10 tracks · 48 min
Looking back at '80s-era heavy metal, Germany's Accept are oft-times overlooked. This can be attributed to the fact that they didn't have a pretty-boy lead singer (in fact, Udo Dirkschneider was the virtual antipretty boy) and, despite a few flirtations, never truly crossed over to the MTV masses. But it's not to say that they didn't have their share of metal anthems (albeit in a somewhat derivative Judas Priest style), most of which are included on the budget-priced, ten-track compilation, No Substitutes. Since most of the group's albums are getting increasingly hard to find on CD (and that they arguably only issued three "classic" metal albums: 1983's Restless & Wild, 1984's Balls to the Wall, and 1985's Metal Heart), a short but sweet overview such as No Substitutes comes in handy. Tops include one of the first ever thrash metal tracks to sweep the metal underground, "Fast as a Shark," the dark "Balls to the Wall," as well as such head-banging anthems as "Metal Heart" and "London Leatherboys." Granted, No Substitutes is by far not a definitive Accept comp (too many strong album cuts go unnoticed in favor of such subpar selections as "Russian Roulette" and "Shake Your Heads"), bu…
