Accept’s Wolf Hoffmann Names Two Most Rewarding Albums of Band’s Career in 2025…

Accept’s Wolf Hoffmann Names Two Most Rewarding Albums of Band’s Career in 2025…

 

In a recent interview, Accept guitarist and founding member Wolf Hoffmann reflected on the band’s long-running career and named the two albums he considers the most rewarding — Balls to the Wall (1983) and Blood of the Nations (2010). As the band approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025, Hoffmann took the opportunity to look back on pivotal moments that helped shape Accept’s legacy in heavy metal.

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie in June, Hoffmann pointed to Balls to the Wall as the album that truly launched the band into international recognition. “That was the breakthrough,” he said. “It was the first time we had a deal with a major label like Sony and we toured the U.S. — everything felt new, exciting, and huge.” The album’s title track became a global metal anthem and remains a staple of Accept’s live set more than four decades later.

Hoffmann emphasized the creative and personal importance of that era, noting how the band finally found its voice. “We had been trying different things for years, and Balls to the Wall just clicked,” he explained. “It felt like the moment we truly arrived.”

Equally important to Hoffmann, however, was Blood of the Nations, the 2010 comeback album that marked the band’s return after more than a decade of inactivity. It was also the first to feature vocalist Mark Tornillo, who replaced longtime frontman Udo Dirkschneider. “It was a huge risk,” Hoffmann admitted. “Replacing a singer like Udo is not something fans take lightly. But we had a gut feeling about Mark — and he blew everyone away.”

Blood of the Nations was not only well received by fans but also critically acclaimed, with many hailing it as a triumphant return for the German metal legends. The album reinvigorated Accept’s career and kicked off a new era, during which the band released several more albums and reestablished itself as a dominant force in the modern metal scene.

“The success of Blood of the Nations was deeply rewarding because it came after a lot of doubt and uncertainty,” Hoffmann said. “We didn’t know if people would accept a new version of Accept. But they did — and in a big way.”

Now in 2025, with the band preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Hoffmann looks back on those two albums as defining moments that bookend Accept’s evolution — from hungry newcomers to resilient veterans.

“Those albums represent two different lifetimes for the band,” he said. “One was the rise, and the other was the rebirth.”

Accept is currently working on a special anniversary release set for early 2026, and tour plans are underway to mark the milestone. For Hoffmann and the band, the journey continues — powered by the same passion that made those two albums so unforgettable.