Scorpions - Humanity Hour 1
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Free Music Notes for Humanity Hour 1
Free Music Review: Ignore the "Nu-metal" Comments - this is Pure Scorpions!
Hit: 5 Stars
The Scorpions have always incorporated bits and pieces of what has been popular in pop-metal at the time - mostly successfully (conveniently forgetting about "To Be Number One" and "Du Bist So Schmutzig" which I have probably misspelled). "Humanity - Hour 1" is really just the Scorpions doing their thing, and really kicking it up a couple notches.
It seems that many Scorps fans considered "Unbreakable" to be a return-to-form and in many ways it was; the band dropped the experimentation of "Eye II Eye" and just rocked out like it was 1984. That may have been exactly what the fans needed to hear at that point. I like nearly everything on "Unbreakable" and consider it to be their most consistent album since "Crazy World" - but I hardly ever listen to it.
"Humanity - Hour 1" shows the Scorpions making a few stylistic leaps, while sacrificing none of their trademark sound, if that's possible. The hard rockers are here - "Hour 1", "Game of Life", "321", "The Cross" - and they'll more than satisfy fans of "Unbreakable" or "Blackout", even while experimenting a bit. "You're Lovin' Me To Death", "Love is War" and especially "Humanity" (truly a standout) fit that ballad/rocker hybrid model of "Rhythm of Love" and the remaining tracks, with the possible exception of "Love Will Keep Us Alive" (think softer version of "Where the River Flows") should be received well by fans of "Winds of Change" or "Still Loving You".
Without knocking the Scorps' lyrical "legacy" too much, I have to mention that the lyrics on "Humanity - Hour 1" seem to be light years ahead of previous efforts. OK, so there's a "321...are you ready to rock?" here and something about a "deer leaping highest at dawn" there...but overall, I've found myself paying attention to the words on this album because they work well in the songs and don't, generally, fall to the level of Herman Rarebell's contributions in the 80s or some of the embarrassing statements made on the "Eye II Eye" album (which coincidentally holds several of my favorite Scorpions tracks).
All the songs on "Humanity - Hour 1" flow well together, while mixing things up stylistically and keeping an edge. This album may be my favorite by the Scorpions - I hope that fans will get past the fact that it isn't so much of a throwback like "Unbreakable" and see it for the career-high that it should be.
Free Music Review: OMG, THIS CD ROCKS !!
Hit: 5 Stars
TO ALL YOU SCORPS FANS OUT THERE,
OMG, This Album freakin RAWKS!!!! Finally, Amazon.com delivered my copy of Humanity-Hour 1 yesterday June 11, 07. It was waiting for me when I got home from work last night.
I ripped that sucka open so fast. Yeah !!! It's here, It's here, It's finally here, I screamed out loud!! I played that Cd all night long and on my way to work this morning. OMG, the looks I got from surrounding vehicles. I was lovin it !! Especially when you pull up along side of another car playing crappy music and they think their all that !! Then here I come crankin up HOUR 1. The heads were a rollin ! This new release Is an awesome mixture of Hard Rockin songs and powerful monster ballads.
The "SCORPS" REALLY OUT DID THEMSELVES ON THIS ONE PEOPLE !! THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THEIR VERY BEST !!
NO LIE !!
I'm impressed !! I'll be very surprised if the local radio stations don't give this the attention it deserves. I'm blown away by this new album.
Scorpions fans from around the world will definitely not be disappointed !! I promise you that !!
I went into Best Buy on Friday 06/08/07 to ask when they would be getting the USA release in stock. He said he didn't know and that I should order the import online. Errrr Dahhhhh, you freakin dumb dumb. I already did that through Amazon.com! I need to purchase the USA release to help their sales here !!! I found it annoying that an employee from Best Buy could not tell me when they are expecting it in stock. It's in their database and he told be to buy the freakin import. There's something wrong with that picture dontcha agree folks !!
RAWK ON and God Bless us all !!
2007/2008 The YEAR of the "SCORPIONS"!! COME ON ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME. ITS TIME THAT THE SCORPIONS BE INDUCTED FOR 2008. MAKE IT REAL !!!
"LONG LIVE THE SCORPIONS" !!!!!!!!
Free Music Review: full-boar to formula that made them arena rock superstars
Hit: 5 Stars
The Good
The Scorpions make no bones about it on the opening number "Hour 1;" this is not a happy concept album. Meaty riffs, pounding drums, and a scathing commentary on our world's governments ring loud and clear. Thunderous riffs in the vein of "Rock You Like a Hurricane" lead the charge on "The Game of Life." The song switches gears with a melodic verse and catchy chorus section. "The Future Never Dies" proves once again that the 80s rockers still know how to craft an emotionally charged power ballad.
Driving riffs and a hook-laden chorus command "Loving Me to Death." "321" will no doubt become the Scorpions modern day rock anthem. "Love Will Keep Us Alive" is another touching ballad with great acoustic melodies. "Your Last Song" is one of those songs that keep you guessing as to whether the main characters are breaking up or getting back together. "Humanity" is clearly laying the ground work for Hour 2. It's a mixed rocker/ballad with the message of humanity lost. Or is it?
The Bad
I hate trying to figure out "concept" albums.
The Verdict
If you've followed the Scorpions over the years, you've know doubt noticed they've experimented with their sound from time to time. Early recordings sound nothing like their 80s hey-day, and don't even get me started on their 90s alternative experiments. The group's last release, Unbreakable, was a step in the right direction in capturing the sound that made them famous.
Humanity: Hour 1 finds the Scorpions returning full-boar to formula that made them arena rock superstars. Classic riffs and soloing, memorable vocal hooks, and catchy melodies rock this album from beginning to end. As for the story...despite our nations and relationships falling apart, our love for one another will prevail in the end. I think?
Free Music Review: Scorpions succeed at making modern rock rock again.
Hit: 5 Stars
Scorpions have yet to fail! I love these guys. They are talented and continue to evolve and improve. This CD is unique in that it is more alternative rock and modern rocked focused rather than it being your typical 80s hard rock (like we really need another monster ballad about love). So don't expect songs like Rock You like a hurricane or Still loving you. Instead we get a bunch of high quality modern rock songs about love and politics, also the mixing and mastering here is probably the best I've ever heard from the scorpions. Yes even better than Unbreakable and eye to eye. Klaus's voice sounds really good too and he is like what in his early hundreds?
Hour 1 - This is probably the worst song on here. Klaus Meine's voice is too nasal on this one. 4/10
Game of Life - 8.5/10. Modern rock rules!
We Were Born to Fly - 10/10 Even better!
Future Never Dies - 9/10 ballad that reminds me of Queen.
You're Lovin' Me to Death - Young country styled modern rock 10/10.
321 - 321 are you read to rock? Yes I am! This song is a typical scorpions anthem about rocking hard. The scorpions down tune their guitars for this song too. 10/10
Love Will Keep Us Alive - Catchy modern hard rock ballad 9/10
We Will Rise Again - Neat song with even better chorus 10/10
Your Last Song - Radio friendly rock ballad 8/10
Love Is War - some acoustic rock mixed with hard rock 8/10
Cross - alternative rock with Billy Corgan of smashing pumpkins singing a few lines. 9/10
Humanity - This sounds like old school scorpions (holiday?) blended with some heavy chugging riffs and a great sing along chorus. 10/10
Cold - sort of lame and redundant 5/10
Free Music Review: the best Scorpions album since Animal Magnatism & Virgin Killer
Hit: 5 Stars
Humanity: Hour 1 is absolutely incredible. the reviewer here who said it's too full of ballads is nuts, but he also called "No One Like You" a ballad, so he's clearly an odd guy anyway.
This album updates their sound while bringing back the best of what they do. They are clearly back to the creativity, heavy riffs and toughness of Virgin Killer and Animal Magnetism, as well as the depth of songs like "Winds of Change" and party rock of "Rock You Like a Hurricane" However, if you know the music of the Disturbed, H.I.M. and the heavier Smashing Pumpkins, you know that those are the bands that Rudy Schenker and Klaus Meine were probably listening to when they made this.
Top songs on the album are 321, Hour 1, Love Will Keep Us Alive, The Game of Life, and more. Really, every song is good. I'm not crazy about "Loving me to Death" but even that is better than most songs from most of their records.
One thing that makes this CD deeper than most is that most songs here are in the context of the end of the world. So "love will keep us alive" conveys a struggle for survival, and not in a cheesy cliche way. 321 is the only song here about "rocking" here, but it's actually a countdown to extinction, with lyrics like: "Save me, cause the world's gonna stop, baby 3 2 1, are you ready to rock."
As much as I love the classic Scorpions, I never thought they could come back this strong. Put it up against any CD in your collection. be sure to buy the album and spread the word so they can make more albums like this one.