“Touchdown!” Iconic German heavy metallers U.D.O. strike back with their new thirteen-track studio album, released on August 25th, 2023, which was lauded by hard ‘n’ heavy press worldwide and thereby cements the fact that they’re not only midfielders but definitely one of the main forerunners of the scene.
This album also marks the musical reunion of singer Udo Dirkschneider and bassist Peter Baltes (ex-Accept) who joined the U.D.O. ranks a few months ago. To celebrate those happenings, the group has launched a lyric video for new song, “Fight For The Right.” It’s an anti-war track that continues U.D.O.‘s tradition of delivering heavy, old-school riffing, this time garnished with a grand, classical music dominated guitar solo.
Watch the official music video for “Fight for the Right” below, and stream or pre-order the album HERE.
Musically, “Touchdown” kicks off rapidly before culminating into an anthemic, fan block and stadium capable chorus, graced by a highly fitting violin solo contributed by Stefan Pintev. The music video is in no way inferior and allows the worlds of football and heavy metal to collide brilliantly.
Sven recalls, “The song but also album title began to take root when we were sitting in a sports bar in São Paulo, Brazil where a football game was shown. The word that came out of the speakers the most and therefore was remembered the best afterwards was simply ‘Touchdown.’ That’s why my dad [UDO] suggested that it should become the name of our new album – and a touchdown is also what we have created musically with our new songs in my opinion. We’re very happy with the results! The title track deals, of course, with nothing but the type of sport itself, and it also represents us as a band very well: We’re a team that enters the stage together evening after evening to win the crowd. That’s what we do; highly motivated, in a way aggressively but powerful too — qualities that can be found in football and a bridge to our music.”
Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio, the massive album was mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio. The record includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the closing track, and bass tracks were recorded by new member Baltes. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler who was also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the new album campaign.
Touchdown track listing:
1. Isolation Man
2. The Flood
3. The Double Dealer’s Club
4. Fight For The Right
5. Forever Free
6. Punchline
7. Sad Man’s Show
8. The Betrayer
9. Heroes Of Freedom
10. Better Start To Run
11. The Battle Understood
12. Living Hell
13. Touchdown
Touchdown will be available in the following formats:
- CD jewel case
- CD digipak (EU; incl. bonus DVD Dirkschneider – Live At Wacken 2022)
- Limited Box Set available at:
- Atomic Fire Records in Yellow-Green Splatter vinyl
- Nuclear Blast in Purple Black Dust vinyl
- EMP in Red-Clear Black Dust vinyl
- -2xLP in gatefold in the following variants:
- Black, Silver, Clear/Blue-White Splatter (US excl.)
- Clear-Blue Marbled (AFR excl.)
- Yellow-Green Splatter (AFR excl.)
- Purple Black Dust (Nuclear Blast excl.)
- Red-Clear Black Dust (EMP excl.)
- Clear-Black (Sweden Rock Magazine excl.)
- Digital
