Watch: ACCEPT Plays First Concert With Ex-MEGADETH Drummer SHAWN DROVER

May 3, 2026

Former MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover joined ACCEPT as a "special guest artist" at the German/American metallers' first 50th-anniversary concert of 2026 on May 1 at the Karmøygeddon Metal Festival in Kopervik, Norway. Video of the show can be seen below.

Drover will also play the following concerts with ACCEPT:

May 03 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Filmstudion
May 06 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Cirkus

When Shawn's participation in the shows was first announced in April, ACCEPT said in a statement: "The one and only drummer Shawn Drover (ex-MEGADETH) will be the first special guest artist for ACCEPT's 50th-anniversary celebrations LIVE! Joining the band for the first three shows in May. An absolute legend and beast of a drummer, we are thrilled to have him join us on stage as part of this very special and unique year."

As previously reported, ACCEPT will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an extensive European tour in late 2026, marking a major milestone in the band's extraordinary five-decade career at the forefront of heavy metal. The dates form part of ACCEPT's 50th-anniversary tour, comprising 24 headline shows across 11 European countries.

The tour will see the band bring half a century of metal history to stages across Europe, performing for fans in major cities throughout Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann said: "It's incredible to be celebrating 50 years of ACCEPT, and taking this anniversary tour across Europe makes it even more special. The support from our fans over the decades has been overwhelming, and we can't wait to bring these shows to so many countries and celebrate this milestone together."

Special guests on the tour will be Swedish metallers DYNAZTY and U.K. up-and-comers TAILGUNNER.

Since joining ACCEPT in 1976 at the age of just 16, Wolf played a central role in the band. His instantly recognizable and signature guitar style not only created the ACCEPT "sound" but influenced a plethora of other highly successful bands and guitarists. Because of Wolf's unflinching dedication, ACCEPT has become one of the most significant bands in heavy metal. Not only did he lay the musical foundations for the band, he also carried it through both the highs and lows of an extraordinary 50-year career.

Alongside the anniversary tour, ACCEPT will release a special 50th-anniversary album later this year, featuring newly re-recorded classics, rare tracks and guest appearances. "Teutonic Titans 1976–2026" stands as a definitive statement of the band's legacy, forged in steel and driven by unmistakable riffs. Arriving September 4, 2026 via Napalm Records, the album delivers some of the most iconic songs ever written in heavy music.

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 album also features a re-recording of "Hellhammer" ("Eat The Heat", 1989),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.

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