DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG release new single and video 'Dead Man's Hand'
07-08-2025
DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG (DATOG),the project featuring former ACCEPT members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals), Peter Baltes (bass) and Stefan Kaufmann (guitar), along with Udo‘s son Sven Dirkschneider (drums), Manuela Bibert (vocals) and Mathias Dieth (guitar), has released a new single, “Dead Man’s Hand”. The track, like “Strangers In Paradise”, which came out in July, “Hellbreaker”, which came out in June, “Time To Listen”, which came out in May, and “It Takes Two To Tango”, which was made available in April, will appear on DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG‘s new album, “Babylon”, due on October 3 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).
Watch “Dead Man’s Hand” below.
DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG comments: “‘Dead Man’s Hand’ has an unusual genesis: originally composed by Manuela on the piano, the demo version consisted only of vocals and piano. The song was then transferred note for note to guitar and Hammond organ. The result is unique: a pounding guitar riff with a harsh organ accompaniment underpins Udo‘s vocals, which — by his own admission — are exceptional for him. Further vocal surprises from Peter and Manuela as well as the positive ‘good time chorus’ round off the picture of an extraordinary song.”
A one-off charity campaign during the pandemic grew into an all-star heavy metal project: DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG — DATOG for short — united six seasoned musicians, many of whom have helped shape the metal genre’s legacy over the past four decades.
Watch the previously released “Strangers In Paradise”, “Hellbreaker”, “Time To Listen” and “It Takes Two To Tango” below.
Musically, “It Takes Two to Tango” put the pedal to the metal, supported by a lyric underlining the aforementioned idea behind DATOG: the common joy of playing music! A virtue that surely will also infect all the viewers of the supporting music video, which was filmed by RCN TV at the legendary Dierks Studios (Stommeln, Germany),where actually the full record was tracked. The concluding mastering was handled by guitarist Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany).
“‘It Takes Two To Tango’ is strictly speaking only half of the song title, as the lyrics go on to say ‘(But) It Takes Six To Rock’. “This motto says it all”, the group states and adds: “An absolute joint effort!”
DATOG is:
Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
Peter Baltes – bass, lead & backing vocals
Manuela “Ella” Bibert – lead & backing vocals, key instruments
Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals
Mathias “Don” Dieth – guitars, backing vocals
Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocals
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