Scorpions
Blackout

THE REVIEW

Born in the second half of the 60s in Hannover, then West Germany, the Scorpions are a very important band on a global level, but their fame is not quite proportional to their skill if we compare them to other similar genre bands born in those years like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rolling Stones. This fact may be attributed to their country of origin, certainly less fertile musically compared to England or the United States.

However, the Scorps managed first to emerge in the German scene and then establish themselves worldwide with "Virgin Killer." The first album of the '80s is 'Blackout,' whose success had been seriously threatened by a throat problem of the vocalist Meine, the true backbone of the group alongside Rudolph Schenker. I consider this work the best studio work by the band, it is a sparkling and fast-paced album like few others. The first track is also the title track "Blackout" characterized by a "Stop and Go," if it can be so defined, before the chorus, marked by the quick and furious gallops of Schenker and Jabs' guitars. With "Can't Live Without You" the tone changes, with an introduction by the bass then attacked by Schenker's guitar and his solos, never fading, accompanied by a stratospheric and angry Meine, it's an adrenaline-pumping, catchy, and above all danceable track, that captivates those who listen to it. For the reasons listed, it was chosen as a single.

With "No One Like You" the rhythm slows down a bit. It's a song full of pathos where the percussions are slightly more present, inevitably alternated with Schenker's solos and Bucholz's bass. "You Give Me All I Need" slows down the album irrevocably but is a great song, also introduced by a long guitar solo, flowing into the catchy chorus "cradled" by Schenker and Jabs. But straight after, to lift the spirits a bit, comes "Now" a fast piece from the first bass notes, which recalls some of today's Punk/Poprock riffs, but then it's an engaging and shot Rock and Roll. Finally, it all closes with an explosive ending where everything seems to catch fire, a bit like TNT by AC/DC. It's the shortest track of the album, only 2.40 minutes. The journey continues along these lines also with "Dynamite," less rapid than the previous but in compensation, the drums are more audible, marked by a fantastic guitar solo in the middle part. "Arizona" is perhaps the least inspired track of the album and doesn't leave much memory aside from the brief chorus. "China White" is seven fairly heavy minutes but still appreciable, and finally, the beautiful "When The Smoke Going Down" is slow, moving, and sweet to properly close a great album.

The absence of Roth is undoubtedly felt, but Jabs is no amateur. Regarding the album itself, it might lose a bit of strength between "Arizona" and "China White" but nothing serious.