SCORPIONS — Animal Magnetism (review)

SCORPIONS — Animal Magnetism album cover Album · 1980 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Unitron
The sound of Animal Magnetism is often what I first think of when I think of the Scorpions. Even though Taken By Force beats this by a little bit as my favorite from them, Animal Magnetism just has a unique sound and atmosphere that is just pure pre-power balled Scorps. It blends the big and loud sound of 80's metal with this real dark and seedy atmosphere. It makes me feel like I'm walking in some shifty alleyway where there's no telling what goes bump in the night. Meanwhile I'm being serenaded by Klaus Meine's absolutely sublime melodies and the beautiful guitar harmonies and pumped up riffs.

The fast jams like Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep) are an absolute blast to listen to, especially with the fistful-of-power sound of Herman Rarebell's drums, but a lot of the album relies on this thumping plod that's brought to life by Francis Buchholz's real deep bass sound. It's no more apparent than on the final two songs The Zoo and the title track. Ever since first listening to these guys years and years ago, The Zoo's always been an absolute favorite. The whole song balances melody with this dark swaggering march of a hook, and Only a Man does as well and takes the cake as my top favorite on the album.

Though when it comes to foreboding and absolutely massive sounding, the finale title track takes the cake. I remember when I first heard this song when I first spun the vinyl for the entire album, and what an ending. I never knew anyone could make a song about sex sound so fucking threatening, but it is darkly beautiful and almost has a meditative quality.

Few other albums blend beautiful melody with a lumbering darkness as good as this.
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siLLy puPPy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Great point. Bands of this era, especially the famous ones were controlled by their record execs. I look beyond that and at the musical talent. I've never been a fan of the lyrics either but the music and performances are brilliant! And not all the lyrics are bad, just some!
Unitron wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I've heard that their awful covers were sometimes decided by the label. Don't know about this cover, but either way definitely one of Hipgnosis' worst lol. Lonesome Crow is the only album art of theirs I like, though Blackout has some sort of cheesy charm to it. Scorpions are the perfect example of don't judge a book by the cover.
siLLy puPPy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
LOL. For sure. Spinal Tap material all the way. The Scorps were sleazy for sure but the music is so good that i don't care!
Vim Fuego wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Those damn album covers though! You can see where Spinal Tap got the inspiration for Smell The Glove...
siLLy puPPy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
This is actually my favorite Scorps album. It's musical perfection but doesn't get as much love as other albums.

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