04/26/2020 11:13

U.D.O.

U.D.O. to release new album 'We Are One' in July

Metal legend U.D.O. will release their new album 'We Are One' on July 17th, via AFM Records, which was written in collaboration with the official Concert Band of the German Armed Forces (Musikkorps der Bundeswehr) under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling and is a wholly unique worldwide musical project.

Track listing:
1. Pandemonium
2. We Are One
3. Love and Sin
4. Future Is the Reason Why
5. Children of the World
6. Blindfold (The Last Defender)
7. Blackout
8. Mother Earth
9. Rebel Town
10. Natural Forces
11. Neon Diamond
12. Beyond Gravity
13. Here We Go Again
14. We Strike back
15. Beyond Good and Evil

The album contains 15 new songs that have been developed and arranged by U.D.O. together with Christoph Scheibling. The two former Accept musicians Stefan Kaufmann and Peter Baltes have been part of the songwriting too – as well as the German Armed Forces' composers Guido Rennert and Alexander Reuber.

'We Are One' is one of the most elaborate concept albums the market has ever seen, not to be compared with the "rock band meets orchestra" collaborations that already exist in the music world.

The hard rocking sound of U.D.O. has not only been intensified by a 60 piece orchestra, but contains some unique arrangements that underline how characteristic yet versatile U.D.O. is.
This project surprises the listener in every aspect, and is a project with a clear statement: 'We Are One' is a critical reflection of a world in which we all leave our mark, and in which we all have to show responsibility.

The songs on 'We Are One' are about the different challenges we are currently facing, climate change ('Future Is the Reason Why'), the worldwide refugee movements ('Live or Die', 'Fridays for Future', 'Children of the World') or the pollution of the environment ('Mother Earth'). With the track 'Pandemonium', both parties, U.D.O. as well as the German Armed Forces, also take a clear position against society's right wing. The song 'Rebel Town' is a hymn for a 30 years reunited Germany.

Udo Dirkschneider about the message behind the songs: "We all live on this planet. No matter who we are or what we do, we all just have this one planet. There is no planet B. When I see the pictures of all the plastic in our oceans and when I hear about the next climate catastrophe in the news, I really start wondering how respectless and irresponsible we sometimes are. It's not just about us, it's also about all the others and last but not least about our children!"

Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling commented: "All composers have done a fantastic job. The songs are excellent and really show the very best of orchestra and band. The album offers a variety that reaches from speed metal to classical metal, from ballad to funk style. As an orchestra, we brought in everything we could, a solo singer, a pipe, a drumline and some oriental percussions included." Scheibling has been on stage together with U.D.O. in Wacken 2015 already. "The motto back then was Metal, mud and military music", he resumes, "An event that definitely awoke the wish to work together more intensely. Now our crossover project really finds its highlight with 'We Are One'."

U.D.O. and the German Armed Forces are also talking the same language when it comes to the message of 'We Are One'. For the German Armed Forces international, engagements as well as the protection of the environment are two major focus points. Former military areas are becoming integral nature reserves. Soldiers are recruited to fight forest fires and ecological disasters. The German Armed Forces are also supporting the protection of Germany's coastal regions by monitoring the air space to protect it from people polluting the ocean. "Several songs are pointing out the problems we have with pollution of our environment. We really have some heavy words about our global responsibilty", Christoph Scheibling says.

"Never before critical words agains worldwide exaggeration of consumption or all this cyber insanity have been this loud. Never before the voice against protectionism, nationalism and against the right wing have been that intense. Let us join forces for a better planet! We are one!"

Editions:
- hardcover artbook incl. CD + Bluray, limited to 1000
- digipak CD
- gatefold 2LP green/white splatter, limited to 100 (AFM Records' webshop exclusive)
- gatefold 2LP cream white, limited to 200 (Nuclear Blast Records' webshop exclusive)
- gatefold 2LP red, limited to 750
- gatefold 2LP silver, limited to 750

(source: AFM Records, Nuclear Blast Records)