Review | Scorpions ‘Sting In The Tail’

Sting In The Tail

My first exposure to the Scorpions was from a friend turning me on to the 1976 album ‘Virgin Killers‘ and I was hooked. I could never have imagined that the band would just get better and better and reach legendary status as a premiere Hard Rock band that would sell millions of records and tour the world numerous times, but they did.

The Scorpions really hit their stride with the release of the 1979 album ‘Lovedrive‘ with yet another controversial album cover that once again had to be re-issued, those bad boys of rock. It wasn’t until the release of their 1984 album ‘Love At First Sting‘ that the band hit stratospheric commercial success with songs like ‘Rock You Like A Hurricane‘ ‘Big City Nights‘ and ‘Still Loving You‘ and showed no signs of slowing down. Surprisingly after a few more successful records they did just that, slowed down and the incredible commercial and world wide success they were enjoying almost seemed to disappear as quickly as it had appeared, most definitely in the U.S.

In 2009 the Scorpions announced they were once again entering the studio to record their 17th album. According to various blog posts by different members of the band, we were in for a treat. Mattihas Jabs said:

“We are working on 12 songs at the moment. Great stuff, definitely ’scorpionized’ in sound and attitude. More towards the early 80’s. The new CD will be Released in March 2010.”

I was sceptical at best about what I was hearing, lets face it the Scorpions had not put out a good hard rock record for sometime. More times than not a bands self prophecy about their next great album does not usually come to fruition, but this time it did. It seemed the boys had found that youthful energetic fire to write songs that would capture the glory days of ‘Blackout‘ and ‘Love At First Sting.’ And once they realized what they had in these songs as being something special, the Scorpions decided this would be their last record. They wanted to go out on a high note and Sting In The Tail has delivered.

With straight forward hard rocking tunes, ballads, anthems and an all around positive vibe, this record possesses all the elements that have made the Scorpions who they are, a legendary band that knows how to write and record amazing hard rock music. These guys can still bring it with the best of them.

Sting In The Tail opens with the catchy, simple straight forward tune ‘Raised On Rock‘ (with a nice little talk box effect) and is followed by the albums title track ‘Sting In The Tail‘ with Kluas Meine who is in amazing vocal form (my god this man is 61 years old) trying his hand at a little guttural vocalizing. I don’t know how Klaus has managed to maintain the ability to sing the way he has for all these years, but for this album he was at the top of his game. A true example that this man as a vocalist is a consummate professional.

Sting In The Tail has a well produced yet raw quality about it that is reminiscent of earlier Scorpions records. Both Rudolf Schenker and Mattihas Jabs play superbly throughout the record both rhythmically and while cranking out signature solos. Relative new comers as far as the history of the Scorpions, drummer James Kottak and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda are solid.

Their are numerous rockers throughout the record that just happen the have the word ‘Rock‘ in them, ‘Raised On Rock,’ ‘Rock Zone,’ ‘Spirit Of Rock‘ and ‘Let’s Rock!‘ what the hell, this is a ‘Rock‘ album, isn’t it? The slower tempo songs, ‘The Good Die Young‘ a tasty duet with Tarja Turunen Finnish vocalist formerly of Nightwish about the people that stand up for peace and freedom (see video below) , ‘Lorelei‘ you guessed it, about a broken heart from a woman, ‘Sly‘ and ‘The Best Is Yet To Come‘ are all vintage Scorpions ballads.

I can see why the Scorpions felt this record was the one that would make them feel comfortable enough, after all these years, to hang it up. Leaving behind a legacy of their incredible musical journey that seemed as though it would never end. Sadly enough after a massive three year, five continent tour The Scorpions will do just that, hang it up. With their final album Sting In The Tail completed the Scorpions will go out like every champion would like to, on the top.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Favorite Rocker: Let’s Rock
Favorite Ballad: The Best Is Yet To Come

Sting In The Tail

Release Date: March 23rd, 2010
Produced by: Mikael ‘Nord’ Andersson & Martin Hansen

Personnel:
Klaus Meine – Vocals
Rudolf Schenker – Guitars
Matthias Jabs – Guitars
Paweł Mąciwoda – Bass
James Kottak – Drums

Track Listing:

This is a video of the Scorpions performing their new song ‘The Good Die Young’ Saturday March 26th, 2010 on the German talk show ‘Wetten, Dass’..? (Bet That..?) with singer Tarja Turunen formerly of the Finnish Metal band Nightwish.

2 Responses to “Review | Scorpions ‘Sting In The Tail’”

1. SpaceTrucker says:

   March 29, 2010 at 8:58 am

   Thanks for the read Eric,

   I would love to hear your take on this record once you hear it.
2. EricTheBad says:

   March 29, 2010 at 7:28 am

   I had it in my cart at Walmart, took it out & put it back thinking, “I have to hear some of it first.” After reading this, I might just go back & pick it up today, and after all…It’s only ten bucks!