Scorpions
Blackout

February 2015
Released: 2014, Audio Fidelity
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Celtic Bob

BLACKOUT is my favorite Scorpions album hands down. I enjoyed Audio Fidelity’s LOVE AT FIRST STING and VIRGIN KILLER releases and was excited when BLACKOUT was finally announced. After being pushed back I thought it might never see the light of day but a new release date brought the joy back. Finally arriving at my door just in time to meet the deadline to be reviewed this month.



I opened this disc up as fast as I could and popped it into my player for a quick spin before work. The sounds that came out were familiar yet different. I was hearing things I don’t remember hearing before. Was it where I haven’t heard this album in a long time? What was going on? After work and a night’s rest I sat down with my morning coffee and gave the disc a proper listen.



Starting out with the title track I was ready for an aural assault on my ears. The opening guitar sounded spectacular, this was going to be good. Then the drums kicked in and my impression changed slightly. The high end was a little shrill on my system and the bass was lacking. Vocals and guitar were perfect sounding. As the album played it was almost as though I was hearing it for the first time. It sounded fresh and new yet it maintained that classic feel to it. I had played this album countless times over the years but not in ages so that could partially be why it sounded a little different. There is a clarity to this new issue that was never there. The song “China White” really sounds amazing and has benefitted from this new mastering the most. It has the punch to it that I remember. This is how I remember the album.



This is quite possibly the best version of BLACKOUT you will own on CD. I may have to haul out my well worn LP from the 80’s and do a comparison soon but I am sure the Audio Fidelity disc will trump it in many ways.