After more than forty years in the business and with a renowned breakthrough in the early eighties with legendary Euro metal outfit Accept behind him, as well as several million records sold worldwide, Udo Dirkschneider, from the Solingen/Wuppertal area of Germany, is one of the biggest heavy metal legends in the business.

His band U.D.O. has enjoyed well over two decades in the spotlight. Regardless of changes in the metal scene or the U.D.O line-up,the band has never deviated from Dirkschneider’s vision of serving up traditional balls-to-the-wall, no-nonsense heavy metal.

After honoring the classic Accept songs live with his other project Dirkschneider in the last couple of years, it’s definitely about time to release a new U.D.O. studio album. Steelfactory will be the name of that album, and it’s due out on August 31st 2018 via AFM Records/Soulfood Music.

The songs on Steelfactory are clearly influenced by those past Dirkschneider band shows – the simple straightness of the anthem-like songs make it a timeless record. With its earthy handmade sound – made with the help of danish producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat et cetera) – Steelfactory catches the spirit of the age perfectly. The album title is a homage to both Udo’s nickname (German Metal Tank) and his down to earth attitude as well as his powerful stage presence.

Says the man himself of the new phase in the U.D.O. story: “Why do I do U.D.O. again? Well, we’ve already recorded fifteen albums, and just finished the sixteenth. We have a solid fanbase, we’re an independent band – there will always be an U.D.O.”.

Weinhold adds: “After two years of Dirkschneider I am pleased to get back to U.D.O. The excitement is back again!”

The current (core) band line up has been working and playing together successfully for many years, like a good family business: Udo, Udo’s son Sven Dirkschneider (drums), bass player Fitty Wienhold and guitarist Andrey Smirnov.