SCORPIONS — Deadly Sting: The Mercury Years (review)

SCORPIONS — Deadly Sting: The Mercury Years album cover

Boxset / Compilation · 1995 · Heavy Metal

4.5/5 · 2011-11-18
1967/ 1976

Compilations are often passed off as the final album of a band. For me "Deadly Sting" is a valuable compilation if you love 80's Scorpions. I was a child when the songs in this compilation were written and recorded (I'm born in January 19th 1978). Between Mike Oldfield, Alan Parsons, Duran Duran or Spanda Ballet, Scorpions are one of my preferred band in 80's and my ambition was to be able to buy their albums. But Dokken, Great White, Rick Wakeman, Jwthro Tull, Mr Big, Van Halen, Dio, Black Sabbath or Journey (for good examples) came before Scorpions in vinyl format. To date I own several CDs and MCs by Scorpions but no vinyls!

I said that often compilations are compiled ambendo to turn it into the final album of a band or artist. In this case of EMI/ Electrola production by Scorpions. Goal achieved? I believe you. But not really want. It's just that the songs deserve to end up in an anthology of the best of the Scorpions in 80's are the same for everyone! Not much else to say on the subject. Scorpions suddenly as it should be noted in the 80's did not produce true Heavy Metal, but a mix of Rock, Pop and Heavy Metal That is good for everyone. In fact one of my classmate who was the medium of Madonna fans, at the same time was also an expert in Scorpions. She also has a sister at least 10 years older (I have a brother) that is not foreign to this influence. But this fact is important to understand how Scorpions are transversal to the world of listeners. If we, therefore, we are going to judge a compilation of Scorpions this is a fundamental parameter.

This compilation start with "Coming Home": Long intro, thoughtful and sweet. Great guitars and Klaus Meine good, although a little suffering. The song becomes, then, a great rock and roll, very fast and sufficiently Heavy Metal. The style are typical of Proto Power Metal (good for who love Judas Priest or Saxon). A great song. The second song is "Rock You Like A Hurricane", a great Hard Rock song with POP taste. Unfortunately, "Rock You Like A Hurricane" is aging badly affected too much in some parts of the musical climate of 1984. "No ne Like You" is a typical Scorpions song of 80's: pure Heavy Rock with great refrain and guitars, not technical but with immediate feeling. One electric guitar present clean sound, one guitar is distorted but in refrains both guitar present the same line and guitar solo is only a claim to change the pattern of the song, as often happens in their songs. "Lovedrive" is a typical 80's Heavy Metal song: Hard Rock with Punk flavor, in this case with anthemic and simil neo classical arrangement and writing. Soloist guitar are technical but not intrusive. "Bad Boys Running Wild" is an anthemic Hard Rock song with AOR taste. If I find fault "Bad Boys..." contains only a little too anonymous guitar solo. "I'm Leaving You" is another good song, similar to Lovedrive" for concept. At the same time "I'm Leaving You" is too anonymous and for this fact aged badly, "I'm Leaving You" remain a great song, of course. "Passion Rules The Game" present a funky structure in another typical Scorpions song. Not a perfect song, not a bad song, not a powerful song. "China White" is a great Doom/ Power Metal song. Slow, Heavy, without compromises, "China White" is one of the most insipid songs for the non-metalheads that Scorpions have produced. In addition "China White" is one of the more psychedelic songs of their 80's production. "Walking On The Edge" is anothe Hard Rock song with AOR taste, in this case a great song if you love bands as Journey (but not only). "Coast To Coast" is an anthemic, dreamer and powerful Neo Classical Hard Rock instrumental song. In a certain sense "Coast To Coast" is a modern view of Richard Wagner compositions. "Loving You Sunday Morning" is a complex song but not technical: in my opinion this song is one of the first Neo prog song or Prog Metal song. Remain the fact that "Loving You Sunday Morning" is a pure Hard Rock song. "Another Piece Of Meat" is, in spirit with title, a slaughter song. And the final result is a great Speed Metal song! "Dynamite" is another Speed Metal song but with more punky taste in an anthemic song. "Can't Live Without You" is a song that present all the ingredients of 80's Scorpions in a sort of Glam Metal style song. This song present mini soli of guitar, very interesting but present a simple main guitar solo, not interesting. "Edge Of Time" is a unreleased song. But this song is atribute to some forms of modern metal and hard Rock with the presence of keyboards. Interesting but not memorable, if not for the great chorus. Because, at the end Scorpions is Scorpions!

After all, "Deadly Sting" might well be classified as the definitive albums of the Scorpions in relation to 80's. Of this fact there is no doubt. But, it is true, an album of Scorpions have another magic. At the end: if you do not have nothing of 80's Scorpions' production this compilation is a good introduction.