REVIEW: Scorpions – Taken By Force (remaster)

The second review from Toronto Record Store Excursion 2013! I paid $7.99 at Sonic Boom.

SCORPIONS – Taken By Force (1977, 2002 Hip-O/Universal remaster)

I don’t have all the Scorpions albums, but I’m filling in the blanks with some of the critically acclaimed early albums. Through that process I discovered that I really like the Uli Jon Roth period! Taken By Force was their last studio album with Roth, although it was followed in 1978 with the double live Tokyo Tapes. Taken By Force was also the last Roth-era album that I needed in my collection. Unfortunately, according to the Wikipedia, although this remaster contains a bonus B-side and live track, it also contains an edited version of “Sails of “Charon”, a flaw common with almost all CD versions.

Taken By Force immediately states its heavy metal purposes with “Steamrock Fever”; the sound of a jackhammer and pounding riff opens the album. Its anthemic chorus, melded with some Roth six string trickery and that unrelenting jackhammer will knock you down. The Scorpions are not winning any awards for lyrical poetry, preferring to take the sledgehammer route with their message too.

All this is well and good, because next is a respite. At least for a few moments, “We’ll Burn the Sky” allows you to cool down, before a classic Schenker riff takes the fore. “We’ll Burn the Sky” is classic Scorpions. It combines their penchant for melody and talent for executing memorable guitar riffs. Roth’s slippery classical-like licks are icing on the cake.

“I’ve Got to Be Free” is the first Roth composition and features the odd bluesy licks flickering in and out of an otherwise heavy rock song. I really like the screamed verses. The broken-English lyrics of “The Riot of Your Time” seems to refer to the death of Elvis Presley, while foretelling the future of “’94 or ’95”. According to the Scorpions, if the world is still alive by 1995, it will “be the start for the riot of your time”. I don’t know what that means exactly, but the guitar seems to echo The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” through a heavy metal filter.

The original LP would have been split there and side 2 introduced by wind-like sounds, before entering “The Sails of Charon”. That windy intro is cut on this CD, so “Charon” commences with the riff. Surely, “The Sails of Charon” must go down as Uli Roth’s greatest contribution to the Scorpions. This majestic masterpiece is ambitious, elegant and exotic. And heavy. Let’s not forget that the riff, while highbrow, is as heavy as a load of concrete. (Incidentally, Testament did an amazing cover of this.)

“Your Light” is a funky Roth composition, one of the most likeable on the whole album. When I say “funky” I don’t mean Sly and the Family Stone, think more the Deep Purple variety of funky. There is also common ground here with sounds that Van Halen would later inhabit. Then, “He’s A Woman – She’s A Man” resumes the sledgehammer assault that dominated side one. New drummer Herman Rarebell had his first writing credit on this single. Album closer “Born to Touch Your Feelings” is a ballad, with a long outro and overlapping voices. It’s a solid, dramatic closing to an album that grabbed my attention at every turn and every song.

This 2002 remaster contains two bonus tracks. First is “Suspender Love”, which was originally the B-side to “He’s A Woman – She’s A Man”. It’s a slinky tune, fun and all, but very much unlike Taken By Force as a whole. Still, I have no problem with the inclusion of relevant B-sides, so I’m glad to have this. The other bonus track is “Polar Nights”, originally from Virgin Killer but included here in the Tokyo Tapes version. This was done because when Hip-O reissued and remastered Tokyo Tapes, they did it as a single disc meaning this song wouldn’t fit. It was included here so you could still buy a complete Tokyo Tapes. This is kind of sloppy, but at least the whole package is still available. Also, since “Polar Nights” is a showcase of Uli’s bluesy, funky fingering, it’s also a nice way to close his final album with the Scorpions.

5/5 stars

As usual, the Scorpions courted controversy with their album cover. The original “graveyard gunfight” photo was replaced in many regions with a plain cover with band photo. This remaster unfortunately has the alternate artwork. Shame about that.