U.D.O. discography explained

Artist:U.D.O.
Studio:18
Live:6
Compilation:3
Video:6
Music Videos:19
Singles:17

The discography of U.D.O., a German heavy metal band, consists of 18 studio albums, six live albums, three compilations, 17 singles, six video albums and 19 music videos. Formed in 1987 by eponymous vocalist Udo Dirkschneider following his departure from Accept, the group originally included guitarists Mathias Dieth and Peter Szigeti, bassist Frank Rittel and drummer Thomas Franke.[1] Shortly after the release and promotion of their debut album Animal House, Dirkschneider dismissed all band members except Dieth, and rebuilt the group with guitarist Andy Susemihl, bassist Thomas Smuszynski, and future Accept drummer Stefan Schwarzmann.[1] Mean Machine, released in 1989, reached number 31 on the German Albums Chart.[2] Susemihl was subsequently replaced by Wolla Böhm.[1]

1990's Faceless World reached number 52 on the German Albums Chart.[2] The next year's follow-up, Timebomb, failed to chart and was the last album to be released before Dirkschneider's return to Accept.[1] U.D.O. reformed in 1997 with the album Solid, with Dirkschneider and Schwarzmann joined by former Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann on guitar, alongside second guitarist Jürgen Graf and bassist Fitty Wienhold.[1] The group's next release, No Limits, saw them return to the charts in Germany at number 90.[2] With Graf and Schwarzmann replaced by Igor Gianola and Lorenzo Milani, respectively, Holy also broke into the German top 100.[2] The band continued to make their way slowly up the albums chart, as Man and Machine reached number 71, and Thunderball reached number 83.[2]

Francesco Jovino replaced Milani in time for Mission No. X,[3] which reached number 92 in the band's home country.[2] The group broke into the German top 40 for the first time since 1989 with their next release, peaking at number 32 with Mastercutor in 2007.[2] Subsequent releases improved on this form – 2009's Dominator was the band's first top 30 album, and 2011's Rev-Raptor was their first top 20.[2] Both guitarists had left by the time Steelhammer was released in 2013, to be replaced by Andrey Smirnov and Kasperi Heikkinen.[4] The album reached number 21 in Germany and also registered on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart at number 28.[2] [5] 2015's Decadent reached a new band record of number 16 in Germany, while the live album Navy Metal Night charted at number 31.[2]

U.D.O. released Steelfactory in 2018, which was the first album to feature Dirkschneider's son Sven on drums, and the first since Heikkinen's departure.[6] The album was the band's first to reach the German Albums Chart top 10, peaking at number 7.[2] It also reached number 27 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart,[7] and number 9 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.[5]

Albums

Studio albums

Title!scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
GER
AUT
[8]
BEL
Wal.

[9]
ESP
[10]
FIN
[11]
NOR
[12]
SWE
[13]
SWI
[14]
UK
Rock
US
Heat

Animal House
  • Released: 3 November 1987
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, CS
41
Mean Machine
  • Released: 10 January 1989
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, CS
31
Faceless World
  • Released: 25 February 1990
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, CS
52 37
Timebomb
  • Released: 13 April 1991
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, CS
Solid
  • Released: 24 March 1997
  • Label: GUN
  • Formats: CD, CS
No Limits
  • Released: 20 April 1998
  • Label: GUN
  • Formats: CD, CS
90
Holy
  • Released: 18 October 1999
  • Label: Nuclear Blast
  • Formats: CD, LP, CS
96
Man and Machine
  • Released: 24 July 2002
  • Label: Breaker
  • Formats: CD, CS
71
Thunderball
  • Released: 29 March 2004
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD
83 47
Mission No. X
  • Released: 30 September 2005
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD
92
Mastercutor
  • Released: 18 May 2007
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD
39
Dominator
  • Released: 21 August 2009
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
27 35 51 100
Rev-Raptor
  • Released: 20 May 2011
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
20 26 57
Steelhammer
  • Released: 21 May 2013
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, 2LP, DL
21 38 23 79 28
Decadent
  • Released: 23 January 2015
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, 2LP, DL
16 34 48
Steelfactory
  • Released: 31 August 2018
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, 2LP, DL
7 23 135 81 33 19 24 27 9
We Are One
(with Das Musikkorps Der Bundeswehr)
  • Released: 20 July 2020[15]
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD, 2LP
8 5
Game Over
  • Released: 22 October 2021
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD
13 39 25 16
Touchdown
  • Released: 25 August 2023
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: CD
4 33 160 34
[16]
17
[17]
8
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not issued in that region.

Live albums

Title!scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"
Album detailsPeak
GER
Live from Russia
  • Released: 15 October 2001
  • Label: Breaker
  • Format: 2CD
Nailed to Metal: The Missing Tracks
  • Released: 21 October 2003
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD
100
Mastercutor Alive
  • Released: 6 October 2008
  • Label: ZYX, Metal Mind
  • Formats: 2CD, DL
Live in Sofia
  • Released: 13 November 2012
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: 2CD, 3LP, DL
75
Steelhammer: Live from Moscow
  • Released: 10 June 2014
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: 2CD, 3LP, DL
60
Navy Metal Night
(with the Marinemusikkorps Nordsee)
  • Released: 31 July 2015
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: 2CD, 2LP, DL
31
Live in Bulgaria 2020 – Pandemic Survival Show
  • Released: 19 March 2021[18]
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD, LP, DL
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not issued in that region.

Compilations

Title!scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"
Album detailsPeaks
GER
SWE
Best Of
  • Released: 13 September 1999
  • Label: GUN
  • Format: CD
Metallized: Best of U.D.O.
  • Released: 3 December 2007
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: CD
Celebrator: Rare Tracks
  • Released: 4 May 2012
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: 2CD, 2LP, DL
73 55
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or was not issued in that region.

Singles

Title!scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeakAlbum
GER
"They Want War"1988Animal House
"Heart of Gold"1990Faceless World
"Faceless World"
"Two Faced Woman"1997Solid
"Independence Day"
"Lovemachine"1998No Limits
"Dancing with an Angel"2002Man and Machine
"24/7"200582Mission No. X
"The Wrong Side of Midnight"2007Mastercutor
"Infected"2009Dominator
"Leatherhead"2011Rev-Raptor
"Metal Machine"2013Steelhammer
"Steelhammer"
"Decadent"2014Decadent
"Rising High"2018Steelfactory
"One Heart One Soul"
"Make the Move"

Videos

Video albums

Title!scope="col" style="width:16em;"
Album details
Nailed to Metal: The Complete History
  • Released: 21 October 2003
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: DVD
Thundervision
  • Released: 29 March 2004
  • Label: AFM
  • Format: DVD
Mastercutor Alive
  • Released: 26 September 2008
  • Label: ZYX, Golden Core
  • Format: 2DVD
Live in Sofia
Steelhammer: Live from Moscow
  • Released: 10 June 2014
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: DVD, BD
Navy Metal Night
(with the Marinemusikkorps Nordsee)
  • Released: 31 July 2015
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: DVD, BD
Live in Bulgaria 2020 – Pandemic Survival Show
  • Released: 19 March 2021
  • Label: AFM
  • Formats: DVD, BD

Music videos

Title!scope="col"
Year
"They Want War"1988
"Go Back to Hell"
"Break the Rules"1989
"Heart of Gold"1990
"Independence Day"1997
"Dancing with an Angel"2002
"Thunderball"2004
"The Arbiter"
"Trainride in Russia"
"Blind Eyes"
"Mean Streets"2005
"The Wrong Side of Midnight"2007
"Black and White"2009
"Leatherhead"2011
"I Give as Good as I Get"
"Metal Machine"2013
"Heavy Rain"
"Decadent"2014
"One Heart One Soul"2018
"Metal Never Dies"2021
"Prophecy"

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U.D.O.: Biography & History . Ankeny . Jason . . 2 February 2019 .
  2. Web site: Suchen Nach "U.D.O." . de . . 2 February 2019 .
  3. News: U.D.O. Announce New Album Title . . March 3, 2005 . 2 February 2019 .
  4. News: U.D.O.: 'Metal Machine' Video Released . . 3 May 2013 . 2 February 2019 .
  5. U.D.O. Chart History: Heatseekers Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20190202222354/https://www.billboard.com/music/udo/chart-history/heatseekers-albums . dead . February 2, 2019 . . 2 February 2019 .
  6. News: Udo Dirkschneider Comments On Recent U.D.O. Lineup Changes: 'I Want To Have Fresh Blood In The Band' . . 25 August 2018 . 2 February 2019 .
  7. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40: 07 September 2018 – 13 September 2018 . . 2 February 2019 .
  8. Web site: Discographie U.D.O. . de . austriancharts.at . 2 February 2019 .
  9. Web site: Discographie U.D.O. . fr . austriancharts.at . 2 February 2019 .
  10. Web site: Discography U.D.O. . spanishcharts.com . 2 February 2019 .
  11. Web site: Discography U.D.O. . finnishcharts.com . 2 February 2019 .
  12. Web site: Discography U.D.O. . norwegiancharts.com . 2 February 2019 .
  13. Web site: Discography U.D.O. . swedishcharts.com . 2 February 2019 .
  14. Web site: Discographie U.D.O. . de . hitparade.ch . 2 February 2019 .
  15. Web site: We Are One . . 9 February 2024.
  16. Web site: Albumit 35/2023. Musiikkituottajat. fi. 2 September 2023.
  17. Web site: Veckolista Album, vecka 35. Sverigetopplistan. 1 September 2023.
  18. Web site: U.D.O. - announce "Live in Bulgaria 2020" release. 6 February 2021. AFM Records. 18 April 2021.