Scorpions - Humanity/Hour 1 - NewDoor 

Very few bands have had the staying power that The Scorpions have had.  Even through their ups and downs they have never failed to keep the machine going and it has only led up to this powerful release in the form of Humanity Hour 1.  The Scorpions, no matter what, have traveled a dark lane with much of their material and that is the definite order with this glimpse into the post apocalypse  life.  The concept album these days in mainstream rock has gone the way of the dinosaur but this idea warrants the full listening experience as they have penned their best release in years.  This was produced with Desmond Child but do not let that deture you from purchasing this as they have brought his slick abilities over to their way of thinking, making Humanity a full sounding but yet dark and dirty affair.  This as said is a venture into the dark days after humanity is supposedly over but yet it always finds a way to rise again so the album is not as dim as one might think.  We Will Rise Again and Love Will Keep Us Alive attest to that but the best tracks here (there really is not a bad one though) is the opener Hour 1 along with The Game Of Life.  It is the one two punch  that sets the stage for the rest of the album to fall into place.  I must admit that I have not been a fan of much of their output in recent years although Unbreakable was a solid release so having this in my hands and having it as good as it is is a statement to how they can continue to return to their roots and make you think twice about their retirement.   

www.thescorpions.com 

CD review by Jeffrey Easton