2027 will mark a special year for legendary metal vocalist Udo Dirkschneider and his band U.D.O. The vocalist will turn 75, U.D.O. will celebrate 40 years as a band, and the band will release their upcoming 20th studio album ‘Voodoo Ranger’. To start the celebrations early the band has released their newest single with a music video ‘I’ll Die Trying’.
This very special record release will be celebrated on January 8, 2027 via powerhouse label Reigning Phoenix Music.
Rather than launching Voodoo Ranger with an all-out metal attack, U.D.O. introduce the album with one of its most personal moments. “I’ll Die Trying” is a classic U.D.O. ballad about perseverance, self-belief and staying true to your path, carried by the unmistakable voice of Udo Dirkschneider.
The song also became the album’s first single through an unexpected turn of events — a change of plans that, as Udo explains, ultimately felt like the right choice.
Udo Dirkschneider comments: “‘I’ll Die Trying’ is one of the most personal songs on Voodoo Ranger. It’s about never giving up, believing in yourself and always moving forward, no matter what life throws at you. The last verse especially means a lot to me because it reflects what I’ve experienced on stage for so many years. Every concert is a special moment and as long as people want to hear me sing, I’ll keep giving everything I’ve got. I’ve always believed that a great ballad can be just as powerful as the heaviest metal songs, and throughout my career these songs have become some of the most memorable ones. ‘I’ll Die Trying’ is another one of those songs that comes straight from the heart.
We originally planned to launch Voodoo Ranger with a different song, but after Peter and Alen were injured during one of the recent concerts of the Balls To The Wall – 40th Anniversary Tour, we had to postpone the original video production. Rather than rush things, we decided to let ‘I’ll Die Trying’ lead the way. Looking back, it feels like the right choice. The song captures a side of U.D.O. that has always been important to me. Ballads have been part of my career from the very beginning, and our fans have always embraced them. At the same time, nobody should think this album is getting softer: Voodoo Ranger is packed with classic U.D.O. power and has plenty of surprises waiting.”
Voodoo Ranger Tracklist: 01. Testify 02. The Sky Is The Limit 03. Keep Me Alive 04. Back Breaker 05. I’ll Die Trying 06. Reach For The Crown 07. Pain & Glory 08. Hell Hunt 09. Voodoo Ranger 10. Magic Life 11. Devil’s Mind 12. Movin’ On
U.D.O. – TRIPLE ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2027
09.01.2027 DE-Leipzig, Haus Auensee 10.01.2027 DE-Hamburg, Große Freiheit 36 11.01.2027 DE-Berlin, Huxleys Neue Welt 12.01.2027 DE-Frankfurt, Batschkapp 13.01.2027 DE-Braunschweig, Westand 15.01.2027 DE-Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle 16.01.2027 DE-Markneukirchen, Musikhalle 17.01.2027 DE-Munich, Backstage Werk 18.01.2027 DE-Stuttgart, LKA-Longhorn 19.01.2027 FR-Paris, Bataclan 21.01.2027 CH-Pratteln, Konzertfabrik Z7 23.01.2027 ES-Barcelona, Sala Apolo 24.01.2027 ES-Madrid, Revi Live 25.01.2027 ES-Villava, Sala TOTEM Aretoa 27.01.2027 ES-Seville, Sala Custom 28.01.2027 PT-Lisbon, LAV – Lisboa ao Vivo 29.01.2027 PT-Porto, Hard Club 01.02.2027 IT-Milano, Magazzini Generali 02.02.2027 SI-Ljubljana, Club Cvetličarna 04.02.2027 BG-Sofia, Hristo Botev Hall 05.02.2027 RO-Bucharest, Quantic 07.02.2027 HU-Budapest, Barba Negra 08.02.2027 CZ-Ostrava, Club Garage 09.02.2027 CZ-Brno, Sono Centrum 11.02.2027 PL-Wroclaw, Concert Center A2 12.02.2027 PL-Poznan, B17 13.02.2027 PL-Krakow, Studio Kraków 14.02.2027 PL-Warsaw, Progresja 15.02.2027 PL-Gdańsk, Stary Manez 17.02.2027 SE-Gothenburg, Pustervik 18.02.2027 NO-Oslo, Vulkan Arena 20.02.2027 FI-Tampere, Tavara-asema
