About a dozen years ago I travelled to the US to see Scorpions final tour catching them at the Rock In America Festival in Oklahoma where we got to chat back stage (and interestingly where the band took Covid-like precautions at their meet and greet) then over to Phoenix to see them with Tesla and again a few days later in Los Angeles. As the press release at the time read “In March 2010, the Scorpions released their seventeenth album, Sting in the Tail and shortly after, the band announced that it would be the final album for the band as they geared up for retirement. Not before going on the Sting and Blackout World Tour 2010 though!”
They continued that final ‘Get Your Sting and Blackout Tour’ into 2012 and followed it with the ‘Final Sting Tour’ and the ’50th Anniversary Tour’ then the 2017-2018 Crazy World Tour’ which in turn was followed by the ‘World Tour 2019’ then the ‘World Tour 2020’ and now in 2022 comes the ‘Rock Believer Tour’ that’s a lot of touring for a band gearing up for a rather long and leisurely ride into retirement.’ Indeed after announcing their retirement the band played more shows in the following ten years than they had done in the 1990’s or 2000’s.
Since 2010 though the band has just released two albums and both of them rather decent up until now – when 2010’s Sting in the Tail and 2015’s Return to Forever are joined by Rock Believer an album seven years in the making. This is also the first album for drummer Micky Dee who replaced John Kottak in 2016 and he does a cracking job.
Opening with ‘Gas In The Tank’ we’re 50 years on from that debut record, and have just endured the longest gap between records in the band’s history, but with that rocking opener you’ll feel rather comforted with the familiar riff and cheesy sounding lyrics that only Klaus can pull off. That’s followed by ‘Roots In My Boots’ and ‘Knock ‘Em Dead’ which both keep on rocking and the foot to the metal before the meaty title track ‘Rock Believer’ really seals the deal with it’s familiar, warm Melodic Hard Rock. For Scorpions fans it’s one that really tocks all the boxes.
Variety comes first in the form of ‘Shining Of Your Soul’ which starts with a riff that bites before adding a tune that pitches a light island Reggae vibe with a dab of Prog, it’s interesting and almost nails it. One of my early favourites comes next with the mid-tempo stomp of ‘Seventh Sun’ before we’re back and rocking with ‘Hot And Cold’ which almost gets there but feels a little perfunctory up against some of the other tracks here.
‘When I Lay My Bones To Rest’ penned by Jabs has a nice edge and comes out as a fired up Rock and Roller before first single ‘Peacemaker (Bassist Paweł Mąciwoda’s only co-write here) hits you with it’s wonderful groove. It’s a song that really grew on me. The standard album adds just two more tracks: the thick groove of ‘Call Of The Wild’ (another of my very favourites here – just listen to those guitars on the way out!) and the closing ‘epic’ Scorpions ballad ‘When You Know (Where You Come From).’ Yes you might have known it was coming but it still works!
The deluxe version of the album I got to review adds a whopping five more tracks! And interestingly for me the first of which is another favourite – ‘Shoot For Your Heart’ which just nails it; and whilst tracks like ‘When Tomorrow Comes’ are more experimental – with daubs of Metal and spoken lyrics they don’t quite cut it to make the main. Interestingly ‘Unleash The Beast’ also feels like one that didn’t quite get gel, but it’s another interesting one.
We close out what is actually a rather fine album with the mid tempo wail of ‘Crossing Borders’ and an acoustic take on teh one ballad here ‘When You Know (Where You Come From) (Acoustic Version)’ which as you might expect stacks up rather well. If this is the final curtain call and it does end up being the last Scorpions album, they did it rather well.
8 /10
Band: Pawel Mąciwoda, Bass | Rudolf Schenker, Guitar | Klaus Meine, Vocals | Matthias Jabs, Guitar | Mikkey Dee, Drums
TRACKLIST: 1. Gas In The Tank | 2. Roots In My Boots | 3. Knock ‘Em Dead | 4. Rock Believer | 5. Shining Of Your Soul | 6. Seventh Sun | 7. Hot And Cold | 8. When I Lay My Bones To Rest | 9. Peacemaker | 10. Call Of The Wild | 11. When You Know (Where You Come From) | 12. Shoot For Your Heart | 13. When Tomorrow Comes | 14. Unleash The Beast | 15. Crossing Borders | 16. When You Know (Where You Come From) (Acoustic Version)