ACCEPT's New Lineup To Make Its Live Debut In New York City

Reformed heavy metal legends ACCEPT will debut their new lineup — featuring the band's latest addition, vocalist Mark Tornillo (ex-TT QUICK) — on May 8 at New York City's Gramercy Theatre.

"We can't wait to go out and play again," said bassist Peter Baltes. "Just because [former ACCEPT singer] Udo Dirkschneider isn't available to take part in the reunion doesn't mean we'll have to sit idle any longer. We feel Mark is the perfect fit. Mark is an experienced veteran singer who is aware of the ACCEPT legacy and his voice fits the sound of ACCEPT perfectly.

"Wolf [Hoffmann, guitar] and I have always been the songwriting team — most of the classic ACCEPT tunes were written that way; together with Deaffy, a.k.a. Gaby Hoffmann, as a lyricist."

ACCEPT has just completed recording its new album, tentatively titled "Blood Of Nations", at Backstage Studio in Derbyshire, England with acclaimed British producer and SABBAT guitarist Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE). The CD — which will mark the recording debut of Tornillo — will include around 14 tracks and be released in the spring of 2010 via an as-yet-undetermined record label. Tentative songtitles set to appear on the CD include "The Abyss", "Locked & Loaded", "Shades Of Death", "No Shelter", "Blood Of Nations", "Pandemic" and "Teutonic Terror".

BLABBERMOUTH.NET in December uploaded exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for the new ACCEPT album. The six-and-a-half-minute clip, which includes interview footage with Sneap and members of the band, as well as audio samples of the group's new material, can be viewed below.

Regarding Tornillo's addition to ACCEPT, Hoffmann previously said, "It all happened in minutes. Peter and I were working on some tunes in a studio in New Jersey. Somebody suggested we give this guy Mark a call to see if he would join us on vocals. So when he arrived we started jamming on some old ACCEPT tunes — just for fun. As soon as Mark started singing we looked at each other and realized the impossible just happened: we found a new voice for ACCEPT! The timing could not have been better! Now or never... We are re-energized and excited..."

TT QUICK was a popular club band during the 1980s in the New York and New Jersey area and was known for the guitar work of David Dipietro and the powerful vocals of Mark Tornillo. Dipietro's skills were especially singled out as he had given lessons to both Zakk Wylde of the OZZY OSBOURNE band and SKID ROW's Dave Sabo.

TT QUICK disbanded and later reunited sporadically and released a few more albums, including a live CD from one of their reunion gigs ("Thrown Together Live") and a studio effort, "Ink", which came out in 2000.

ACCEPT 2010 is:

Wolf Hoffmann: Guitar
Peter Baltes: Bass
Herman Frank: Guitar
Mark Tornillo: Vocals
Stefan Schwarzmann: Drums