U.D.O. Unveils New Video/Single, “Forever Free”

June 25, 2023 Eric Peterson Brutal News, Press Releases, Tour Dates Comments Off

Touchdown Full-Length To See Release This August Via Atomic Fire Records + Preorders Launched!

Photo by Martin Häusler

Watch U.D.O.’s “Forever Free” video HERE.

Heavy metal quintet U.D.O. — fronted by legendary singer Udo Dirkschneider and officially completed by former Accept bassist Peter Baltes in April — recently announced their new studio album, Touchdown, due out on August 25th via Atomic Fire Records.

Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany), the massive, thirteen-track Touchdown was mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany). The record includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the closing track, and bass tracks were recorded by new member Baltes. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler who was also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the new album campaign.

Currently, U.D.O., who are also performing as DIRKSCHNEIDER, are gracing the stages of some of Europe’s biggest festivals including Graspop Metal Meeting, Leyendas del Rock, Summer Breeze Open Air, and more. Playing in front of their rabid loyal global fanbase makes each and every concert feel like a home game and today, U.D.O. kicks off their new musical season with their latest single and accompanying lyric video, “Forever Free.”

Elaborates drummer Sven Dirkschneider of the track, “‘Forever Free’ is supposed to make people not simply believe facts they hear or get shown, for example, by media, but to think individually. Of course, we don’t mean that one should question everything. The song shall just express that it’s better to create your own opinions about conflicts and other topics one stands for, even when they’re wrong sometimes, than to follow the mass blindly. It’s a musical tribute to our privilege of living in a free world as we luckily can.”

U.D.O. - Forever Free (Official Lyric Video)

Watch U.D.O.’s “Forever Free” lyric video at THIS LOCATION. Stream/purchase the track at THIS LOCATION.

Touchdown will be available in the following formats:

– CD jewel case

– CD digipak (EU; incl. bonus DVD Dirkschneider – Live At Wacken 2022)

– Limited Box Set available at:

* Atomic Fire Records in Yellow-Green Splatter vinyl [Special price at the AFR webshop until 6/26!]

* Nuclear Blast in Purple Black Dust vinyl

* EMP in Red-Clear Black Dust vinyl

– 2xLP in gatefold in the following variants:

* Black, Silver, Clear/Blue-White Splatter (US excl.)

* Clear-Blue Marbled (AFR excl.)

* Yellow-Green Splatter (AFR excl.)

* Purple Black Dust (Nuclear Blast excl.)

* Red-Clear Black Dust (EMP excl.)

* Clear-Black (Sweden Rock Magazine excl.)

– digital

Preorder Touchdown, presave it on your favorite DSP, or preorder it digitally to receive “Forever Free” instantly at: http://udo.afr.link/touchdownPR.

Subscribe to Atomic Fire Records on YouTube HERE. Listen to “Forever Free” as well as other new tracks in the AFR New Releases playlist on Spotify HERE.

Touchdown Track Listing:

1. Isolation Man

2. The Flood

3. The Double Dealer’s Club

4. Fight For The Right

5. Forever Free

6. Punchline

7. Sad Man’s Show

8. The Betrayer

9. Heroes Of Freedom

10. Better Start To Run

11. The Battle Understood

12. Living Hell

13. Touchdown

Dirkschneider – Live At Wacken 2022 (Bonus DVD; CD digipak only):

1. Starlight

2. Living For Tonite

3. Midnight Mover

4. Breaker

5. London Leatherboys

6. Princess Of The Dawn

7. Restless And Wild

8. Son Of A Bitch

9. Screaming For A Love-Bite

10. Up To The Limit

11. Metal Heart

12. Fast As A Shark

13. Balls To The Wall

European fans can catch U.D.O./DIRKSCHNEIDER live throughout the coming months. For tickets and to stay up to date on upcoming shows go to THIS LOCATION.

U.D.O. / DIRKSCHNEIDER Live:

7/21/2023 Open Air Pförring – Pförring, DE

7/29/2023 Rock Of Ages – Rottenburg-Seebronn, DE *

8/12/2023 Leyendas del Rock – Villena, ES *

8/16/2023 Summer Breeze Open Air – Dinkelsbühl, DE

8/17/2023 Rock Castle Open Air – Moravský Krumlov, CZ

8/20/2023 Rock The Lakes – Vallamand (VD), CH

8/25/2023 Baltic Open Air – Haddeby, DE

9/16/2023 Beast Of Rocks @ Stadthalle – Tuttlingen, DE

10/07/2023 Keep It True Rising III @ Posthalle – Würzburg, DE *

10/22/2023 Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Tabakfabrik – Linz, AT

10/29/2023 Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Messezentrum – Salzburg, AT