Faceless World

Faceless World is the third album on which U.D.O. adds richer melodic shading to its steel riffs, greatly widening its expression. Keeping Udo Dirkschneider’s distinctive voice, the songs show more varied development and arrangement than before. Its distinction is that, rather than aggression alone, it carefully weaves in melody and drama. From the catchiness of the opener “Heart of Gold” and the speed of “Blitz of Lightning” to the weight of the title track “Faceless World” and the flow-changing “Living on a Frontline,” each song has a clear role and temperature, while cuts like “System of Life” and “Future Land” give the album dynamics and depth. Stepping beyond the early hard-edged path to take in melodic-metal elements, this ambitious record shows new possibilities for the band. Beyond being caught by the flashier songs, following the sonic center and the placement of the choruses reveals the album-level richness. Joining Udo’s character with expansive songs, it is an engaging record.