Unlike the nocturnal arthropod from which they take their name, the Scorpions
are no strangers to the wind of change, so to speak. Throughout their
30-plus-year career, they’ve adapted to the trends and musical styles
of the day — from the blues-based hard rock of the 70s to the heavy metal
of the 80s and hit parade of the 90s to the time-honored workhorse ethics of
today. In recent years, the Scorpions have maintained a strong and steady fan
base without drawing too much attention outside their own bubble of existence.
It seems to work. And just to show how vigilant they are about remaining in
the game, they stay on the road and continue to make new records whenever the
mood strikes. For Humanity Hour 1, their latest CD, they’ve
gone the extra mile and gathered up plenty of help to take things to the next
level.
“Hour 1” lifts off like a Metallica-fueled rocket. This straight-ahead
head banger dovetails into the much more maligned “The Game Of Life.”
For most of the record, The Scorpions balance out the servings — part
sugar and syrupy ala “The Future Never Dies,” “Love Will Keep
Us Alive” and “Love Is War”; part loud and heavy ala “You’re
Loving Me To Death,” “321” and ‘The Cross,” which
features the Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan on background vocals. Then
there’s tunes like ‘We Will Rise Again” and “Humanity,”
that mix it up with bits of tenderness occasionally tossed over the sawhorse
and beaten for good measure. Yeah, you know, the classic Scorpions sound! And
with people like Desmond Child turning the knobs and chipping in on the songwriting,
you’d think it would become a runaway hit the world over. Well, perhaps
in another era.
In Europe, the Scorpions are revered as goodwill ambassadors and their albums
are typically well-received. In America, where rap and Mickey Mouse rule the
roost these days, an album from the Scorpions, no matter how well executed,
isn’t going to dent the charts with much more than a light tap. It’s
a good thing they still pack ‘em in at the concert halls. Giving your
followers something to bang their heads to in addition to “Rock You Like
A Hurricane” and “The Zoo” says something about the loyalty
and perseverance of these group. And when you’re Number One in Greece,
which is where Humanity Hour 1 landed, who needs to worry about
churning out hits for the rest of the world anyway…
~ Shawn Perry
