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It’s hard to believe that the Scorpions are calling it a day. They have been a constant in an ever evolving world of hard music since before I was of age to hear and understand. That said, the beginning of the end is upon us and it starts with the release of Sting In the Tail, the band’s final studio offering. While many fans were certainly hoping for something raw and raucous like the bands early eighties works or something more evolved such as there last album, instead what you get is a well-produced hard rock album that seems like a reasonable bridge between Savage Amusement and Crazy World. For a fan who was introduced to the band by Savage Amusement (that’d be me), this album is exactly what I have hoping for from the boys for the last decade.
Musically, this album is full of huge, melodic guitar riffs, smooth, radio-friendly solos and more big anthem hooks than you can shake a stick at. “Raised on Rock,” “Slave Me,” “No Limit,” “Spirit of Rock,” “Rock Zone,” and the title track are all perfect examples. Honestly, I’m starting to realize how much I’ve missed band touting Rock and Roll as a way of life. You won’t hear people whining on this one, you’ll hear them telling you (repeatedly) that Rock and Roll is the be all, end all and if you don’t like it then it’s too damn bad! “Turn You On” is the one moment that really harkens back to the band’s early career and while it won’t be enough to satisfy fans that wanted that type of album, it lends some depth to the album.
In true Scorps fashion, there are also a few mid-tempo power ballads as well. “The Good Die Young” is the best of them, starting off kind of slow but ending on a high note for sure. “Lorelei” and “Sly” are decent enough but nothing particularly memorable. “The Best Is Yet to Come” ends the album in lyrically wonderful way considering that these are the final words from this band. The music is so-so but does grow on you on repeated listens.
Bottom Line: Overall, this is a great album if you are fan of their late eighties/early nineties work. The production is pristine, the songs are full of hooks, and they say “rock” enough times to satisfy even the hardest hearted anti-fan of Crazy World.
Key Tracks: "Raised on Rock," "Sting in the Tail"
Reviewed by: Mark Fisher
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