Scorpions
Pure Instinct

The wild side of life is the main theme of this thirteenth album (1996) by the Teutonic metalheads, and even its cover (which was partially censored in Europe) demonstrates it. It's not the clear example of how pure heavy metal was born and died in the '80s, but the sound of the tracks on this album firmly confirms the Scorpions at the top of the hierarchies of that genre. The "heroes of heavy metal," as they were defined by the Rolling Stones (what an honor!), don't want to overdo it with this album rich in ballads, not a novelty for Klaus Meine and company, but at the same time they dedicate a few minutes to the usual powerful guitar riffs. The new drummer Curt Cress, who also played with Freddie Mercury as a solo artist and with Elio e le Storie Tese, is passing between Herman Rarebell and new, current James Kottak: he does not fare badly, also giving a good personal contribution to all the tracks, especially the ballads.

 New sounds, keyboards, and other experiments that the Scorps will continue to conduct in their future albums characterize this moderately successful album (double gold and one platinum), but the best times remain memories.

"Wild Child" opens the record, introducing the guitar with a bagpipe riff, original and, if you like, also fitting: perhaps the most violent track, followed by "But The Best For You" and the cheerful "Stone in My Shoe". The hit "You And I" in bursts seems to recall the times of "Fly to the Rainbow", but overall it unfolds into the classic ballad, slightly tainted by very electric brackets; similar to "(Oh Girl) I Wanna Be With You". There's a lot for those who want to cry lying on the bed, closing their eyes and turning off the light, while listening to the poignant arpeggio of "When You Came Into My Life", the most splendid and saddest ballad present here. Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs show they can even handle acoustic guitars, and we're left only to dream of a better love, as described in the splendid words of the poet Meine, made even better by his magnificent voice; also great soft frameworks are "Does Anyone Know", "Soul Behind The Face", and the two "Where The River Flows" and "Time Will Call Your Name", slightly more rhythmic with almost country guitar twists.

The album beautifully closes with the saddest of all, "Are You The One?", leaving a bit of bitterness at the end of the record and the desire to start it over, to hear the bagpipes of "Wild Child" again.

Abundant arpeggios and slowness, but far from exaggeration, then you could never get tired of Scorpions albums full of slow songs, demonstrating the high production of best ofs and various collections by the group.

The track "She's Knockin' At My Door" is present only in the Japanese version of the record, proving the Germans' interest in also conquering the eastern market.

As always in the end, one could say, a poorly advertised album, often one of those bought only by fans of the band, but let someone who knows how to appreciate the true soul of rock listen to it, and, if they cannot call it a milestone, they will surely at least ask to borrow it from you.

The overall judgment sees the group, historic but never outdated, confirming itself in its genre, and to those who are staunch detractors of their famous slow pieces, someone who prefers harder songs, we can reply that no artist is such without sentiment, and, more importantly, no one knows how to make ballads like the Scorpions.