After touring Australia and Japan as well as kicking off this year’s festival season by introducing new bassist Peter Baltes last month, U.D.O. — the iconic heavy metal five-piece led by legendary vocalist Udo Dirkschneider — today announces their massive, thirteen-track studio album, “Touchdown”, set for release late this Summer through Atomic Fire Records.
The band has been very productive recording at various locations in between live activities throughout the year. Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany), with bass tracks recorded by Baltes, “Touchdown” is scheduled to land in the end zone of the heavy metal world on August 25th, 2023.
The record includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the closing track. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler, who is also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the new album campaign.
First single, “Forever Free”, as well as album preorder options will become available on Friday, June 23rd, 2023. Pre-save “Forever Free” now here.
Tracklist:
1. Isolation Man
2. The Flood
3. The Double Dealer’s Club
4. Fight for the Right
5. Forever Free
6. Punchline
7. Sad Man’s Show
8. The Betrayer
9. Heroes of Freedom
10. Better Start to Run
11. The Battle Understood
12. Living Hell
13. Touchdown
European fans can catch U.D.O. / Dirkschneide live in the coming weeks. For tickets and to stay up to date on upcoming shows click here.
European Tour Dates 2023:
5/21/2023 Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Stadthalle – Vienna, AT
6/08/2023 Sweden Rock Festival – Sölvesborg, SE
6/10/2023 Lisää Löylyä Festival – Laihia, FI
6/16/2023 Metal am Kiez – Augsburg, DE *
6/18/2023 Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, BE *
7/21/2023 Open Air Pförring – Pförring, DE
7/29/2023 Rock Of Ages – Rottenburg-Seebronn, DE
8/12/2023 Leyendas del Rock – Villena, ES *
8/16/2023 Summer Breeze Open Air – Dinkelsbühl, DE
8/17/2023 Rock Castle Open Air – Moravský Krumlov, CZ
8/20/2023 Rock The Lakes – Vallamand (VD), CH
8/25/2023 Baltic Open Air – Haddeby, DE
9/16/2023 Beast Of Rocks @ Stadthalle – Tuttlingen, DE
10/07/2023 Keep It True Rising III @ Posthalle – Würzburg, DE *
10/22/2023 Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Tabakfabrik – Linz, AT
10/29/2023 Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Messezentrum – Salzburg, AT
5/10-11/2024 Rock in Rautheim – Braunschweig, DE
* (as Dirkschneider)
Order Udo Dirkschneider’s “My Way”, released last year via Atomic Fire Records, here.
Line-up:
Udo Dirkschneider – Vocals
Andrey Smirnov – Guitar
Sven Dirkschneider – Drums
Fabian Dee Dammers – Guitar
Peter Baltes – Bass
Weblinks:
www.udo-online.com
www.facebook.com/udoonline
