Lead singer Udo Dirkschneider has said that Restless and Wild is “surely the most important Accept album.” The band’s 1982 breakthrough features several songs that helped codify the sound of '80s heavy metal. “Ahead of the Pack,” “Neon Nights," and “Flash Rockin’ Man” form a bridge between the classic '70s hard rock of AC/DC (the earliest and most prominent influence on Accept) and the more demonic, caustic metal of Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, and Quiet Riot. While songs like “Don’t Go Stealing My Soul Away” prove that Accept wasn't opposed to tuneful hard rock, Restless and Wild is usually regarded as a favorite of metal purists. The album is bookended by what are by far two of the most important songs of Accept’s career. With its whiplash tempo and double-bass drum attack, “Fast as a Shark” is heralded by many fans as the first speed metal song. Meanwhile, “Princess of the Dawn,” with its Tolkien-inspired lyrics and fiery climax, presented a new patent for the heavy metal epic.