After debuting their new lineup to a sold-out audience in New York this past May and then traveling to Europe to devastate the masses with shows in 16 different countries in 80 days (including two shows opening for AC/DC), reformed heavy metal legends ACCEPT will return to tour the U.S. for the first time in 14 years on a co-headlining tour with KING'S X. ACCEPT's first show will kick off the eleventh annual ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta.
Commented ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffman: "Believe me, this was boot camp, but we loved every minute of it!
"Twelve months ago, there was nothing on the horizon that would have made us believe we would be on the stages of the world again as ACCEPT… and here we are! [New lead vocalist] Mark Tornillo inspires us to get it all out in a way we have not been challenged before. We can't wait to be on stage with him!!!! He is the new kid on the block and he is the reason we are back again. It is such a relief, such vitamin shot!!! And if we could, we would never stop!!!"
When asked what has surprised the band the most about their fans, Hoffman responded enthusiastically, "NO doubt about it, the biggest surprise is the way they make us feel welcomed. Of course we hoped the fans would be happy to have us back — who would not believe that about their fans? — but what is happening here, everywhere we go, is a total knock-out for us. We have not seen fans so happy in a long, long time."
ACCEPT U.S. tour dates:
Sep. 09 - Atlanta, GA - ProgPower USA (no KING'S X)
Sep. 23 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
Sep. 24 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
Sep. 25 - Sayreville, NJ - The Starland Ballroom
Sep. 27 - New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
Sep. 29 - Foxborough, MA - Showcase Live
Oct. 01 - Reading, PA - The Silo
Oct. 02 - Mount Clemens, MI - The Emerald Theatre
Oct. 09 - Chicago, IL - The Arcada
Oct. 12 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
Oct. 13 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
More October shows will be announced soon.
ACCEPT's new album, "Blood Of The Nations", will be released on the following dates:
August 20: Europe (via Nuclear Blast)
September 4: Japan (via Universal)
September 14: North America (via Nuclear Blast)
"Blood Of The Nations" was recorded at Backstage Studio in Derbyshire, England with acclaimed British producer and SABBAT guitarist Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, MASTERPLAN). The CD — which marks the recording debut of the band's latest addition, vocalist Mark Tornillo (ex-TT QUICK) — contains the following 12 tracks:
01. Beat The Bastards
02. Teutonic Terror
03. The Abyss
04. Blood Of The Nations
05. Shades Of Death
06. Locked And Loaded
07. Kill The Pain
08. Rollin Thunder
09. Pandemic
10. New World Comin'
11. No Shelter
12. Bucketful Of Hate
ACCEPT 2010 is:
Wolf Hoffmann: Guitar
Peter Baltes: Bass
Herman Frank: Guitar
Mark Tornillo: Vocals
Stefan Schwarzmann: Drums
Professionally filmed video footage of ACCEPT performing two new songs — "The Abyss" and "Teutonic Terror" — at this year's installment of the Rock Hard festival, which was held May 21-23, 2010 at the Amphitheater in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, can be viewed below. Also available is a German-language interview with the band's guitarist, Wolf Hoffmann. (Note: The footage originally aired on WDR's [German public TV] series "Rockpalast".)
