ALBUMS: Best of Scorpions (1979); Virgin Killer (1977).
MVC Rating: Best of 3.0/$$; Killers 3.5/$$$$
This German band was actually quite good in their genre for that time period. They hit in the late 70s as heavy metal was just turning into a popular and lucrative format. The Scorpions definitely had heavy metal songs. Over time the Scorpions used their considerable musical talents to broaden into ‘power balladry’ — epic songs with big choruses and lots of guitar that got played on the radio. Come to think of it their musical arc is kind of like America’s REO Speedwagon.
In other words they became commercial. The unfortunate title of the album and the song of the same name was a shock value move. The lyrics to that song talk about how popular culture destroys innocence and warns of being caught by the demons.
I think.
Any discussion of the band’s music surrounds its lightning fast, liquid guitar playing by Ulrich Roth and Rudolph Schenker. Schenker had a brother who played in the metal-hard rock group UFO.