Released by Dark Star Records
Release Date: Out Now
Genre: Hard Rock
Links: http://www.hermanrarebell.com/
Line Up:
Herman Rarebell – drums and vocals
Additional Musicians:
Stefan Erz – vocals
Thomas Perry – guitar and bass
Jens Peter Abele – guitar and bass
Winnie Thomaschewski – guitar
Horst Luksch – guitar
Wiggi Raab – guitar
Randy Nauert – bass
Marquis de Schoelch – keyboards
Tom Heinrich Stump – keyboards
Claudia Raab – saxophone
Tracklist:
01. Take It As It Comes
02. Don’t Lose Your Trust
03. Rough Job
04. Let Me Rock You
05. Your Love Is Hurting
06. Freak Show
07. Heya Heya
08. Backattack
09. Rock You Like a Hurricane
10. Wipe Out
11. Drum Dance
12. I’m Back
13. Your Love Is Hurting (Radio Version)
Maybe for newer rock fans the name Herman Ze German might not be a household name as a solo artist,but no doubt you heard of long time veteran of the Hard Rock scene especially if you know anything about the history of The Scorpions. Herman Rarebell best known for his time with the band as the main drummer from 77-95. Herman not only was a great drummer but contributed the lyrics to some of the Scorpions biggest tunes today such as classics like ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’, ‘Make It Real’, ‘Dynamite’, ‘Blackout’, ‘Arizona’, ‘Bad Boys Running Wild’, ‘Don’t Stop At the Top’, ‘Tease Me Please Me’ amongst others.
As it stands Herman was the only Scorpions band mate to ever release any solo efforts when he was with the band with “Nip It In The Bud” in 1981 and “I’m Back” in 2007. Well he returns with “Take It As It Comes” and as I didn’t really know much of what to expect from this release, I went into open minded and with no expectations. Is one of those records that rolls across your desk, you spin it and you find some good and some bad that makes you scratch your head. Anyhow let’s briefly pick on some of the hot and not so hot tracks on this off bags offering shall we? Let me just say the opening track “Take It As It Comes” comes across bland and generic, not a good opener track, sounds like a misstep modern hard rock feature, could of been better there especially to open the record. In “Don’t Lose Your Trust” the straight ahead rocker approach works better, with Herman sounding a bit like a scrappy Bon Scott for a light comparison. I have to point out one thing I did like was the use of the saxophone on some of the tracks, not many bands provide this unique sound in their music in fact the last offering I heard from a band and the saxophone feature was on “Promise Land” from Queensryche. Some low lights are the less inspired “Heya Heya” which sounds as unorthodox and repetitive as anything I’ve heard all year.
Really a big time mix bag of songs that might of sounded like a good idea at first, but really comes across as uninspired. I don’t think Herman really had a good idea of what he wanted to do with the substance here. Perhaps the most disappointing fact is the remake of “Rock You Like A Hurricane” which totally sounds like eating a bad piece of meat, he tries to reinvent the song and needless to say, the outcome is not pretty. Well whatever the reason was for the outcome was, heck maybe he just wanted to throw some music out there to remain relevant? I don’t know either way some many things here just don’t work right and won’t be enough to make me recommend it unless you’re a fan of his in that case preview some of the songs at first caution.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 5/10
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