Game Over

Game Over is an epic on which U.D.O. sounds hard-edged German heavy metal head-on across a large volume of sixteen songs. Udo Dirkschneider’s distinctive voice, thick riffs and a rhythm driving like marching boots create a different momentum in each song. Despite the long program, its density does not drop to the end. From the drive of the opener “Fear Detector” and the aggression of “Holy Invaders” to the sing-along of “Metal Never Dies” and the drama of “Kids and Guns” and “Marching Tank,” the songs unite hardness and a message. While carrying a warning to society as the title suggests, the musical axis remains the straight-ahead drive for raising fists live. It is a well-rounded traditional-metal epic that packs in fast songs, mid-tempos and melodic passages. Despite the volume, the hooks in each song are clear, and the construction that keeps the listener engaged is admirable. Uniting Udo’s unwavering character and the band’s cohesion, it is a powerful, fulfilling record of German heavy metal.