Various Artists
A Tribute to the Scorpions

March 2001
Released: n/a, Nuclear Blast
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Joe

If any of you read the December 2000 installment of the From Hell’s Heart column, then you may remember that I’m not a big fan of tribute albums. Well, I still don’t hold them in very high regard, but occasionally one will come along that is worthy of one’s attention, and Nuclear Blast’s A TRIBUTE TO THE SCORPIONS is definitely worthy.



Having been a huge Scorpions fan in high school, my interest was piqued enough to find out which bands had contributed to this particular tribute disc when I discovered it had been released. Much to my delight, several of the bands that appeared are bands I am already a fan of (or at least familiar with) and many of the songs were ones that are among my favorite Scorpions tunes (Nobody covered "Big City Nights", though... DAMMIT!!!). With bands like Helloween, Stratovarius, Children of Bodom, Steel Prophet, Sinergy, and Metalium all contributing, how could any self-respecting Power Metal fan resist??? I know I couldn’t...



Anyway, I know the best way to review these types of albums is to go track-by-track, but I’m pressed for time (and I’m lazy too...). Some of the highlights include Sonata Arctica’s up-tempo version of the classic ballad "Still Loving You", a technically-enhanced cover of "Don’t Stop At the Top" by Children of Bodom, To/Die/For’s melancholy rendition of "Passion Rules the Game", and Prolopower’s (who consist of Matt and Klaus from Primal Fear plus a third guy that I didn’t recognize from the pic in the booklet) version of "Dampflockfuhrer" which is sung entirely in German. I don’t know why, but this song cracks me up every time I hear it.



The only track on the CD that I’d have been happy to do without is the closing track, S.O.D.’s cover of "Rock You Like A Hurricane". They play the opening riff 4 times, Billy Milano shouts "You’re bald!"... And the song is over. Funny to those who have the maturity level of a 6 year-old, I suppose... Thankfully, Sinergy do a kick-ass version of the song earlier on the album.



So do you like Power Metal??? Do you like the Scorpions??? If you do, then give some thought about picking this particular tribute album up. And to help you in your decision, here’s the tracklist: 1) Helloween - "He’s A Woman, She’s A Man" 2) Sinergy - "Rock You Like A Hurricane" 3) Paradox - "Dynamite" 4) Sonata Arctica - "Still Loving You" 5) Stratovarius - "Blackout" 6) Children of Bodom - "Don’t Stop At the Top" 7) Agent Steel - "Dark Lady" 8) Steel Prophet - "Top of the Bill" 9) Prolopower - "Dampflockfuhrer" 10) Tankard - "Coming Home" 11) Disbelief - "Coast to Coast" 12) To/Die/For - "Passion Rules the Game" 13) Breaker - "Pictured Life" 14) Therion - "Polar Nights" 15) Rough Silk - "Is There Anybody There?" 16) Metalium - "Another Piece of Meat" 17) Seven Witches - "Alien Nation" 18) Custard - "Send Me An Angel" 19) S.O.D. - "Rock You Like A Hurricane"