Reformed ACCEPT To Begin Recording New Album With Producer ANDY SNEAP

Reformed heavy metal legends ACCEPT have officially recruited acclaimed British producer and SABBAT guitarist Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE) to helm their forthcoming studio album. The as-yet-untitled CD — which will mark the recording debut of the band's new lead singer, Mark Tornillo (ex-TT QUICK) — will be recorded at Sneap's Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England starting on October 23. An early 2010 release is expected via an as-yet-undetermined record label.

Commented Sneap: "We just had a week of pre-production in Nashville at castle Von Hoffmann [guitarist Wolf Hoffmann's home], working on vocal ideas and arrangements for seven new ACCEPT songs. Mark Tornillo is seriously on the money; actually, he reminds me a touch of David Wayne from METAL CHURCH crossbred with Bon Scott [AC/DC] — not a pretty mental image, I know, but it's fitting the music great. He's got his own thing going as well, of course, but comparisons are always the easiest way to describe something without hearing it."

He added, "The music is now tending to lean towards the classic heavier albums too, so I'd class this last week as more of a front-row seat watching some great songs come together rather than work."

ACCEPT 2009 is:

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

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..."

"We can't wait to go out and play again," said 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 and I have always been a great songwriting team — most of the classic ACCEPT tunes were written that way; together with Deaffy, a.k.a. Gaby Hoffmann, as a lyricist."

Two audio samples featuring the new ACCEPT lineup are currently available for streaming below (taken from a jam session recorded on April 26, 2009 at Shorefire Recording studios in Long Branch, New Jersey).

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.

Faces only a mother could love: (left to right) Wolf Hoffmann and Andy Sneap (photo taken in Nashville in August 2009)

"Balls To The Wall" - 2009 version (featuring Mark Tornillo):

"Flash Rocking Man" - 2009 version (featuring Mark Tornillo):