German guitarist Michael Schenker has returned in 2021 with an all-new Michael Schenker Group release entitled Immortal and it surely lives up to its title. This is the first record in 12 years that he has released under the Michael Schenker Group moniker, and as a long-time fan, it is among his best. He has also drafted a host of musicians to help him out, among them the likes of vocalists Joe Lynn Turner, Ronnie Romero, and Primal Fear’s Ralf Scheepers. Keyboard wizard Derek Sherinian, bassist Barry Sparks, and drummers Simon Phillips and Brian Tichy are also a part of this powerful production.
Immortal has lots of ups, such as the opening track “Drilled To Kill,” which features Scheepers and Schenker doing what they do best — riffing over an intense, driving double kick drum driven beat. The interplay between Schenker and Sherinian is everything one would expect. It’s an electric adrenaline shot to the heart, and will excite any old-school Schenker fan. The perfect opening track, as far as I am concerned.
Another highlight is the outstanding vocals of current Rainbow singer Ronnie Romero. His soaring “Dio-esque” singing style fits very well with Schenker, and his “European” style of metal on “Sail the Darkness” and “Knight of the Dead,” as well as “Come on Over,” lets the listener harken back to some of Michael Schenker’s earlier work of the1980s Gary Barden-era MSG. Producer/vocalist Michael Voss adds a nice flair to the driving “The Queen of Thorns and Roses” in which Schenker’s guitar tone, and, in this case, Voss’s vocals blend seamlessly.
As far as the downs are concerned, the droopy ballad “After the Rain” just seems to drone on forever, much more than the four and a half minutes that it actually is. It’s this style of ballad that basically killed a million “Hair Bands” in the late 1980’s. The closing track “In Search Of Peace Of Mind” just sounds dated. It actually IS. This is a re-working of the first song that Michael Schenker wrote when he was 15 years old. Even though he used four vocalists that he has worked with over the years on this track, Romero, Gary Barden, Doogie White and Robin McAuley, I much preferred the up-tempo tracks. Still, it’s a nice way to end the LP and it does just that, leaving the listener wanting more.
Bravo to Michael Schenker for putting out an album that is worthy of his talents. After a rough period in the early 2000s, he is back to doing what he does best. Putting together a great group of musicians, releasing solid records (which spotlight his terrific guitar work), and featuring great vocals and melodies has become a formula beloved by so many of his fans
~ Junkman
