Udo Dirkschneider's World Loses Face

U.D.O. - Faceless World Anniversary Edition (AFM Records)

By 1990, Udo Dirkschneider and company (which had altered slightly from time to time) had proven themselves a force to be reckoned with. Animal House and Mean Machine had re-established the Udo, the man, as a powerhouse vocalist with an even heavier edge than his former bandmates. 1990 brought Faceless World, which was produced by now ex-Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann. The album was a huge success for the band but brought out a much more commercial sound that relied more on spotless production and smoother tones than heard on Animal House or Mean Machine. This anniversary edition also features two live recordings  and a video for “Heart of Gold.”

The album kicks off with its most popular moment, “Heart of Gold.” A big, anthemic rocker with a lot more commercial swagger than Udo had offered since his days in Accept. “Blitz of Lightning,” the bluesier “Living on a Frontline,” the ballad “Unspoken Words,” and “Stranger” reinforce this aspect of the album well, but, at the time (and now), I find myself missing the crunch. “System of Life,” “Future Land,” and “Born to Run” offer more of what many today would call Udo’s true sound boasting a heavier edge and grittier vocal work. The title track is laden with big keyboards and an odd dynamic that make it one of the album’s more interesting tracks. The odd mix of stepping outside the box musically with the most commercial production on the album is as intriguing today as it was in 1990, which is arguably why it remains one of my all-time favorite U.D.O. tracks.

The live tracks (“Living on a Frontline” and “Heart of Gold”) here aren’t quite as impressive as Mean Machine or Animal Houses, but they do still boast a thicker sound, albeit with a much more commercial swagger that treads many of the same paths Accept did. The band still sounds tight, it’s just a much smoother sounding kind of tight, even Udo’s trademark vocals seem dialed back a notch. Also included is the video for “Heart of Gold.”

Overall, Faceless World still feels a little like a sellout and, in retrospect, the seeds for the Accept reunion with Udo were likely being planted. You can kind of hear that here if you’re paying attention. All in all though, this is still a solid album, it’s just not as ferocious as it’s predecessors. Unless you are a die-hard fan and really want this for the bonus material, I’d stick with Animal House or Mean Machine (preferably both!).