To mark the 40th anniversary of Accept’s iconic album, Balls To The Wall, founding member and former frontman, Udo Dirkschneider is planning something special. Under the Dirkschneider moniker, he will be releasing a re-recorded version, featuring guest contributions from across the metal sphere. Balls To The Wall Reloaded comes out on February 28th via Reigning Phoenix Music. Head into the article below to find out more.
Pre-order Balls To The Wall Reloaded here: https://dirkschneider.rpm.link/bttwrPR
“Re-recording Balls To The Wall was a big challenge for me. The album is a milestone of my career, of course, that’s why it was even more important to me to make the original songs shine in a new light without losing their initial essence. All guests have put their individual stamps on these classic tracks, and collaborating with such outstanding vocalists has moved them into a fresh and exciting dimension. The result is a powerful homage to all fans but also an invitation to the next generation to experience the songs not minorly passionate than I was when I recorded them back in the day. It’s a never-ending personal journey for me – Balls To The Wall will always be a part of me,” states Udo.
RPM managing director Jochen Richert expresses his excitement: “This masterpiece has accompanied me for almost my entire life. When Udo first told me about his idea, my initial thought was, ‘Can this really work?’ But as soon as he mentioned the first guest singers, I knew it would be great. When I finally got to hear the tracks, I was blown away. My nostalgic side cautioned me, ‘No, you can’t like this better than the original.’ But there’s no use denying it, I have to admit it’s at least as good as the 1983 recordings – if not better! Accordingly, it’s an incredible honour to be able to contribute to this opus.”
Far from a simple remake, this project was born out of countless conversations with prominent artists across the global rock and metal scene, who frequently asked: “Are you planning anything special for the 40th anniversary of Balls To The Wall?” These discussions sparked the idea to re-record the album’s legendary tracks alongside a stellar lineup of guest musicians, transforming the project into a heartfelt tribute. For both Dirkschneider and the participating artists, this endeavor is more than a celebration – it’s a homage to one of heavy metal’s most groundbreaking albums. The reimagined Balls To The Wall features an impressive roster of talent, breathing new life into each track:
01 Balls To The Wall [feat. Joakim Brodén of Sabaton]
02 London Leatherboys [feat. Biff Byford of Saxon]
03 Fight It Back [feat. Mille Petrozza of Kreator]
04 Head Over Heels [feat. Nils Molin of Dynazty/Amaranthe]
05 Losing More Than You’ve Ever Had [feat. Michael Kiske of Helloween]
06 Love Child [feat. Ylva Eriksson of Brothers Of Metal]
07 Turn Me On [feat. Danko Jones]
08 Losers And Winners [feat. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister]
09 Guardian Of The Night [feat. Tim “Ripper” Owens, formerly of Judas Priest]
10 Winter Dreams [feat. Doro Pesch]
This ambitious reinterpretation not only revitalises the original tracks but also underscores their timeless impact on the metal genre. More than a revival, this project serves as a celebration of the album’s enduring legacy, enriched by the enthusiasm and contributions of some of metal’s most influential voices. This reimagined Balls To The Wall is a fitting tribute to heavy metal history, proving that its power and influence remain as potent today as they were four decades ago. Don’t miss your chance to own this extraordinary celebration of a true classic.
Dirkschneider live:
Balls To The Wall – 40th Anniversary Tour
w/ Crownshift, All For Metal
Presented by Contra Promotion & Metal Hammer
February:
25 HR Zagreb – Boogaloo * *NEW*
26 AT Vienna – SiMM City
27 DE Munich – Backstage *LOW TICKETS*
28 DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee *LOW TICKETS*
March:
01 CZ Prague – SaSaZu
02 HU Budapest – Barba Negra
04 RO Bucharest – Quantic Club
06 PL Kraków – Klub Studio
07 PL Warsaw – Progresja
08 LT Vilnius – Kablys
09 EE Tallinn – Helitehas *NEW*
10 FI Helsinki – Kulttuuritalo
11 FI Tampere – Tavara-asema
13 NO Oslo – Rockefeller
14 SE Gothenburg – Trädgår’n
16 DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
17 DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp
18 BE Antwerp – Trix
19 FR Paris – Le Trabendo
21 ES Pamplona – Sala Totem
22 ES Madrid – Mon *MOVED*
23 ES Barcelona – Razzmatazz 2
25 CH Pratteln – Konzertfabrik Z7
26 DE Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn *SOLD OUT*
27 DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
28 DE Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
29 DE Geiselwind – Eventhalle *LOW TICKETS*
30 DE Geiselwind – Eventhalle *NEW*
April:
08 GR Athens – Fuzz Live Music Club * *NEW*
09 GR Thessaloniki – Principal Club Theater * *NEW*
11 TR Istanbul – IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş * *NEW*
12 BG Sofia – Hristo Botev Hall * *NEW*
* Dirkschneider only
July 30 – August 02 DE Wacken – Wacken Open Air *SOLD OUT* *NEW*
Hell, Fire And Steel Tour
w/ Saxon
November:
04 UK Belfast – Ulster Hall *NEW*
05 IE Dublin – 3Olympia Theatre *NEW*
07 UK Manchester – O2 Apollo *NEW*
08 UK Sheffield – The Octagon Centre *NEW*
09 UK Glasgow – O2 Academy *NEW*
11 UK Newcastle – O2 City Hall *NEW*
13 UK Bristol – Beacon *NEW*
14 UK Wolverhampton – Civic Hall *NEW*
15 UK London – Eventim Apollo Hammersmith *NEW*
16 UK Cardiff – The Great Hall *NEW*
Info & Tickets: https://udo-online.de/tourdates.html
Dirkschneider are:
Udo Dirkschneider – Vocals
Andrey Smirnov – Guitar
Fabian “Dee” Dammers – Guitar
Peter Baltes – Bass
Sven Dirkschneider – Drums
Follow UDO/Dirkschneider:
https://www.udo-online.com/news-98.html
https://www.facebook.com/udoonline
https://www.facebook.com/DIRKSCHNEIDEROfficial
https://www.facebook.com/UdoDirkschneiderOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/u.d.o.official
https://x.com/udoonline
https://youtube.com/@udotubetv
https://www.reigningphoenixmusic.com/artists/u-d-o