SCORPIONS COMEBLACK – The Scorpions latest CD release, Comeblack, is a combination of seven re-recorded classics from their legendary catalog of albums along with six Classic Rock cover songs. I realize there are fans who don’t applaud when a band makes an album of cover songs and I understand that. Personally, I enjoy hearing a band covering other band’s songs. I really am thrilled with Comeblack for more than half of this album is, essentially, the Scorpions covering themselves!
In my opinion, some of the re-recorded songs the Scorpions did for Comeblack are actually better than their own originals. I point to the first three songs on Comeblack to state my point: Rhythm Of Love, No One Like You and The Zoo. All three songs are outstanding Scorpions originals, yet on Comeblack each of these mentioned songs has a harder and edgier zeal to them, which I really dig, especially on one of my all-time favorites The Zoo. The harder energy on these three cover songs are so good and breathe some new life into them.
Unfortunately, I can’t state the same for the new versions of Rock You Like A Hurricane and Winds Of Change. I feel the original versions are superior to their re-recorded selves on Comeblack. Then again, these two songs are this iconic band’s biggest hits, so I imagine it would be almost impossible to improve on them. Blackout and Still Loving You are done well and both are very solid re-recordings. If there is one thing I would have done differently on this half of Comeblack, I would have included some of their lesser-known hits like Big City Nights, Alien Nation and In Trance and re-recorded them with the same updated heaviness.
Now for the cover songs. First of all, I find this a very interesting collection of songs to cover. For example, I was never a big fan of the song Tainted Love by the New Wave/Post-Punk band Soft Cell. Actually, I find it a very annoying song. Therefore, even before I heard this cover version by the Scorpions I was preparing to be disappointed. Man, was I surprised! The Scorpions came up huge here. What a terrific job the Scorpions did in creating what I would call a wuss of a song and transforming it into Metal!
Children of The Revolution and Tin Soldier are solidly done. Across The Universe is probably my biggest complaint, in terms of song selection for Comeblack. I can’t say I’m a big fan of this song. All Day And All Of The Night packs a good and Hard Rockin’ punch that I believe The Kinks would praise.
This brings me to the final song. The Scorpions end Comeblack with grand style! What do you get when you combine Klaus Meine, Metal guitar riffs by guitar legends Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs and a song written by The Rolling Stones? This is Scott Coverdale’s “Song Of The Year”: Ruby Tuesday. I can’t begin to tell you, just how much I love this cover version of Ruby Tuesday. After listening to this song over and over again, I’ve come to the conclusion that Ruby Tuesday was meant to be a Metal song and we’ve been delivered just that… 40 years later.
* Scorpions – Comeblack was released in November of 2011 on Sony Music.
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SCORPIONS
LONG LIVE SCORPIONS.
Scott Coverdale.
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