The erstwhile guitarist of Accept and veteran in the metal scene, Herman Frank, with his third album can only leave good impressions. “The Devil Rides Out” comes in a similar style with his previous releases and this is not bad because the traditional German heavy metal of Herman Frank is unique. On this album Rick Altzi (Masterplan, At Vance, ex. Thunderstone) handles the mic for the second time at the and the new rhythm section are Michael Müller (Jaded Heart) and André Hilgers (Silent Force, ex. Rage, ex. Axxis).
In “The Devil Rides Out” the biggest virtue is consistency and surely this is due to the collaboration of Rick Altzi with Herman Frank for the second time. Every song fits perfect in the album. Compared to “Right In The Guts” (2012), the songs are faster. The new rhythm section works like an unstoppable frantic engine and there are enough fast songs (Running Back, Shout, Thunder Of Madness, Dead Or Alive) which will make your head bang without stopping. My personal soft spot is the mid tempo songs (Ballhog Zone, License To Kill, Can not Take It, Stone Cold) as I believe that it’s where Altzi’s special voice complements ideally with the compositions of Herman Frank and helps to “beautifully” stick in your mind with only a few spins.
It seems strange to me that the songs suggested by Herman Frank to Accept were passed unnoticed in the past. The album is definitely worth a listen as it is the most comprehensive release by Herman Frank so far and it has a beautiful cover.
