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SCORPIONS Humanity - Hour 1 (Ariola)
Rating 7,5
User rating 8,8
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... iewID=1143
When reviewing a new album by a band, especially an established one, the album is usually judged first on its own merits and then in the context of its previous work. With that in mind, it's quite easy to say that "Humanity - Hour 1" is probably the best SCORPIONS album since 1990's "Crazy World". The veteran German outfit has been somewhat lost in the musical wilderness during the last 17 years, finally hitting bottom with "Eye II Eye", an ill-advised foray into electronic music. While they began pulling themselves out with the follow-up, "Unbreakable", the group has almost fully rebounded with "Humanity", a collection featuring both the kind of fist-pumping rockers and melodramatic ballads that earned the group platinum albums throughout the Eighties.
Having said that, one should keep in mind that this is a SCORPIONS album after all, and while the band gets surprisingly heavy (for them) on cuts like the down-tuned opener, "Hour 1", this ain't exactly NAPALM DEATH. This is well-crafted, pop-inflected hard rock, shimmering with hooks, occasionally overflowing with schmaltz (and perhaps a slow tune or two more than necessary), and polished to a shiny luster by producer James Michael and co-producer Desmond Child, the man perhaps held most responsible for the sickly power ballads that also dominated the Eighties. But the combination here brings out the best in the SCORPS.
Following "Hour I", with its fire alarm leads and ominous feel, the album settles into more traditional SCORPIONS territory, switching effortlessly from anthemic audience-rousers like the insanely catchy "321" to midpaced rockers like "The Game of Life" to tearjerkers like "The Future Never Dies", the kind of airborne ballad that once had lighters flaring up in arenas all over America during the SCORPS' heyday. Lyrically, the album also alternates between hope and despair, lending some of the material here a darker edge that balances the more pop-oriented elements of the record.
Founding guitarist Rudolf Schenker and longtime lead man Matthias Jabs provide a rich tapestry of crunchy riffs and crystalline leads, while singer Klaus Meine's voice is as soaring and powerful as it's ever been. When he improbably duets with SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan on "The Cross", you can hear where Corgan got some of the influence for his own, more-whiny vocal style. The late-era rhythm section of drummer James Kottak and bassist Pawel Maciwoda anchor the band as securely as the great Herman Rarebell-Francis Buchholz backline of the earlier years.
Often spoken of in the same breath as heavier contemporaries like JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN, the SCORPIONS nevertheless managed to handle both the muscle and the melody with a deft touch during the time of albums like "Lovedrive", "Blackout" and "Love at First Sting" (not to mention their earlier RCA output, which is still largely unknown in North America). If you were never a SCORPIONS fan, this will surely not change your mind, but for longtime followers of the group who have been wishing for a return to the glories of those classic Eighties records, it's safe to say (and you knew this was coming) that the SCORPIONS have recovered their sting.
- Don Kaye
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THE SCORPIONS - HUMANITY - HOUR I (2007, SONY/BMG)
Background
If there was ever a reason to believe in the pulling power of aging rock dinosaurs and their relevance in the 21st century, then The Scorpions must be that reason. They've dodged a few bullets in the past, changing musical direction like hairstyles, causing their fan-base no end of worry. They have embraced musical life in the new century with an eye to the future, their sound is reflective of the modern rock elements that flow all around us, without being sucked into the hole. Bringing co-producers James Michael and Desmond Child into the mix has breathed new life into the band. The issue of trying to make The Scorpions appealing and relevant in 2007 would've been high on the agenda. Not so much for existing fans, but for the next generation of listeners out there. What better way to do this than to provide the listeners with a message.. a message about Humanity, in effect a musical message of peace and love, not war.
The Songs
There is not an over-abundance of out-and-out metal rockers on the album. For those looking for repeat performances of 'The Zoo' or 'Another Piece Of Meat' - you will not find it here. Perhaps only the opener 'Hour I', 'You're Lovin' Me To Death', 'The Cross' and '321' come close, but even so, you'll come away with ears intact. It's where the melody prevails that the band come to life. The mid-tempo wonderment of 'Your Last Song', or the ballad 'Love Will Keep Us Alive' are tremendous, as is the Harem Scarem flavored 'We Will Rise Again'. In fact, the Scarem boyz are good reference points for The Scorps, without dipping their signature riffs into pop overload. The aforementioned message get its airing on the tracks 'Love Is War' and the closer 'Humanity'. Not only does the music sound good, it also has purpose. I wish more bands could take their message to the people like these guys have.
In Summary
Klaus Meine sounds as great as ever, his emotive phrasing is unsurpassed, and I hope these guys go down a storm during the 2007 summer festivals. Proving that 2004's superb 'Unbreakable' was no fluke, the Scorps have come up with an album that defies the odds. Their masterstroke was to include James Michael and Desmond Child to the party. Their array of songs for 2007 will make for continued listening for quite some time. I suggest to GDAZE readers to have a listen to some some soundbytes first. You may, like myself, come away highly impressed.
9/10
http://www.glory-daze.com/readarticle.php?article_id=2871
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