Scorpions: Rock Believer(2022)

 

Pretty amazing that in the early part of the year known as 2022 The Scorpions have released what I would say is there best album since “Face The Heat” back in ’93!

29 years is a long time and the Scorps have released a bunch of albums of course since then but for some reason I never took the bait on buying anything as like with Judas Priest I love certain era’s of the bands material but not all of it.

Funny thing though is when “Rock Believer” was  announced as a new album I thought well this is interesting.  Apple Music dropped a few tracks so I decided to give it a listen and too be honest with you all, I liked what I heard.

I normally don’t check out pre-release tunes as I don’t want to be swayed if they are not that great and judge the whole album on three or four tracks.

Scorps I took a chance.

It paid off!

Klaus Meine, Rudy Schenker and Matthias Jabs were smart and decided to record with some vintage gear that they were using 40 years ago and have smashed out one fine effort that harkens back to the days of 1982 when “Blackout” was a mega record for me as an 15 year old.

I have to say the first four tracks are absolute gems! “Gas In The Tank” sets the pace of the album and amazing that Klaus still sounds like he did 40 years ago.

“Roots In Boots” could have easily have slid onto Side 1 of “Blackout” or “Love At First Sting” and not have missed a beat. Listen to Jabs zip and zag on that fretboard. Matthias is one very underrated 6 stringer who should get way more attention than he gets as he solo’s like a lunatic on this track and throughout the whole album.

“Knock Em Dead” same thing, a total throwback like vibe as drummer Mikkey Dee and bassist Pawel Maciwoda keep it tight especially during that driving chorus.

The albums title track (“Rock Believer”) sold me on wanting to buy this record. What a great track. A song for the masses which has a chorus that in one word is ear candy.

“Scream for me, screamer
I’m a rock believer like you
Just like you”

Even after the first four numbers, the album does not lose steam and thats the best thing I can say is out of this records 11 tracks there are no skips. “Seventh Son” is the basically 2022’s version of “China White” (from Blackout) as I love that bass and drum stomp.

Scorps also did a fantastic job at putting the ballad right at the end of the record as well. I have to say that “When You Know (Where You Came From)” ends the album on a decent note as I’m always apprehensive about the so called power ballads.

For you hard core folk’s out there is a deluxe version of “Rock Believer” that has an additional 5 songs that are not leftovers but are very good as well!

Pretty cool that Klaus and Company (still going strong in their 70’s) nicked a vibe from there past and have put out what may be one of the best hard rock albums this year has to offer up.