An Album for the World
Accept is no newcomer to the metal scene with The Rise of Chaos being their fifteenth album, but the songs on the album sound just as fresh and relevant as ever. The German band continues to impress, even after a band member change up before this album (featuring Accept newcomers Uwe Lulis and Christopher Williams). Accept is not a band for the casual metal fan, but show true expertise of the genre, creating an album that is as much fun as it is deep and full of important messages.
The album starts off with “Die By The Sword,” which is the perfect choice to begin an album like The Rise of Chaos. It’s catchy, with a repeating refrain that makes it an instant hit. “If you live by the sword / you will die by the sword” is an homage to a proverb from the Bible, and it’s a metaphor for if you participate in violence, you will die by violence. A very deep message for a catchy song, it’s definitely a great way to start off the album. Another great early song is the namesake of the album “The Rise of Chaos.” The third song on the album has some great guitar playing, and it works well with Mark Tornillo’s ACDC-esque vocals. Another song filled with deeper meaning, Wolf Hoffman has stated that the song and album title is a reference to the chaotic world that we are all currently living in.
Some other great songs off of the album are “Koolaid,” “Analog Man,” and “What’s Done is Done.” “Koolaid” starts with an impressive guitar solo by Hoffman, before launching into Tornillo’s vocals, and the chorus of “don’t drink the koolaid.” It seems that much of this album is devoted to relaying a message beyond that of just music. This song could be interpreted to be about not falling for the trap that others have, and to think for yourself. “Analog Man” also starts with some great guitar, before Tornillo begins singing about the analog world he was born in. A smart song lyrically, it points back to the days of 8-tracks and how the world has now become too digital. “What’s Done is Done” has a more epic sound to the start, much like something out of a movie, before lecturing the listener on how life goes on, and to not look back. Accept is fantastic at conveying important messages through their lyrics, and do so wonderfully in all of these songs.
The final two songs on the album are “Carry The Weight” and “Race to Extinction.” “Carry The Weight,” as one would guess, it about not carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, considering how many terrible things are going on in the world. “Race to Extinction” on the other hand has fewer vocals but is a perfect way to end a fantastic album. Considering the album is centered around the doom and gloom of the world today, extinction is something that definitely falls into place with the other songs on the album.
Accept has created an album that tells the story of the collapse of the world at hand. Each song on The Rise of Chaos is catchy and entertaining while remaining vigilant in telling these stories that need to be heard.
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