| Balls to the Wall | ||||
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| Studio album by Accept | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Recorded | Recorded and mixed at Dierks Studios, Cologne 'West Germany July/August 83 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, speed metal | |||
| Length | 45:13 | |||
| Label | Lark Records (Germany) Portrait (US) |
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| Producer | Accept for BREEZE Music Gmbh | |||
| Accept chronology | ||||
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
Balls to the Wall is the fifth album by the German metal band Accept. European label Lark Records released the album in December 1983, but its US release was delayed until a month later as to not compete with the band's then-current album Restless and Wild, which had arrived in the US in early 1983. It is the band's best known and highest-selling album, selling about two million copies worldwide,[2] and is Accept's only record to attain Gold certification in America. The album's lead single, "Balls to the Wall", became Accept's signature tune and remains a metal anthem and trademark in the genre.
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Some of the album's success can no doubt be attributed to the publicity generated from the minor "gay metal" controversy that broke out upon its American release, due to the record's title and front cover being deemed by some as homoerotic, as well as the lyrics to "London Leatherboys" and "Love Child" appearing to concern homosexuals.[2] Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was dismissive of the controversy, saying years later that "You Americans are so uptight about this. In Europe it was never a big deal...we just wanted to be controversial and different and touch on these touchy subjects, because it gave us good press and it worked fabulously, you know".[3] Drummer Stefan Kaufmann explained that many of the themes on the album were about oppressed minorities in general. "London Leatherboys" was really about bikers, for example: "They're normal people, they just look different and they behave different. But they're normal people, another minority. And 'Love Child' was about gays, true, but it's basically about people who are suppressed."[2] Concerning the homosexuality issues themselves, Kauffmann said in an interview with french magazine Enfer (n°7, 1983):
“It’s a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration. Because it exists on a wide scale and should be demystified. In fact, this is a phenomenon of society that needs to be taken as such. For a long time gay people have been considered as sick or insane. And yet, it’s time to respect these people, open our minds which are often closed."[4]
Hoffman's wife and lyricist Gaby Hauke also denied these controversies and accusations concerning the gay issue:
"Let me answer this and (the next) question in one, ok? I have been very rebellious and by no means I would have written anything "normal"! Never! The sexual question about the context of certain lyrics are mind games and pure interpretation from outsiders. This is a band who has as individuals -so little to do with controversy and absolutely nothing in particular with anything but being VERY straight"[5]
Critic Martin Popoff has declared Balls to the Wall the greatest metal album of the 1980s,[6] praising the combination of smooth production, powerful guitar riffs and strong melodies that are found throughout the record. Professional wrestler Chris Jericho's band, Fozzy, did their own cover of the song Balls to the Wall, as well.[2] Amon Amarth also covered the song as a bonus track for their 2011 album: Surtur Rising.
Accept's most notorious album, Balls to the Wall was also their biggest commercial success. Following hot upon the heels of their creative breakthrough, Restless and Wild, you'd also be hard pressed to find a more sexually charged record in any musical genre. Its hysterically nonsensical lyrics notwithstanding, the legendary title track remains an irresistible, fist-pumping masterpiece that came to epitomize the modern, slow-marching metal anthem as it became known. And when paired with second single "London Leatherboys," it arguably constitutes the most blatantly homoerotic couplet in the history of heavy metal (eat your heart out, Rob Halford). "Fight It Back" is about as close as the band gets to their old, semi-thrashing ways (taken to the limit the previous year with the maniacal "Fast as a Shark"), and it is the more melodic "Head Over Heels" and semi-ballad "Losing More Than You've Ever Had" that set the tone for Accept's future direction. The album's third undisputed classic, the driving "Love Child," kicks off side two with one of metal's great staccato riffs -- so good, the band revisits it nearly verbatim a few songs later with "Losers and Winners," which is nearly as powerful. And though not quite as celebrated, the remaining tracks are no less potent, especially the slowly building tension heard on the downright lascivious "Turn Me On." The bottom line here is that this, like its predecessor Restless and Wild, is an essential heavy metal album, and any fan worth his salt should own them both. But, for the sake of first-time visitors, Balls to the Wall is the slightly more melodic, less gritty of the two. Whichever you chose, you can only win.
There are 2 different remasters of this album. The first one is part of Sony's 'The Metal Masters Series' & the 2nd one is part of the 'BMG Remastered Edition'
2001 Remaster
2002 Remaster
Both sets of songs are taken from Kaizoku-Ban.
Engineered by Louise Austin
Mixed by Michael Wagener
Published by BREEZE Music Gmbh/Oktave Alfred K.Schacht Musikverlage Hamburg
Management: Gaby Hauke
Design: Jean Lessenich
Photos: Dieter Eikelpoth
Cover Idea: Deaffy
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Billboard 200 |
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