U.D.O. and the Music Corps of the Bundeswehr – We Are One

U.D.O. And The Music Corps Of The Bundeswehr
We Are One
AFM Records/Soulfood Music
July 17, 2020
01:14:59

U.D.O. on it, but there’s a lot more in it. An entire orchestra. Or rather music corps. Because Udo Dirkschneider and the Music Corps of the Bundeswehr release a joint album. “a unique worldwide musical project.”, as you can read in the press release. There are fifteen completely new songs on the album. These were created in collaboration with U.D.O. and the head of the music corps Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling. The former Accept bandmates Stefan Kaufmann and Peter Baltes as well as the music corps composers Guido Rennert and Alexander Reuber were also involved in the songwriting. Sounds exciting. Let’s have a listen.

From the very first sounds of “Pandemonium” you can clearly hear “We Are One” is not a normal metal album. But also, not a normal album of the style “Rock / Metal Band featuring Orchestra”. A music corps cannot be compared to a symphony orchestra. Due to the massive use of brass, the power of a metal band is not only kept simple. On the contrary, this large amount of metal creates additional pressure and heavyness. In terms of sound, the song (without orchestra) could also have come from a regular U.D.O. album. Lyrically, the musicians take a clear position against society‘s right wing. The album also addresses other serious issues, such as climate change (“Future Is The Reason Why”), the situation of refugees (“Here We Go Again”) or pollution (“Mother Earth”). And musically there is a lot of variety. Time both music groups play entitled the same as at the opening titles. Sometimes the music corps (“We Are One”, “Love And Sin”) dominates, then again the metal band (“Here We Go Again”). In the latter, Udo also looks beyond the musical horizon and starts with a metal rap. There is also the first father – son duet (together with Sven Dirkschneider). Then again you can hear marching music with a metal frame (“Future Is The Reason Why”), or hymnic rock (“Children Of The World”). Udo is also breaking new ground with “Beyond Gravity”. A bagpipe can probably be heard here for the first time during his musician career. We just don’t know that this instrument really rocks since AC / DC’s “It’s a long way to the top (if you want rock ‘n’ roll)”. The drums and pipes of a real Scottish Massed Band prove this again and again. But above all the Scottish Rock Band “Red Hot Chilli Pipers”. On “Neon Diamond” you can hear Udo in a duet with singer Manuela Markewitz. And “Blindfold (The Last Defender)” is sung entirely by her.

An exceptional album that has received an exceptional rating from me. The highest score. Certainly, metal purists will turn their noses up here. I think “We Are One” is outstanding. The two musician collectives do not play side by side here, but with each other, at eye level. I have never heard anything like this before. Chapeau!

U.D.O. & Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr – We Are One: https://youtu.be/cLB_RTWSFh8

Lineup:

Udo Dirkschneider – Vocals
Andrey Smirnov – Guitars
Fabian Dee Dammers – Guitars
Tilen Hudrap – Bass
Sven Dirkschneider (- Drums

Track list:

• Pandemonium
• We Are One
• Love And Sin
• Future Is The Reason Why
• Children Of The World
• Blindfold (The Last Defender)
• Blackout
• Mother Earth
• Rebel Town
• Natural Forces
• Neon Diamond
• Beyond Gravity
• Here We Go Again
• We Strike Back
• Beyond Good And Evil