Scorpions
Animal Magnetism

THE REVIEW

The Scorpions burst onto the '80s scene with a sound that draws from past glories while looking towards the future. Although they can't be labeled as purely commercial, they are certainly slightly more radio-oriented compared to previous albums. However, unlike what often happens, this is not a bad thing at all because, in fact, "Animal Magnetism" is a very beautiful album.

This is where we see the true ascension of Matthias Jabs, the excellent replacement for Uli Jon Roth, who is often considered by many to be more anonymous or of less significance compared to his predecessor, perhaps also because he was slightly overshadowed in the previous album "Lovedrive" by the (temporary) return of Michael Schenker, brother of the Scorpions' backbone, Rudolf Schenker. But in "Animal Magnetism," Jabs unleashes himself and shows everyone what kind of guitarist he is.

Make it Real is the quintessential opener model, where the crossing guitars of Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs sparkle, not to mention the magnificent Klaus Meine, in better shape than ever. The chorus is spectacular, as well as the verse, grand all around! This song is one of the great classics that is permanently on the Scorpions' live setlist. Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep) is a typical Scorpions track, with a pleasant rhythm that flows and the usual semi-sexual maniac lyrics, because the Scorpions, as we know, are quite crazy about that stuff. With such topics, they love to joke, as shown by the cover, but especially its back: "animal magnetism" manifests itself in all its grotesque comedy, and I have nothing more to add! Hold Me Tight is a good track, and the chorus is truly remarkable. Herman Rarebell on drums and Francis Buchholz on bass provide the right rhythmic compactness that a Hard rock band needs.

Twentieth Century Man is a ballad where the most memorable part is the bass, prominently featured, showcasing what kind of bassist Francis Buchholz is. Lady Starlight is instead the most moving part of the album, a gentle sadness that concludes with one of the most beautiful electric guitar solos in Scorpions' history. The nice little riff of Falling In Love, a song in the vein of Twentieth Century Man, inspires joy throughout its duration. Beautiful. Only A Man has an original vocal style, dictated by the guitar duo that reigns majestically.

The Zoo is a heroic toned ride, one of the album's strong pieces, also never left out live and impossible to stop listening to. The beautifully sung verse, almost in a low voice, to which the guitars respond in chorus, not to mention when it comes to the explosive chorus, is truly awesome. At its time, The Zoo was also covered by Iron Maiden, who provided a worthy version.

From the title-track, the song that gives the album its name, one usually expects a great bang, a powerful song. I'm sorry to say that in this case, it's not quite like that, because Animal Magnetism is indeed the album's weak track, where the rhythm is quite diluted, almost reaching whining. In fact, much better is the spectacular bonus track, Hey You, even labeled as a "Rare Single," where Klaus Meine's singing seems to insinuate itself almost mischievously among the song's notes. Truly an exceptional track!

In short, "Animal Magnetism" is an album of very good and healthy old-school hard rock and a prelude to the great album that will follow: "Blackout."