ALBUM REVIEW: Immortal – Michael Schenker Group
Considering his pedigree, it’s bizarre that Michael Schenker hasn’t already been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at least twice. The guitar virtuoso set the world on fire in the 1970’s and 80’s, first as part of a fledgling SCORPIONS and then with British legends U.F.O, cementing his brimming talent at the time on the seminal live album Strangers in the Night. This was then followed with the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, the main project for him over the past four decades with occasional ventures in other areas, all of which carried his name in one form or other. However, it’s back to his primary outfit for their eleventh studio effort and first in thirteen years, Immortal, out this Friday via Nuclear Blast and a celebration of Schenker reaching fifty years in rock music.
Naturally, the band Schenker has chosen isn’t a bunch of unknowns, with members of DOKKEN, TOTO, WHITESNAKE and DREAM THEATER making up the musical ranks, but he’s upped the ante in front of the microphone with four different lead vocalists – current RAINBOW singer Ronnie Romero and former vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, PRIMAL FEAR’s Ralf Scheepers and Michael Voss, the record’s producer and a stalwart of many of Schenker’s projects. Too many cooks spoil the broth, as they say, but there are some real highlights across the ten tracks present. By far and away, the best song is Sail the Darkness, a huge, stompy number with some brilliantly subtle keyboard and Romero’s phenomenal Dio-esque voice soaring over the top. He also provides vocals for Knight of the Dead, underpinned by a classic IRON MAIDEN gallop that drives the song on nicely. Although not quite reaching the same heights as these two, the final track – In Search of the Peace of Mind – is a re-recording of the very first song Schenker wrote at 15. Here, Romero is joined by guest vocalists Doogie White, Robin McAuley and Gary Barden to provide a more spoken word story whilst Schenker turns out his greatest performance across the album with a wonderful display of arpeggios and picking.
That said, there’s a lot of filler here too. Schenker has forever maintained that he never wanted fame or success, just an unrivalled opportunity to create and show off his talents; whilst he most certainly does, it also means he’s not looking to break boundaries or cater to the possibility of a new generation of fans. Consequently, there are too many moments where songs barely shine, in particular After the Rain, a ballad slathered with copious amounts of cheese and, quite appropriately given the title, a bit of a wet squib. The galloping that made Knight of the Dead so brilliant doesn’t quite work on penultimate track Sangria Morte, a song not helped by the fact there’s very little else going on. Even Romero’s prowess can’t save the bog standard, middle of the road plod that is Come On Over and despite the emotions within the final track, it wouldn’t be a surprise for many to finish the record and forget a significant amount of what they’ve just heard.
When bands and individuals reach a certain age, their desire to write, record and release new music than endlessly tour the classics must always be looked upon positively, and Michael Schenker is no different. It should also be applauded that he’s reached such a milestone in his career. However, if you’re looking for something fresh and exciting from your alternative music, this isn’t the place to find it.
Rating: 6/10
Immortal is set for release January 29th via Nuclear Blast Records.
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