| Rock Believer | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 22 February 2022(UK) 25 February 2022(elsewhere) | |||
| Recorded | 2020–2021 | |||
| Studio | Peppermint Park,Hannover, Germany | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:29 | |||
| Label | Vertigo | |||
| Producer |
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| Scorpions chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Rock Believer | ||||
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Rock Believer is the nineteenth studio album by Germanrock bandScorpions, released on 22 February 2022 in the United Kingdom and 25 February elsewhere.[2][3][4] This is the band's first studio album with drummerMikkey Dee, who replacedJames Kottak in 2016, and their first studio album in seven years sinceReturn to Forever (2015), making it their longest gap between studio albums.
Scorpions toured for over a year in support ofReturn to Forever, where the bandcelebrated its 50th anniversary, and about three months before the album's tour cycle ended in December 2016, drummerJames Kottak was fired from the band andMikkey Dee was officially announced as his replacement.[5] Scorpionstoured for another three years, and a follow-up album from the band was uncertain, until August 2018 when guitaristRudolf Schenker expressed interest in recording another album, telling theDigital Journal: "We are still waiting for a moment for inspiration to do another album, likeJudas Priest andMetallica did. You have to wait until the time is right."[6] In May 2019, frontmanKlaus Meine hinted that "there might be a new album out in 2020."[7]
Progress onRock Believer had slowly been taking shape for nearly three years, with the writing sessions commencing as early as early-to-mid 2019,[7] and the recording sessions beginning in July 2020 at Peppermint Park Studios inHanover and wrapping up around the following summer/fall.[1][8] The sessions were supposed to take place inLos Angeles, but theCOVID-19 pandemic meant that the band would record the album remotely in Germany, with producerGreg Fidelman participating viaZoom.[9][10] In a March 2021 interview withRobb Flynn ofMachine Head, however, Dee revealed that Scorpions were forced to scrap plans to work with Fidelman because of the pandemic.[11] Five months later, Scorpions posted a video on Facebook from the studio where they rehearsed an as-yet-untitled song for an upcoming tour.[12]
On 29 September 2021, the band announced the release ofRock Believer with the firstsingle "Peacemaker", which was released on 4 November, as well as a world tour, scheduled to begin with nine consecutive concerts in March 2022 inLas Vegas,Nevada.[1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [13] |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8/10[14] |
| Classic Rock | [15] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.5/5[16] |
Rock Believer has received mostly positive reviews. Jason Roche ofBlabbermouth.net wrote that, with this album, "The rock icons revisit many of the sounds that fueled their superstardom's peak. The level of energy and songcraft present though keep those tracks from feeling tired, and perhaps for the first time in several records, there are even a few anthems that hold up next to the classics we've been re-purchasing on multiple formats over the decades." Roche also referred to it as a "testament to the band's self-confidence that on the fiftieth anniversary of their 1972 debut album,Lonesome Crow, the band's course of action was to simply do the things that they have always done best throughout their existence", and concluded that "Rock Believer serves as a comforting reminder that Scorpions are still capable of generating catchy rock anthems in their later years."[14]
AboutRock Believer, John Aizlewood ofClassic Rock wrote, "The days of unashamed ballads such as 'Wind of Change',pop-metal ('Is There Anybody There?') and bold experiments ('The Zoo') are long gone. Instead, bar two versions of the majestic, lighters-aloft 'When You Know (Where You Come From)', they've gone full throttle with an intensity that would wind their grandchildren."[15]
All lyrics are written byKlaus Meine, except "Crossing Borders" by Meine andMatthias Jabs
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gas in the Tank" | Rudolf Schenker | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Roots in My Boots" | Schenker | 3:17 |
| 3. | "Knock 'em Dead" | Schenker | 4:11 |
| 4. | "Rock Believer" | Meine, Schenker | 3:57 |
| 5. | "Shining of Your Soul" | Schenker,Greg Fidelman | 3:57 |
| 6. | "Seventh Sun" | Schenker, Hans-Martin Buff, Ingo Powitzer, Fidelman | 5:30 |
| 7. | "Hot and Cold" | Jabs | 4:12 |
| 8. | "When I Lay My Bones to Rest" | Schenker | 3:07 |
| 9. | "Peacemaker" | Schenker,Paweł Mąciwoda | 2:56 |
| 10. | "Call of the Wild" | Schenker | 5:20 |
| 11. | "When You Know (Where You Come From)" | Schenker | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 44:29 | ||
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Shoot for Your Heart" | Meine | 4:01 |
| 13. | "When Tomorrow Comes" | Schenker | 3:47 |
| 14. | "Unleash the Beast" | Schenker | 4:17 |
| 15. | "Crossing Borders" | Jabs | 3:38 |
| 16. | "When You Know (Where You Come From)" (acoustic version) | Schenker | 3:44 |
| Total length: | 63:56 | ||
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Out Go the Lights" | Schenker | 3:39 |
| Total length: | 67:47 | ||
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "The Language of My Heart" | Meine | 3:54 |
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Hammersmith" | Schenker,Mikkey Dee, Magnus Ax | 3:44 |
Scorpions
Additional personnel
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Weekly charts[edit]
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Rock Believer is out February 22nd 2022 via Vertigo.
