U.D.O. are a German heavy metal band from Solingen. 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. The band released their debut album Animal House before the end of the year, after which Szigeti, Rittel and Franke were replaced by Andy Susemihl, Thomas Smuszynski (after a brief tenure for former Accept bassist Dieter Rubach) and future Accept drummer Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively. Wolla Böhm replaced Susemihl for 1990's Faceless World, although by the time of the next album Timebomb, U.D.O. were a four-piece. In 1992, after touring in promotion of Timebomb, U.D.O. disbanded as Dirkschneider returned to the reformed Accept.

Dirkschneider reformed U.D.O. in 1996 with Dieth and Schwarzmann, plus former Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann on guitar and Michael Voss on bass, to record "Metal Gods" for A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal. Dieth and Voss were soon replaced by Bullet members Jürgen Graf and Fitty Wienhold, respectively, for the band's next album Solid. Schwarzmann left after the release of No Limits. Graf also left around the same time, with Igor Gianola taking his place in time for the recording of Holy. Drums on the album were credited to "Guess Who", but were likely programmed by Kaufmann who did the same on earlier albums.

Schwarzmann's replacement was Lorenzo Milani, who joined U.D.O. in November 1999. Milani remained until January 2005, when he left the band for "personal reasons" and was replaced by Francesco Jovino, who had earlier filled in for the regular drummer during a tour the previous autumn. This lineup remained stable for over seven years, before Kaufmann left in September 2012 for "health reasons". He was replaced the following January by Andrey Smirnov, just days before Gianola was also replaced by Kasperi Heikkinen. Jovino left for "personal reasons" in December 2014, with Dirkschneider's son Sven taking his place the following February. Heikkinen remained until February 2017 before leaving, also citing "personal reasons" for his departure from both U.D.O. and related band Dirkschneider.

Bill Hudson took over from Heikkinen in March 2017, but by the following April had left due to musical differences. The band were temporarily rejoined by Kaufmann for a string of summer festival appearances. Shortly after the release of Steelfactory, long-time bassist Fitty Wienhold announced his departure from U.D.O., but assured fans that he would continue to offer his support in the form of songwriting if requested. The following month, the band announced the additions of guitarist Dee Dammers in place of Hudson, and bassist Tilen Hudrap in place of Wienhold. In September 2022 Hudrap was replaced by former Accept bassist Peter Baltes, first on a temporary basis until April 2023 when Baltes officially replaced him.

In October 2025, Andrey Smirnov parted ways with the band. He was replaced by Alen Brentini.

Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsUdo Dirkschneidervocalsall releasesSven Dirkschneider2015–presentall releases from Steelfactory (2018) onwardsDee Dammers2018–presentPeter Baltes2023–presentTouchdown (2023)Alen Brentini2025–presentnone to date

Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsMathias DiethThomas Franke1987–1988drumsAnimal House (1987)Peter SzigetiguitarsFrank RittelbassStefan Schwarzmanndrumsall releases from Mean Machine (1989) to No Limits (1998)Andy SusemihlguitarsMean Machine (1989)Dieter Rubach1988bassnoneThomas Smuszynski1988–1992Wolla Böhm1989–1990guitarsFaceless World (1990)Frank Fricke1991–1992noneStefan Kaufmann1996–2012(touring 2018)all releases from "Metal Gods" (1996) to Live in Sofia (2012)Michael Voss1996"Metal Gods" (1996)Fitty Wienhold1996–2018all releases from Solid (1997) to Steelfactory (2018)Jürgen Graf1996–1998Igor Gianola1998–2013all releases from Holy (1999) to Live in Sofia (2012)Lorenzo Milani1999–2005drumsall releases from Live from Russia (2001) to Thunderball (2004)Francesco Jovino2005–2014(touring 2004)all releases from Mission No. X (2005) to Navy Metal Night (2015)Andrey Smirnov2013–2025all releases from Steelhammer (2013) to Touchdown (2023)Kasperi Heikkinen2013–2017guitarsall releases from Steelhammer (2013) to Navy Metal Night (2015)Bill Hudson2017–2018noneTilen Hudrap2018–2022Game Over (2021)

Touring ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsWinfred Clifton1999keyboardsnoneMarcus Bielenberg2007 (substitute)bassnone Ulli Köllner2013–2015keyboardsSteelhammer: Live from Moscow (2014)Harrison Young2015–2018none

Timeline

Lineups PeriodMembersReleases1987–1988Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Peter Szigeti – guitars Frank Rittel – bass Thomas Franke – drumsAnimal House (1987)1988Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Andy Susemihl – guitars Dieter Rubach – bass Stefan Schwarzmann – drumsnone1988–1989Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Andy Susemihl – guitars Thomas Smuszynski – bass Stefan Schwarzmann – drumsMean Machine (1989)1989–1990Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Wolla Böhm – guitars Thomas Smuszynski – bass Stefan Schwarzmann – drumsFaceless World (1990)1990–1991Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Stefan Schwarzmann – drums Thomas Smuszynski – bassTimebomb (1991)1991–1992Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars, backing vocals Frank Fricke – guitars Thomas Smuszynski – bass Stefan Schwarzmann – drumsnoneBand inactive 1992–19961996Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Mathias Dieth – guitars Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals Michael Voss – bass Stefan Schwarzmann – drums"Metal Gods" (1996)1996–1998Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Jürgen Graf – guitars, backing vocals Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Stefan Schwarzmann – drumsSolid (1997) No Limits (1998)1998–1999Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Igor Gianola – guitars, backing vocals Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocalsHoly (1999)November 1999 – January 2005Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Igor Gianola – guitars, backing vocals Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Lorenzo Milani – drumsLive from Russia (2001) Man and Machine (2002) Nailed to Metal (2003) Thunderball (2004)January 2005 – September 2012Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Igor Gianola – guitars, backing vocals Stefan Kaufmann – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Francesco Jovino – drumsMission No. X (2005) Mastercutor (2007) Mastercutor Alive (2008) Dominator (2009) Rev-Raptor (2011) Live in Sofia (2012)January 2013Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Igor Gianola – guitars, backing vocals Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Francesco Jovino – drumsnoneJanuary 2013 – December 2014Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Kasperi Heikkinen – guitars Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Francesco Jovino – drumsSteelhammer (2013) Steelhammer: Live from Moscow (2014) Decadent (2015) Navy Metal Night (2015)February 2015 – February 2017Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Kasperi Heikkinen – guitars Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsnoneMarch 2017 – April 2018Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Bill Hudson – guitars Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Fitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsApril – September 2018Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocalsFitty Wienhold – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsSteelfactory (2018)October 2018 – December 2022Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Dee Dammers – guitars, backing vocals Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Tilen Hudrap – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsGame Over (2021)April 2023 – October 2025Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Dee Dammers – guitars, backing vocals Andrey Smirnov – guitars, backing vocals Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsTouchdown (2023)October 2025 – presentUdo Dirkschneider – lead vocals Dee Dammers – guitars, backing vocals Alen Brentini – guitars, backing vocals Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals Sven Dirkschneider – drums, backing vocalsnone to date

References

External links U.D.O. official website