Scorpions – Rock Believer – 2022
Rock Believer is the nineteenth studio album by the German rockers’ Scorpions. You could say that these guys have done it all already. At least if you refer to the core members: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, and Mathias Jabs. I don’t know much about the bassist Paweł Mąciwoda though. Drummer Mikkey Dee has a long history with Motörhead of course. They’re all competent musicians for sure. It’s a well-produced album and Rudolf Schecker has the most writing credits. Apart from the lyrics of course, which is more or less Klaus Meine’s domain. I think he’s credited for all lyrics except one, which is a collaboration with Jabs. So it’s clear where the creative emphasis lies on Rock Believer.
As I said, Scorpions has done it all by now and it must be hard trying to sound fresh and inspired. The band’s core is in their seventies so I guess I should really commend their effort. But I think this is an album made for the fans. You get about what you expect – nothing more and nothing less. It doesn’t feel too inspired, more like a band delivering their duty. It’s not bad by any means, just kinda boring. It’s well-produced, maybe too well-produced actually. It misses that edge that keeps the music really alive.
One funny thing though. Almost every song on the album is not titled by the most obvious line in the chorus. So you get kinda confused when Klaus Meine keeps repeating a line that you think is the title of the song, and it’s not. It might keep the audience more alert. I don’t know.
