ACCEPT's WOLF HOFFMANN Has Plans To Release Another Solo Album

Classical music has always been an influence — albeit limited — on ACCEPT's Teutonic approach to rock and heavy metal. However, it wasn't until 1997 during a extended hiatus from ACCEPT that guitarist Wolf Hoffmann finally had the chance to fully explore and fulfill this interest by recording his first astounding solo album "Classical", a record filled with his rock-guitar-driven interpretations of some of classical music's most loved compositions. A follow-up album, "Headbangers Symphony", arrived in July 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

Asked in a new interview with Colombia's Rock The House what motivated him to start a solo career, Wolf said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was basically a continuation of something I started almost 30, 40 years ago with ACCEPT when I introduced classical themes into heavy metal music, into our songs, and I recognized what a great potential that is, because most people have heard some classical themes in their life but not everybody is a die-hard classical fan. But there's many metal fans out there, and I'm a metal guitar player, so it seemed to be a natural thing for me to try to combine the two worlds in a more intense way, because I didn't wanna do it… ACCEPT is ACCEPT, and it should stay what it is, but with my solo albums, I was able to do a completely dedicated album with nothing but that kind of stuff, which I personally love. So I use that as a vehicle for me to express myself and see what it would be like if I made a complete album with nothing but instrumental music. And I have to tell you, it's quite a challenge. I find it's actually much easier to write songs where people sing than it is to write songs that are interesting with just guitars. It's a challenge."

Regarding whether he has plans to release another solo album at some point in the future, Wolf said: "I have plans, but nothing is really finalized yet. I'm currently working with my life partner, Ava-Rebekah Rahman. She's an amazing violinist. And the two of us are working on some songs for the two of us, and maybe someday we'll release something. We've already done a couple of YouTube clips and something will happen, but maybe we'll make another album together. I'm not quite sure yet. Like I said, it takes a long time and it's a lot of work and I need to have the free time in the ACCEPT schedule to even think about doing that. So I can only do these sort of solo projects when ACCEPT is not busy, and ACCEPT is always busy. So it's hard."

In April 2022, Rahman announced via Instagram that she had been romantically involved with Hoffmann for the previous three years, calling it a "mad, crazy messy, blissful, soaring, heart-breaking heart-healing union and love".

Wolf had previously been married to Gaby Hoffmann, who had served as ACCEPT's longtime manager, designer and lyricist virtually since the band's inception.

In July 2019, it was announced that Gaby was officially retiring, with an official statement on ACCEPT's web site explaining that she was "a bit tired after many years of intense activity, and she needs some rest and time for herself. It's not a farewell," the statement added. "Her heart will still be with us, but she won't engage in professional activities anymore."

ACCEPT will release a new album, "Humanoid", on April 26 via Napalm Records. The LP was once again produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by critically acclaimed heavy metal producer Andy Sneap.

Photo credit: Christoph Vohler