock, and the band backs him up with some good riffs and solid rhythms, there's no denying that the results are pretty crankin'. "Inspired" might be too strong a word for raveups like "Man and Machine," "Network Nightmare" and the slinky "Silent Cry," but there's an energy to these cuts that was sorely missed on the last couple Accept efforts! With former Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann on guitar, and an infusion of younger sidemen rounding out the lineup, there's a perfect balance between maintaining the classic 80's Accept sound and infusing it with just enough modernism to avoid a rut or outright plagiarism. The only misstep on Man and Machine is the schlocky ballad "Dancing With an Angel," where German fox Doro Pesch and Udo trade lines worthy of a mid-80's Peter Cetera prom petter - but the rest is as welcome as a cold beer on a summer day, workingman's metal with heart, heft and groove, and the inimitable phlegm-and-gravel cocktail that is Udo, God love 'im. He'll never change the world or rewrite the rule book, but dammit, he rocks, and so does Man and Machine. (Keith Bergman)

FIREWIND
Between Heaven and Hell
Leviathan
3.0 EYES

Another cobbled-together band whose songs are assembled on two continents under the watchful eye of power metal Svengali David T. Chastain - drums recorded in Cincinnati by journeyman Brian Harris, vocals in Atlanta courtesy of the powerfully-lunged Stephen Fredrick. And the guitar work here, the subject of main interest, comes from young Greek prodigy Gus G, whose shredding and classic power metal songwriting will find favor with anyone into the genre. Fredrick's vocals are in the range of Jag Panzer's Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin, while Gus G's solos are more emotive than the average Yngwie-induced shredfest, making this a weighty, impressive slab of metal where the individual sense of each song isn't subjugated to the desire to cram in as many notes per minute as possible. Nothing terribly innovative or unexpected creeps out of the box here, but Firewind is a sterling example of quality power metal that will please any fan of precision, bombast and virtuosity. Whatever projects his future holds, Between Heaven and Hell marks Gus G as a guitarist to watch on the world metal stage, as well. (Keith Bergman)