Accept: Blind Rage [2014]

Released	August 15, 2014
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	58:34
Label	Nuclear Blast
Producer	Andy Sneap

Blind Rage is the fourteenth studio album by German heavy metal band Accept. It was released on August 15, 2014 onNuclear Blast Records.^[1] The album debuted at number one on the German albums chart.

The album’s title and cover artwork were revealed in early April 2014. At the same time, it was announced that the album was due to be released on July 18, 2014.^[3] However, this would later be pushed back to August 15, 2014.^[1]

The band has announced a touring schedule to promote the album. Several US dates are scheduled in mid-September 2014.^[4] Following that, the band will tour Europe in September and October 2014.^[5] Several Australian shows are also scheduled for November 2014.^[4]

The album’s lead single, “Stampede” was released on July 11, 2014. A video, directed by Greg Aronowitz, was also made for the song. It features the band performing at the Devil’s Punchbowl in the California desert.^[6]^[7] On August 13, 2014, a lyric video was released for “Final Journey”.^[4]

A guitar solo of Final Journey uses the theme of Morning Mood from Edvard Grieg (Peer Gynt, 1876).

Gregory Heaney of Allmusic commented that the album was like a guard dog on a short leash; “restrained, but still dangerous, as if at any moment things could break bad and spin out of control.”^[8]

Ray Van Horn, Jr. of Blabbermouth.net gave a favorable review of the album. He cited it as proof that Accept are still “masters of their trade, no matter who holds the mike.” Van Horn also opined that a couple songs on the album reference moments from earlier in the band’s career, notably Balls to the Wall and Metal Heart.^[9]

Mark Gromen of Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles reacted positively to the album. Gromen noted that the album compares more closely to Blood of the Nations than it does to Stalingrad.^[10]

George Nisbet of All About The Rock said “Overall, it’s a solid, dynamic and incredibly vital album… the metal heart of Accept beats stronger with each new release”^[12]

Blind Rage debuted at number one on the German charts, making it the band’s first number one debut in their career.^[13] The album also debuted at number one in Finland, and peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200, making it Accept’s highest chart position in the United States.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Peter Baltes, Wolf Hoffmann and Mark Tornillo^[15].

No.	Title	Length
1.	“Stampede”	5:14
2.	“Dying Breed”	5:21
3.	“Dark Side of My Heart”	4:37
4.	“Fall of the Empire”	5:45
5.	“Trail of Tears”	4:08
6.	“Wanna Be Free”	5:37
7.	“200 Years”	4:30
8.	“Bloodbath Mastermind”	5:59
9.	“From the Ashes We Rise”	5:43
10.	“The Curse”	6:28
11.	“Final Journey”	5:02
Total length:		62:25