Accept “Metal Blast From The Past” (MVD)

I was a bit disappointed with this release the first time I went through it. I thought the “Staying A Life” section would be a straight through performance. But, a video was thrown in here and there as well as a few random comments about what you were watching. It’s almost like they were thinking about making a documentary and then decided against it. That was a bit annoying. When I went through it a second time though…and I knew what to expect…I was able to appreciate it a little more. The concert performance by itself makes this a release worth watching and, as an added bonus, there is a three song performance from 1993 that was featured on Bulgarian television…and that performance, as short as it was, kicked ass because you get to see Accept on stage…raw…and that gives you a good idea of how great this band really was. You also get seven Accept video clips. Yes, “Balls To The Wall” is included and even though that makes it all worth while, you also get “I’m A Rebel,” “Midnight Mover,” “Generation Clash,” “Protectors Of Terror,” “Slaves To Metal” and “Death Row.” The “behind the scenes section” was kind of weak. You get 20 plus years of history in a few random clips. This section could’ve been way better. I usually don’t get into anything that I can’t “watch” so to speak. So, I didn’t bother to check out the photo gallery or the discography. I did check out the bio section, which I flipped through to get a quick history lesson on the band. I still don’t understand why they put stuff like this on the DVD. I mean, really, if you wanna give people a bio to read, spend a little extra money and put a booklet in the DVD case. Reading material should be in a booklet. That’s just my opinion though.

On the flip side of the DVD, there’s a nine song CD. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I love it when they do this. This is a feature that goes that extra mile for the fan. So, what does the Accept disc give you? Let’s see, there’s a bonus track from the “Objection Overruled” album, two unreleased tracks from the “I’m A Rebel” album and and five demo tracks from the “Breaker” album. To wrap it up, you get an acoustic version of “Writing On The Wall.” This could very well be a disc for an Accept box set, which wouldn’t be a bad idea.

My original impression of this release…before I even wrote a single word…I thought, you know what this feels like…a press kit. Not a full blown, in depth press kit. But, one that was meant to give you an idea of who Accept was and what they were all about. Think about it…you get a taste of what they were like live, you get to see how creative they were from a visual point of view, which would be the video clips, you get an audio experience and, last but not least, “Metal Blast From The Past” does give you a small taste of the humor that the band had during their career. Sure, maybe you’re not telling the long time Accept fan anything new. But, if someone never heard of the band before…and it’s possible…that person could walk away from this release with a good idea of what the band was all about and I’m sure it would make them curious enough to seek out additional information. With that thought in mind…I have to say that this is one of the most unique releases that I ever had the pleasure of watching…and hearing. If you’re a fan, I think you’ll be quite pleased with “Metal Blast From The Past.” So, check it out.