The last few years has had the former UFO/Scorpions guitarist in a creative flow. Solo albums, Temple Of Rock, Michael Schenker Fest and MSG records has been released in a never ending stream of music and mostly, those record has been highly enjoyable. Also, every album has been followed with a tour too. With last year’s album Immortal, Schenker brought back the MSG moniker for the first time since the covers album By Invitation Only in 2011 and the first one with all original tracks since Arachnophobiac in 2001. What puzzled me a bit was the the whole structure with different singers and musicians and sound was exactly the same as his MSF records. To me, MSG was a band of five musicians. It was Schenker’s band for sure but still a band and Immortal, even though a really good album, just like the MSF albums felt much more like a solo record – and that outlook is still here for this record.
However, the focus this time is on Schenker’s touring main singer Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Lords Of Black, Vandenberg), a damn good singer but it kinda feels like he’s on every other album project right now. Primal Fear singer Ralf Scheepers, Michael Kiske (Helloween) and Gary Barden (MSG) shows up as guest-singers, guitarist/keyboardist Steve Mann and drummer Bodo Schopf has returned from the McAuley-Schenker days, Barry Sparks (UFO, Yngwie, MSG) guests on bass with Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Dead Daisies) and session guy Simon Phillips guests on drums.
Opening up with the lead-off single “Emergency”, Schenk goes for the early 80’s MSG with nods to UFO musically. It’s faster paced with punchy and distinct rhythms with beefy guitar lines and a slightly proggy structure. Schenker’s leads are melodic with fluid nuances. A brilliantly memorable vocal melody shines throughout the song with a chorus that reminds me of McAuley-Schenker and Romero really nails it. A damn good opener. The rhythmic hard-rocker “Under Attack” follows with a churning rhythm-guitar on a quite straight-forward note with an 80’s Hard Rock vibe. It’s quite edgy with a distinct live feel. It’s a no-nonsense and concise direct rocker with a catchy chorus-hook but not poppy at all. Good one.
The instrumental intro “Calling Baal” has Rainbow keyboardist Tony Carey bringing out a “Tarot Woman” flirtatious organ-intro which leads us in to the single “A King Has Gone” and everything here is a reference to old Rainbow especially as Bob Daisley and Bobby Rondinelli guests on bass and drums respectively with the title being a tribute aimed at Ronnie James Dio. It’s rhythmically bouncy with a rowdy crunch and a spicy live-groove. The whole song goes towards a 70’s Rainbow vibe albeit with more 80’s sounding vocal melodies, here sung brilliantly by Kiske. The guitar leads and the solo part is as much Michael Schenker as it gets. Awesome stuff.
Starting out with a gorgeous guitar-intro that has classic Schenker all over it, the tune continues laid-back and slow albeit yet not really a ballad. On a punchy and rhythmic foundation, the song takes a slightly proggy vibe with vocal-lines and melodies that sounds classic MSG – and so does the refrain, catchy and direct without going for the syrup. Also, with Romero and Barden splitting the vocals, the song bonds new and old MSG. A phenomenal tune. The rougher-edged “Long, Long Road” grooves on hard-rock-boogie style with some distinct riffing, infectious melodies and striking hooks. It’s energetic, heavy, full of adrenaline but also very melodic with a catchy refrain that screams MSG all the way. Good one.
The metal-laden “Wrecking Ball” has Ralf Scheepers at the mike and the harder, faster and aggressive outlook makes him perfect for that spot. It’s a ferocious and relentless number that really goes for the throat. The easily grabbed melodies are never forgotten and the chorus really hits hard. I think it’s a good song but I’m not that sure I think that neither this style of Metal and a singer like Scheepers suits a MSG record all that well. “Yesterday Is Dead” holds an ominous and eerie edge and the tempo is slower here with an instant heaviness and an overlying darkness. Another direct chorus with a juicy hook tags along here – a really good tune.
“London Calling”, not a The Clash cover, is a rhythmic and 80’s smelling hard-rocker that throws a clear nod towards the McAuley-Schneker days. It’s a respectful tribute to the Hard Rock and Metal scene of London’s 80’s where The Marquee, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are name-dropped in the song. The tune holds some pop-moments in the melodies and the chorus is huge with a monstrous hook. Still it’s a meaty and beefy piece that ticks all my MSG boxes. Great tune. “Sad Is The Song” takes the heavy and hard road, it’s metal-fueled with a dark atmosphere but it also contrasts with some Rainbow-ish Classic Rock touches. A strong main-melody and a chunky and hard-grabbing chorus makes the song one of the finest moments on this album.
The actual closing track “Au Revoir” is fast, hard, edgy and robust on a straight forward structure with direct vocal melodies and chuggy guitars. It’s a poundy and in-your-face hard-rocker with a good enough chorus. It’s a good tune but not outstanding. We also get two bonus tracks where the first, “Turn Off The World” is a heavy and dark live-friendly tune with a firey groove and some brilliant melody-hooks. Why make a song like that a bonus track, I ask? The second one, “Fighter” – for which they have made a video for some reason – is a mid-paced, crunchy and bouncy 80’s sounding rocker with more McAuley-Schenker flirting vocal-melodies and a chorus that sticks right off the bat. Again, why make it a bonus track? It’s awesome.
Since Michael Schenker got his life back on track and kicked his demons, I truly believe that he has put out a whole bunch of damn good albums where only a couple of the Temple Of Rock albums has been on the uneven side. The Michael Schenker Fest records and the last MSG one were all proof that Schenker is still relevant and this record is no exception to that rule. Fact is, I hold this one his strongest since I don’t know when. A couple of fillers aside the material here is really strong and even though I think the usage of all the different singers – where neither Kiske or Scheepers really fits even though they both does a great job – gives the album more of project outlook than a band, this is a record that really shouldn’t disappoint any Schenker fan out there.
8/10
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Tracklist:
1. Emergency
2. Under Attack
3. Calling Baal
4. A King Has Gone
5. The Universe
6. Long Long Road
7. Wrecking Ball
8. Yesterday Is Dead
9. London Calling
10. Sad Is The Song
11. Au Revoir
12. Turn Off The World (Bonus track)
13. Fighter (Bonus track)
CD & Festival reviews 