Eat the Heat

Eat the Heat is an unusual work on which Accept, welcoming new vocalist David Reece, stepped into a more melodic, expansive direction than before. Wolf Hoffmann’s guitar is still sharp, but the songs place greater weight on hooks and choruses, aiming for a refined sound seemingly mindful of the American market too. From the catchiness of the opener “X-T-C” and the momentum of “Prisoner” to the drama of “Generation Clash” and “D-Train” and “Turn the Wheel,” the songs foreground a melodic appeal. Reece’s soaring, orthodox hard-rock vocal, unlike Udo Dirkschneider’s powerful character, gives the band a fresh face. Precisely because it stands apart from Accept’s standard image, it is a record that lets you glimpse another possibility of the band. Keeping its weighty playing, it boldly tries a new voice and sound. Though it became a one-album lineup as a result, it is an intriguing, ambitious work particular to a transitional period, for understanding Accept’s many sides.