Animal House (U.D.O. album)

Animal House is the first album by German heavy metal band U.D.O., following Udo Dirkschneider's departure from Accept. It was recorded from August to October 1987 at Dierks Studios in Cologne. Released in 1987, it charted at No. 41 in Sweden.^[4]

Animal House
Studio album by U.D.O.
Released	3 November 1987
Recorded	August–October 1987
Studio	Dierks Studios, Cologne, Germany
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	42:01
Label	RCA
Producer	Mark Dodson
U.D.O. chronology
Animal House (1987) Mean Machine (1988)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	7/10[2]
Rock Hard	8.0/10[3]

The performance of the song "Lay Down the Law" is credited to Accept and U.D.O. The 'Pulheimer Kinder- und Jugendchor' contribute vocals to "They Want War".

In some releases of the album, a picture of the tour band including Dieter Rubach and Andy Susemihl was shown in the booklet. The album cover shows the line-up that recorded the album. An "Animal House" tour followed in early 1988. During this time they also toured with Guns N' Roses, Lita Ford and Zodiac Mindwarp. After Rubach left the band, they supported Ozzy Osbourne on all European dates in 1989.

The album was reissued in 2013 by AFM Records with bonus tracks.

Track listing

Original Edition

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animal House"	4:19
2.	"Go Back to Hell"	4:31
3.	"They Want War"	4:12
4.	"Black Widow"	4:29
5.	"In the Darkness"	4:03
6.	"Lay Down the Law"	3:47
7.	"We Want It Loud"	4:06
8.	"Hot Tonight"	4:47
9.	"Warrior"	4:12
10.	"Coming Home"	3:39
11.	"Run for Cover"	4:43

Personnel

• Udo Dirkschneider – vocals
• Mathias Dieth – guitars
• Peter Szigeti – guitars
• Frank Rittel – bass
• Thomas Franke – drums

Production

• Produced and engineered by Mark Dodson
• Mixed by Mark Dodson and Gerd Rautenbauch
• Assistant engineers: Uli Baronowsky, Thomas P. Sehringer
• Recorded and mixed August–October 1987 at Dierks Studios, Cologne
• Mastering at Sterling Sound Studios, New York
• Cover idea, concept and realization: Peek-A-Boo (Donald Campbell, Nico Chiraiatti)
• Cover photo: Akzent Studios
• Anniversary Edition design: Tim Eckhorst