DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG (DATOG),the venture that includes former ACCEPT members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals),Peter Baltes (bass) and Stefan Kaufmann (guitar),together with Udo‘s son Sven Dirkschneider (drums),Manuela Bibert (vocals) and Mathias Dieth (guitar),has launched a brand new single, “Strangers In Paradise”. The monitor, like “Hellbreaker”, which got here out in June, “Time To Pay attention”, which got here out in Might, and “It Takes Two To Tango”, which was made out there in April, will seem on DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG‘s new album, “Babylon”, due in October 2025 through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).
DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG feedback: “‘Strangers In Paradise’ will get below your pores and skin, a rare rock ballad in each respect. At first, Manuela soulfully accompanies her personal vocals, then Peter joins in with an emotional voice. The music then culminates in a refrain wherein Udo sings extra warmly, clearly, deeply and emphatically than ever earlier than. Actually a particular spotlight for all true followers. Mathias‘s virtuoso guitar solo in flamenco type results in the highly effective grand finale with the standard DATOG choruses, an acceptable inclusion to this magnificent album.”
A one-off charity marketing campaign throughout the pandemic grew into an all-star heavy steel venture: DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG — DATOG for brief — united six seasoned musicians, lots of whom have helped form the steel style’s legacy over the previous 4 many years.
On the core: iconic vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, founder and longtime frontman of ACCEPT, and chief of U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER. He is joined by Peter Baltes (bass, vocals; ACCEPT, DIRKSCHNEIDER),Stefan Kaufmann (guitar; ACCEPT, U.D.O.),Mathias “Don” Dieth (guitar; SINNER, U.D.O.),Udo‘s son Sven Dirkschneider (drums, U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER),and powerhouse vocalist Manuela “Ella” Bibert, whose standout performances on the U.D.O. orchestra album “We Are One” (2019) solidified her place within the lineup.
Collectively, they launched three singles between 2020 and 2021 — “The place The Angels Fly”, “Face Of A Stranger” and “Each Coronary heart Is Burning” — adopted up by a particular charity EP, known as “Arising”, to assist help artists, crews and musicians affected by the coronavirus lockdown. The immense success of their recordings and music movies surpassed each expectation, with greater than 23 million streams and views in whole thus far.
“The entire thing developed a momentum of its personal that we hadn’t anticipated,” remembers Kaufmann. “Followers and labels instantly wished to know: is there extra to return?”
The reply arrived in April 2025 with the discharge of “It Takes Two To Tango”, a strong new single and the primary style of “Babylon”, launched through Reigning Phoenix Music — a trusted associate of each U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER. The monitor kicked off the subsequent chapter in DATOG‘s journey, proving that the chemistry, ardour, and fireplace between these six musicians is as sturdy as ever.
DATOG commented: “We’re very pleased about being a part of the RPM household and persevering with our work with Jochen Richert. We secretly began this joint marketing campaign some time in the past, and our mutual experiences behind the scenes have to date proven us that we’re all positively on the identical web page and pushed by the identical musical mutual elements: ardour, loyalty, and the love for heavy music.”
Managing director Jochen Richert (Reigning Phoenix Music) added: “Grabbing the prospect of releasing DATOG‘s much-anticipated debut album was a no brainer, after all. After their first steps exceeded, by far, a number of hopes and desires, their new materials is nothing wanting a continuation, if not now on the next degree. Thanks to the entire GANG on your belief, let’s rock this collectively!”
Musically, “It Takes Two to Tango” put the pedal to the steel, supported by a lyric underlining the aforementioned concept behind DATOG: the widespread pleasure of taking part in music! A advantage that certainly will even infect all of the viewers of the supporting music video, which was filmed by RCN TV on the legendary Dierks Studios (Stommeln, Germany),the place really the total report was tracked. The concluding mastering was dealt with by guitarist Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany).
“‘It Takes Two To Tango’ is strictly talking solely half of the music title, because the lyrics go on to say ‘(However) It Takes Six To Rock’. “This motto says all of it”, the group states and provides: “An absolute joint effort!”
DATOG is:
Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
Peter Baltes – bass, lead & backing vocals
Manuela “Ella” Bibert – lead & backing vocals, key devices
Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals
Mathias “Don” Dieth – guitars, backing vocals
Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocals
Photograph credit score: Eddi Bachmann