All Areas - Worldwide

by Vincent Jeffries

It appears at least that All Areas is just the inevitable catalog addition from a group well into the twilight of their career, and it would be altogether useless if Accept wasn't such an exceptional live act. Perhaps a contract needed fulfillment or maybe the rent was just due, but no matter the reason for this disc's existence, it is not without merit and may be the best live recording from one of metal's most consistent live acts. The quality of the recording is commendable and the performances do not lack any of the enthusiasm and precision that fans would expect from Accept. Highlights include all the early-'80s material, and not just the most recognizable "Balls to the Wall" and "Fast As a Shark." "London Leatherboys," "Starlight," and "Princess of the Dawn" are but a few of the classic Accept gems that rock just as hard on All Areas as they did when they were originally tracked almost 20 years prior to this 1999 release. A fair amount of cuts from the group's later recordings are also included on this two-disc set, and while the newer songs are indeed listenable, they don't really hold up when compared to the old treasures. To the extant that there are any, fans of Accept's entire catalog will surely enjoy this release, but most listeners will probably have to skip more than a couple tracks before they get through the entire play list.