33. Various Artists / A Tribute To The Scorpions. 2000. 4.5/5

Some of the best tribute albums were released at around this point of music history, the turn of the century when a whole new slew of bands were breaking through into the market, all of whom had some of the great bands of the past as influences on their music and burgeoning careers. So it was a perfect opportunity to create these tribute albums which worked twofold. Firstly, as a tribute to the original band, in this case the Scorpions, it gives that band a renewed exposure to the music world when their songs are lovingly covered and sometimes reimagined for a new audience. Secondly, it gives newer bands a chance to show their love for that band, but also gives them exposure to that original band’s loyal audience, and perhaps have them believeing that they should check out these newer bands on the basis of the cover versions of those songs they have performed.
In this instance, this album introduced me to a number of bands that I may never have listened to, purely on the basis of having heard them on this album playing awesome Scorpions songs. So for me, the lure and hook worked. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. What works best here in my opinion is that the songs chosen cover almost the whole career of Scorpions to the time it was recorded. They haven’t concentrated on just the 1980’s big hit albums, those from the 1970’s and 1990’s have also been given their chance to shine. In doing so, it also acts as a conduit for fans to perhaps discover the different eras of Scorpions and push them to look further than their comfort zone as fans. Once again, it is fair to say that this album did that exact same thing for me as well.

The album kicks off with Helloween’s brilliant version of “She’s a Woman, He’s a Man” that had appeared on their previous year’s release “Metal Jukebox”, itself a complete album of cover versions of songs from bands that they loved. This is a terrific version of this great song, crafted and performed with the love and care that you would expect of a band of Helloween’s standing. It gives the album the perfect start as well as a heavy hitter opening proceedings. Following this is Sinergy and their version of Scorpions best known song “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, a choice that was always going to be under heavy scrutiny form the fans who would have been looking for something special. Sinergy do the right thing, not doing too much different form the original, keeping the bones of the track intact and giving it a different skin, allowing the band’s style to flavour the track. It’s a very well-done cover of a song where the pressure would have been on to perform. Paradox and their version of “Dynamite” does the same thing, it doesn’t stary from the original too much, but the band add their own take on the track with a good pace and their great guitars matching the original versions for excitement and energy.
One of the tracks that stands out on this album is Sonata Arctica’s version of “Still Loving You”. The still-then fledgling band took one of Scorpions most recognisable and beloved power ballads, and turn it into an amazing fast paced heavy metal song that for all intents and purposes is AT LEAST as good as the original. It tears the house down in terms of energy and power, and for me ranks as one of the best cover versions of any song of all time. Surely, high praise indeed!
The heavyweight power metal band Stratovarius lend their credentials to their version of “Blackout” which again retains the structure and bones of the track and give their best performance of the track. Then comes Children of Bodom, a band that perhaps would not be thought of in a style that would complement a Scorpions song, but they come out and provide a stirring rendition of “Don’t Stop at the Top” from the “Savage Amusement” album. Musically it is flawless, and Alexi Laiho’s vocals and lead guitar are really quite terrific here. A great tribute from the masters of Finnish melodic death metal. Agent Steel’s take on “Dark Lady” from the “In Trance” album is excellent, with the vocals here arguably better here on the original which were provided by Uli Jon Roth. They also faithfully reproduce Uli’s unique guitaring style, completing an excellent cover of this song. This is followed by another truly awesome version of “Top of the Bill” from the same album by Steel Prophet, an American power metal band, who put this version of the song right alongside the original. Excellent, powerful guitars, and vocalist Rick Mythiasin top it all off. Just awesome. Prolopower then offer their version of “Steamrock Fever”, titled here and sung in the chorus as “Dampflockfuhrer”, utilising subtle changes in the lyrics but providing a unique version of the track as a result.
The second half of the album perhaps doesn’t live up to the first half, but of course that would be up to personal opinion. Tankard’s version of “Coming Home” does bring their own style into the song but loses the energy and passion of the original in the process. Disbelief offers a slower, perhaps darker version of the wonderful instrumental “Coast to Coast”, one that to me misinterprets the terrific vibes and energy of the original, though I may be biased as the band I was in during my 20’s played our own cover of this song, one which I think is far better than the one here. To/Die/For’s take on “Passion Rules the Game” comes across as a dreary mournful experience that’s sets itself apart from the original that has high energy and a positive vibe about the track. Breaker’s version of “Pictured Life” is a serviceable rendition of a track that is almost impossible to better. On the other hand, the version by Therion of “Crying Days” from Virgin Killer is a more interesting interpretation of the song, integrating the band’s style into their version of the track. Rough Silk present a varied and upbeat version of “Is There Anybody There” from “Lovedrive”, one that removes the reggae flavour the original track has and promotes it as a power metal version which suits the track well. Metalium and their take on the heavier equation of “Another Piece of Meat” is a solid version of a track that is almost impossible to either better or equal. Seven Witches journey of “Alien Nation” is a great version of the original from the “Face the Heat” album, played and sung with a passion the song needs to make it worthwhile. Then we have the joyous and brilliantly equalised version of “Send Me an Angel” by Custard. This is a song that appears to be incredibly difficult to reproduce to be anywhere near the Scorpions version, especially vocally. And yet, the band here excels. This is indeed a worthy tribute to a great band and song, and Custard probably lived off this for years. The album then concludes with the moving tribute of Stormtroopers of Death’s version of “Rock You Like a Hurricane”...... I am, of course, being slightly silly. Much like SOD themselves.

I have a saying about cover albums. Most of you will know it. And that saying is that no matter how good a cover album is, eventually you will put it back on the shelves, and head back to the original band and listen to those original songs, because in 99% of cases they will always be the best versions of those songs. Covers are fine, but it is the originals by the original band that are the real gems.
One of the things that had to be remembered coming into this album is that there is very little you could do to improve a Scorpions song. They are, for the most part, already perfect in style and substance and guitars and vocals, so to dive in and try and reinvent a classic was not something that could easily be achieved. In the most cases here, these bands didn’t try to do that, they just tried to deliver the track in the best way they could, while infusing a little of their selves into it. And that really wors well.
I had not heard of Sonata Arctica before I got this album, but I can tell you it didn’t take me long to get out there and search for them after I heard their version of “Still Loving You” on this album. It was exactly what I wanted to hear in a cover version. They took a wonderful track and made it their own. It led to me finding a band for whom I now own most of their albums and still listen to, all because of the way they performed this song.
I first got this album in 2001, on what had become my first real searching of the internet for bands and albums that I would have had very little chance of discovering without its rise to prominence. Throw in a search string, such as SCORPIONS and see what comes up. And then when an album turns up that says, “A Tribute to the Scorpions”, it's hard not to hit download and see what it sounds like. Which, is what I did.
On listening to this album again today, several times over, I was reminded of just how much I had loved this album when I first discovered it. It really is hard not to, with so many great Scorpions songs on it. And the bands it helped me to discover, important bands of the last 25 years of my music listening life. The already afore-mentioned Sonata Arctica, but also Stratovarius, Children of Bodom and Steel Prophet. I would probably have discovered most or all of them eventually but hearing them play their excellent versions of Scorpions songs that I already loved on this album brought that to the fore far quicker than it would have occurred. And – it was also a good reminder to me that this album is there, and that perhaps I should have listened to it more often in the years since it fell out of my heavy rotation. It’s great when an album does that.
On a previous episode for the Ozzy Osbourne tribute album, I suggested that I should have a ranking for these tribute and cover albums, much as I am introducing for all the band albums now. And, as yet, I have not done that. Suffice to say, if I did, this album would definitely make the top ten, and almost certainly top five. I really should get around to doing that...
Scorpions are a great band, still touring as I record this episode. As a tribute to their best material, by bands who have an obviously love for them that I do, this is well worth tracking down and listening to in full. I think you will be surprised just how good it is.