Old school metal lovers gathered on the west side of Detroit last Saturday to witness the acclaimed and beloved band, Accept. Nestled on the borders of two of the city’s burbs, The Token Lounge is a cozy-sized venue that has been serving Livonia, Westland, and beyond for over fifty years. Known for welcoming everyone from world famous bands to local artists down the street, this hallowed hall was a special spot to host the legendary German/American act. Touring for the first time in a while, Accept have been excited to promote their sixteenth full-length, Too Mean to Die (Nuclear Blast Records) that came out in 2021. Read our review here! Their show last weekend hit town near the end of their month-long North American run, and we Michiganders were happy to have them.
The room was full of leather jackets and long, wispy white hair. Most of the gentlemen in attendance looked like an old king Viserys if he bought a motorcycle. As the room began to fill, things kicked off with the four piece outfit, Narcotic Wasteland. Formed just over a decade ago, this group of guys launched into their opening number ‘Pharma Culture’, and being blasted with their old school Death Metal sound was like stepping back in time. The aggression, speed, and punch from each player was reminiscent of early Morbid Angel or Dying Fetus. Frontman Dallas Toler-Wade led with gruff and remorselessness as his screams seeped and settled over the crowd. His experienced severity could be credited to his long time run as a member in the notorious brutal band, Nile. They had no bells or whistles to tempt anyone with, yet the crowd was pretty responsive to their zero frill performance. Their nonchalant, yet passionate playing was well received since there was a slight bit of sentimentality because most of the crowd was old enough to remember when this genre first became popular. After ten songs, this southern group took their bow and we all settled to wait for the headliner.
Soon the room went dark, yet the massive cheer of the excited fans was a bit premature. The stage stood empty for nearly forty more minutes before the fog machine ejected and the intro music blared. It was worth the wait. Accept immediately swung into action and hammered out the song, ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ from their newest album. Right off the bat this sextet proved how they are still relevant with their fresh pieces. The giddiness from the crowd was contagious since most of them have been fans for decades. It was wonderful to witness such die-hards gather and gaze upon their favorite band. Founding member Wolf Hoffmann had a glisten in his eye as his thrummed out ditties he has been playing for years. It was a thrill to experience his sincere joy of performing. Each member carried a genuine smile on their face through the whole set and they played with a keen kind of hunger that was satisfied by jamming out. The room roared on classic numbers like ‘Restless and Wild’, ‘Princess of the Dawn’, and ‘Fast as a Shark’. Every song was a singalong because the devotees knew each lyric. The boom and vibrancy of their classic Heavy Metal sound rang with a stunning strength. Though Mark Tornillo had been battling with being under the weather, he gave his all by thundering forth his wails and cries with moxie.
This outfit is well oiled and raged like a lean, mean fighting metal machine. Hoffmann is named appropriately considering how he bared teeth as he squealed, shredded and sweeped. Their metal studs jingled on their leather attire as they moved about the stage. Each number was a treat. Songs like ‘Hung, Drawn, and Quartered’ and ‘Midnight Mover’ highlighted their dynamic, robust, and earnest style. Their swagger as they poured out each piece had a cocky edge to it, but they are a band that is allowed to be a wee bit overconfident given the decades they’ve given to their craft. Drummer Christopher Williams boisterously boomed forth with a rare kind of depth and diligence. All the newer members had an intuitiveness in their skill set that complemented the Accept’s signature sounds. ‘Balls to the Wall’ was the finale of the evening and nostalgia filled the room. An old school glamor glistened over the aging crowd as they raised their horns high in the air. There were many bows and a lot of gratitude shared as the band left the stage. Even though this set was full of pleasant remembrances, it was also a night where many made new, wonderful memories.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RAGIN ROSIE