Jan. 16 — Audiences got their first taste of former Accept front man Udo Dirkschneider’s upcoming new take of Accept’s classic album, Balls to the Wall this week.
Dirkschneider unveiled his updated take of the album’s title track, which features guest vocals from Sabaton front man Joakim Broden, Wednesday. The updated track stays largely true to its source material in its sound and style. At the same time though, there is more of a power metal lean in the new update, which makes sense, considering Accept and Sabaton both being power metal bands.
Also of note here is the pairing of Dirkschneider’s vocals and those of Broden. At one point, the pair utilizes a fun call and response approach that is sure to entertain audiences just as much.
Dirkschneider spoke highly of his fellow vocalist in discussing working with Broden on the new take.
“To re-record ‘Balls To The Wall’ with SABATON’s Joakim Brodén was definitely a highlight!,” Dirkschneider said. “This man has an incredibly powerful voice which makes the song sound even more explosive. It’s a huge amount of energy lifting this classic track to unknown heights. Joakim has simply delivered – and together we managed to revitalise the song, resulting in a brute new version!”
In related news, Dirkshneider and his band mates in his namesake band are scheduled to tour in support of the re-issue (which is scheduled for release Feb. 28 through Reigning Phoenix MUsic) beginning Feb. 25 in Zagreb, Croatia. The European tour is scheduled to run through April 12 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Crownshift and All For Metal will serve as support for the tour.
Tickets are available here. The tour’s schedule is noted below:
DIRKSCHNEIDER live:
“Balls To The Wall” – 40th Anniversary Tour
w/ CROWNSHIFT, ALL FOR METAL
Presented by Contra Promotion & Metal Hammer
25.02.2025 HR Zagreb – Boogaloo * *NEW*
26.02.2025 AT Vienna – SiMM City
27.02.2025 DE Munich – Backstage *LOW TICKETS*
28.02.2025 DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee *LOW TICKETS*
01.03.2025 CZ Prague – SaSaZu
02.03.2025 HU Budapest – Barba Negra
04.03.2025 RO Bucharest – Quantic Club
06.03.2025 PL Kraków – Klub Studio
07.03.2025 PL Warsaw – Progresja
08.03.2025 LT Vilnius – Kablys
09.03.2025 EE Tallinn – Helitehas *NEW*
10.03.2025 FI Helsinki – Kulttuuritalo
11.03.2025 FI Tampere – Tavara-asema
13.03.2025 NO Oslo – Rockefeller
14.03.2025 SE Gothenburg – Trädgår’n
16.03.2025 DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
17.03.2025 DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp
18.03.2025 BE Antwerp – Trix
19.03.2025 FR Paris – Le Trabendo
21.03.2025 ES Pamplona – Sala Totem
22.03.2025 ES Madrid – Mon *MOVED*
23.03.2025 ES Barcelona – Razzmatazz 2
25.03.2025 CH Pratteln – Konzertfabrik Z7
26.03.2025 DE Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn *SOLD OUT*
27.03.2025 DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
28.03.2025 DE Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
29.03.2025 DE Geiselwind – Eventhalle *LOW TICKETS*
30.03.2025 DE Geiselwind – Eventhalle *NEW*
08.04.2025 GR Athens – Fuzz Live Music Club * *NEW*
09.04.2025 GR Thessaloniki – Principal Club Theater * *NEW*
11.04.2025 TR Istanbul – IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş * *NEW*
12.04.2025 BG Sofia – Hristo Botev Hall * *NEW*
* DIRKSCHNEIDER only
30.07. – 02.08.2025 DE Wacken – Wacken Open Air *SOLD OUT* *NEW*
Following its headlining run this spring, the band will join Saxon this fall for the latest leg of its “Hell, Fire and Steel Tour.” The tour’s schedule is noted below:
“Hell, Fire And Steel” Tour
w/ SAXON
04.11.2025 UK Belfast – Ulster Hall *NEW*
05.11.2025 IE Dublin – 3Olympia Theatre *NEW*
07.11.2025 UK Manchester – O2 Apollo *NEW*
08.11.2025 UK Sheffield – The Octagon Centre *NEW*
09.11.2025 UK Glasgow – O2 Academy *NEW*
11.11.2025 UK Newcastle – O2 City Hall *NEW*
13.11.2025 UK Bristol – Beacon *NEW*
14.11.2025 UK Wolverhampton – Civic Hall *NEW*
15.11.2025 UK London – Eventim Apollo Hammersmith *NEW*
16.11.2025 UK Cardiff – The Great Hall *NEW*
More information on Dirkschneider’s forthcoming re-issue of Accept’s Balls to the Wall is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.udo-online.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/udoonline
Twitter: https://twitter.com/udoonline
