A Tribute to The Scorpions
(Nuclear Blast)
by Scott Hefflon
19 tracks of classic hard rock, the Scorpions being one of the first for many of us. And while some used it as a launchpad, some dug their heels in deep and argued the validity of this band long into the ’90s. And while I seem to recall offering up my historical take for anyone who cared (was that a pin dropping?) for some rather ghastly Deadline/Cleopatra tribute/slaughtershow (is there any other kind from them?), I’ll summarize by saying The Scorpions started in the very late ’60s, a time when most of us weren’t even a hand up mom’s skirt, much less smoking the good stuff and writing songs we’d later be embarrassed by. The latter part of the ’70s were good to the Scorpions, I hear, but again, I was still playing catch in the front yard. But from ’80-’85, the Scorps (as they were affectionately known by people who feel compelled to shorten things to add a sense of familiarity and intimacy) ruled the roost. While seemingly quaint now, Love at First Sting brought young guitarists to their knees, a little something it’s time for again with all the half-assed heroes strutting about with more facial piercings than chops. Some may remember Savage Amusement from the latter daze due to “Rhythm of Love,” a cute little rewrite of their formula that got played on MTV (had a hot chick and a spaceship, I think), but by then, Nirvana was limbering up to dance on glam rock’s grave.
The songs selected here are, ya know, the faves of old metal dudes, so like any Priest tribute, ya kinda have to slog through covers of songs yer older brother worshiped that got the ball rolling and all but, ya know, kinda stink of the ’70s. While the originals can hang around as long as they don’t get all uppity an’ shit, hearing stylish millennial bands dusting off the grime that, to be honest, is much of the charm, it’s kind of unnecessary. Likewise, many of the bands paying homage oughtta keep studying. Then again, it’s kinda cool to compare this “new heavy metal” tribute with Deadline’s “old glam fuckers need work” tribute. Mentally, I mean… I sold that turd for a pack of gum, and come Monday morning, I’ll be trying to convince the buyer at my local used CD store that he oughtta give me a buck for this cuz the packaging is cool and all the scraggly-haired metal guys in the photos offer a quote on why they selected a particular song. Stinging more like mosquitos than scorpions: Helloween, Sinergy, Paradox, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarious, Children of Bodom, Agent Steel, Steel Prophet, Prolopower, Tankard, Disbelief, To/Die/For, Breaker, Therion, Rough Silk, Metalium, Seven Witches, Custard, S.O.D..
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