ACCEPT's MARK TORNILLO On Importance Of Warming Up Before A Show: 'If I Just Go Out There All Guns Blazing Without Doing Any Vocal Exercises,' I'm 'Not Gonna Last'

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Mark Tornillo was asked if it was difficult to become an active musician again — after not touring and recording for several years — in 2009 when he was asked by ACCEPT to join the band as the replacement for Udo Dirkschneider. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Yeah, it was. I actually went and saw someone who was a vocal coach in New York City. This guy that actually worked with [AEROSMITH's] Steven Tyler and some other people — big names. Basically, what he said to me was, like, 'Look, I can't teach you how to sing. You know how to sing.' He said, 'I could teach you how to sing tomorrow.' And I was, like, 'Oh, okay. I'm very interested in that.'

"The main thing that I learned from him is you gotta do a proper warmup," Mark explained. "If I just go out there all guns blazing first song without doing any vocal exercises or warmups, you're not gonna last. You're gonna get a quarter of the way through the set and you're done. So I make sure I do a proper warmup now. And I try not to talk too much, 'cause that's worse than singing."

On the topic of how he goes about reproducing the vocal parts on the early ACCEPT albums which were originally recorded by Udo, Mark said: "I definitely pick up some of his nuances, but at this point in time, with the old songs, I kind of look at them as, like, making them my own, make it the way I would've done it back then. I mean, I want the crowd to be happy. I wanna make it try and sound like the record without being too ridiculously going over the top trying to sound like Udo."

Tornillo also talked in more detail about his vocal warmup and whether he has a specific routine that he still follows today that has evolved during the years. He said: "Yeah, it's a tape that this person made for me that I do. It's about 45 minutes long. I've edited some things out. I go back and I do some things over an octave higher than what it is on the tape just to get my upper range going. But it's pretty much been the same thing for the last 15 years."

Asked if there are specific drinks or foods that he tries to avoid before going up on stage and singing for at least an hour every night, Mark said: "I don't drink before the show. I'll have a beer on stage. First song, there's a beer out there, and I'll start drinking beer. And that's all I drink when I'm singing. Nothing else." As for food, "I don't eat," he said. "I ate breakfast this morning. I won't eat again until after the show. I want an empty stomach. It's just way easier to sing when there's nothing in there."

Asked if there are specific albums in his discography where he felt that he took a big step forward as a vocalist and learned something new about himself, Mark said: "[ACCEPT's first album with Tornillo on vocals, 2010's] 'Blood Of The Nations', definitely. I hadn't recorded an album in — oof — almost 10 years at that point, and I really had no idea how it was gonna go. And [longtime ACCEPT producer] Andy Sneap pretty much dragged it out of me for lack of a better term. I mean, it was a process. It was a lot of mental and physical work to get back to singing in that way that I used to do. [It was] not a terrible struggle, but harder than I thought it was gonna be, let's put it that way."

As for how difficult it has been to record the five ACCEPT studio albums that have followed "Blood Of The Nations" so far, Mark said: "It's not harder than it used to be, but let's face it, I'm not getting any younger either. The older you get, the instrument starts to get tired. But it's hanging in there. I'm not gonna argue about it and I'm not gonna fight it."

ACCEPT's 50th-anniversary album, "Teutonic Titans 1976–2026", will be released on September 4, 2026 via Napalm Records.

Led by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, the longtime architect of ACCEPT's sound, the band is joined by a staggering 50 guests across 19 reimagined versions of their biggest tracks. "Teutonic Titans 1976-2026" is ACCEPT's most ambitious and star-studded release to date. Chronologically progressing through albums from their formative years, from "I'm A Rebel" (1980) to "Eat The Heat" (1989),ACCEPT present their songs with an all-new, all-star lineup, alongside the signature voice of Mark Tornillo and Wolf Hoffmann's unmistakable riffs. By enlisting a who's who of metal, no two songs on "Teutonic Titans 1976-2026" are the same. Every track features a different combination of vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, giving each classic a fresh edge.

Tobias Forge (GHOST) delivers a commanding performance on the track "Save Us" ("I'm A Rebel", 1980),joined by Ray Luzier on drums. Philip Anselmo (PANTERA),Kirk Hammett (METALLICA) and Mikkey Dee (SCORPIONS) tear through the speed metal classic "Fast As A Shark" ("Restless And Wild", 1982). "Balls To The Wall" surges with the powerful range of Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST),alongside the guitar work of Matthias Jabs (SCORPIONS),while the reimagined "Love Child" is elevated by Billy Corgan (SMASHING PUMPKINS) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH) (both songs from "Balls To The Wall", 1983).Other guest stars on ACCEPT's extraordinary release include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL),Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN),Chris Jericho (FOZZY),Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR),Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG),Ola Englund (THE HAUNTED) and Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE). The aforementioned re-recording of "Hellhammer" ("Eat The Heat", 1989) was performed by ACCEPT's current lineup: Wolf Hoffmann, bassist Martin Motnik, guitarist Philip Shouse and drummer Christopher Williams, joined by Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS) on vocals.

Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.

After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.