Scanner - The Judgement (2015)

It's been 13 years since Scantropolis, and while many who had a negative reaction to that record might feel this absence was likely for the best, I didn't find that album quite as much of a stain on the Scanner legacy. Sure, it was an extremely accessible, almost AOR style of hard rock/metal with but few traces of what made the band so great in the 80s, yet there were certainly a few strong riffs and chorus sequences there that had me spinning it a few times. Well, these days, Axel Julius has put together a fairly new lineup, none of whom have appeared on a prior Scanner record, and done a bit of a 180 degree turn from Scantropolis, in that this is an earnest attempt to return to the roots of what made the first two albums so special, while not entirely abandoning the more contemporary progressions they were making on Mental Reservation or Ball of the Damned in the 90s. It's a midlife sort of crisis effort that might have come too late, but I can't say I'm entirely disappointed that it has come at all...

Almost immediately (after an intro) you're dialed back to the frenetic power/speed metal guitars that placed Scanner on the map alongside their countrymen Rage, and introduced to the new vocalist Efthimios Ioannidis, who performs with a less-shrieking, more controlled mid range thank you'd expect on a time machine album like this. He occasionally shifts up the scales, for a few frilly Halford-meets-Henning Basse, high-pitched lines, but he simply doesn't excel at that uncontrolled, explosive scream which characterized the band's classics, and dwells more in an area that Peavey Wagner has been rather comfortable with ever since HIS band abandoned their 80s volatility for maturation, at the expense of momentum. In fact, some tunes here like "Nevermore" felt almost like an analog for that guy, with a few James Rivera-like barks ("Warlord") thrown in for good measure, and plenty of versatility, even when he hurls out a low, guttural growl. He has some character, but for whatever reason there are just too few choruses or individual lines that 'nail' something memorable, and in the end it seems as if the writing itself holds him back from really busting a nut in your earspace.

The rhythm guitars are tinged with a number of small, interesting melodies that lend a little more compulsion to the chord patterns, but I have to say that about half the guitar riffs on the disc are quite predictable, typical connect-the-dots second-tier Euro power which relies far too much on the upper strata of atmosphere that the vocals and harmonies just can't pull off. Now, some would say that these guys were always on that level, but there was something so impactful, so crystalline, so off the hook about Hypertrace and Terminal Earth that I still spin them both today and they haven't aged at all, while I struggle to retain The Judgement even after a few hours. The overall performances here are consistent and solid, and Julius still has an ear for a melody that elevates most of the tunes above the level of boring mediocrity, but it wasn't until "The Judgement" itself that I really started to bang my head and pretend I was listening to a successful Scanner album; it builds into a pretty potent Euro power metal anthem circa Gamma Ray, but still lacks a chorus that will floor you. "Battle of Poseidon" and "Pirates" are also decent, the latter having some of those gang shouts you might remember on the first album; and the closing pair of "The Race" and "The Legionary" are likewise highlights, most of these having a fairly immediate and bracing atmosphere.

In the end, though, all of the components of the band simply don't gel together. When the guitars are going strong, you haven't got great vocal lines. When the drums are battering away with a fervor, the chorus just never hits that interesting, unexpected string of notes that you'll be singing to yourself for the next 25-30 years. Is The Judgement a worthy wayback machine to when Scanner was one of the most promising lesser known acts on the impeccable Noise Records roster? Perhaps, but what it does possess in spirit, it somewhat lacks in actual songwriting quality. Competent power metal which does service to the dystopian and science-fiction atmospheres the band was always so swathed in over the decades, but not the killer comeback I'd have hoped. Hell, for all its flaws, I think at least the first two cuts on Scantropolis were more memorable than these. Having said that, this is very far from a bad album, or even much of a letdown. The lineup is tight and capable, and now that this one is under their collective belts, I wouldn't put it past them to dig into whatever asteroid field they reside, mine for some even better material, and go streaking back across the universe.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

http://www.scanner4u.de/

Scanner - Scantropolis (2002)

Ball of the Damned had brought the gleam of hope back into the eyes of the Scanner fan, but all too soon, and before you could count the dividends, Axel Julius had once again sent the project back into limbo. Of course, it wasn't the first time Scanner would fall into a 5 year slumber in their career, and seeing that the band had returned in the 90s for both Mental Reservation and Ball of the Damned, one couldn't be so sure if they'd heard the last of them. And they hadn't. For a half-decade after the fires had died, the furnace was stoked yet again, the wells of inspiration teeming with new life, and with yet another, almost completely new lineup, but the same label, Axel Julius would return once more with his circus of melodic, science fiction inspired metal.

Yet again, a massive change in the band's roster would also signify a notable shift in the musical direction, this time towards a broader, powerful rock aesthetic steeped in melody, atmosphere and a noticeably larger sounding production ethic that likely owes itself to the times. Of the Ball of the Damned lineup, only Julius and bassist Marc Simon remained, recruiting new guitarist Florian Haack, drummer Jan Zimmer, and keyboardist Johanes Brunn. But by fire the biggest alteration Axel made here is the hiring of female vocalist Lisa Croft. Yes, the fourth vocalist in five Scanner albums. Considering the relative quality of the band's previous frontmen, it comes as no surprise that Croft is actually quite good here. She's got a strong, if nasally voice that seems to flesh out the music here wonderfully, and quite different than the hordes of fairy, gothic and power metal Nightwish impersonators exploding at the time. So with the new pawns in their place on the chessboard, how does the music hold up?

Well, it remains Scanner, despite its bigger sound and heightened emphasis on the immaculate art of the chorus. You'll still hear tasteful speed metal licks cutting through the scintillating work of the synth player, and Lisa Croft can carry a tune with ease. Unfortunately, the greatest strength of this album is also its one weakness. Some of the chorus parts are so well written that the rest of the music tends to suffer, since it all simply serves to swell up towards those few seconds of aural bliss. This is especially true of the first two tracks. "Till the Ferryman Dies" is all lush, almost orchestral rock which leads through an AOR verse with some electronics and power chords, building to familiar Scanner-speed metal briefly before the beautiful, unforgettable chorus, where Croft leaves orbit for a second to touch the sun. But aside from the thrumming electronics that anchor the verse, the rest of the song borders on mediocrity. Not even the spy like bridge can distract your ears from wanting to hear that chorus again. "Hallowed Be Thy Name", while faster and more closely resonant of the band's past material, functions much the same, with a massive chorus anthem that was probably deserving of pop radio play (love the subtle touch of the guitars below her vocals).

In fact, these first two songs come to such a satisfactory climax, that the rest seem pale by comparison. "Flight of the Eagle" takes on a flourish of prog metal, with a mildly memorable chorus, but is otherwise indistinct. "Turn of the Tide" uses some electronic pulses and sampled horns to provide a very futurist, almost avant-garde feel, interesting to listen to, but not exactly delivering the tear-welling chorus. "Always Alien" is an extremely atmospheric rock piece, with the arrival of metal limited to the solo rhythms. "Engel Brecht's" once again uses the synthesized brass sounds and German lyrics, sounding like some bizarre female Rammstein from off a moon of Jupiter. "Sister Mary" and "Rest in Pain" attempt to capture back the glory of a "Ferryman", and they draw fairly close, with good if not superb choruses. The album also includes a live rendition of "Till the Ferryman Dies", which sounds pretty bright. So, yes, she can also do this live.

As conflicted as I feel about Scanner's shift from an unbridled melodic speed metal force to a modern approximation of female fronted, poppy prog. rock, there is something to this album I enjoy, even now. Perhaps the spacious elements, or the angelic simplicity of Lisa Croft's performance, or the stilted attempts to incorporate all manner of electronica into the rhythms. Its very safe, and its very sleek, but like that latest pop diva playing on the radio, you just find it so difficult to forget. And that, my friends, is legitimate music, whether you wish to admit it to yourself and acknowledge the little square inside you, or live in denial. The riffs could have been better, and a few of the songs suffer a minor identity crisis, but as a simple means of escalating each track to its inevitable, breathtaking conclusion, most of the components of Scantropolis are at least adequate to enjoy with an open mind.

Highlights: Till the Ferryman Dies, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Sister Mary, Rest in Pain

Verdict: Win [7/10] (that's how it often ends)

http://www.myspace.com/scanner666

Scanner - Ball of the Damned (1997)

While my own reception to Mental Reservation was lukewarm at best, there is no denying that it rekindled a small amount of interest in the band, not to mention the fire within Axel Julius. By the later 90s, the German wave of power metal was truly starting to take flight once again, on the strength of bands like Blind Guardian, Rage, Running Wild, and Grave Digger, who had continued to churn out efforts of a general quality if not utter brilliance; and the promise of exciting newcomers like Iron Savior or Primal Fear. So the time was right for Scanner to once more enter the studio and produce whatever momentum they had attained with the previous record, coupled with the high regard many held for their earlier material.

This time, Julius managed to maintain a few key personnel. Leszek Szpigiel remained in the fold, making him the sole Scanner singer for two consecutive albums. Drummer D.D. Bucco also stuck around, but Julius recruited a new bassist (Marc Simon), an additional guitar player (Stefan Nicolai), and a full-time keyboard player (Stephan Braun). Keeping some of these ingredients intact turns out to be a positive thing for Julius, because Ball of the Damned is a better album than Mental Reservation. Clearly, Axel had no intention of returning to the band's heyday, instead interested in a slight progression, and it shows. The guitars are just as intricate as the previous record, but the vocals are a far cry superior, soothing and smooth, yet sharp enough when necessary to cut straight into the ether, the starlit night evoked by most of Scanner's compositions. More importantly, the songs have a more lasting impact to them, and the album is generally a pleasure to listen straight through, without picking out specifics.

It never hurts to start an album with a strong track, and "Puppet on a String" is exactly that, the best Scanner speed metal track post-Terminal Earth (and remaining so, to this day). Guitars that scorch with both the archetypal power of the genre, and a subtler level of intricacy, not to mention the iron grasp of melody. Szpigiel's performance is also top notch, bitter angelic vocals resounding across the vortex of clouds in the upper right corner of the album cover. "Frozen Under the Sun" likewise rocks pretty hard, with the intricate melodic speed just before Leszek launches into a beautiful chorus. "We Start it Tomorrow" works best when it hits the bloodied melodic grooves at its core, but its nonetheless a solid piece of this puzzle. "True-Stories-Teller" is another beautiful piece, stricken with a plague of majestic melodies and brief segues into clean, classical guitars, and "Tollshocked" is similar, though its dainty interludes are dispersed through a straightly played, memorable power metal anthem.

Aside from the staggering bass and classical elements that grace the slowly escalating "Ball of the Damned", there is not a lot of meat to the rest of this album. And even though that song is not what I'd consider one of the best here, its interesting enough that you'll not want to skip through it rashly. "Lord Barker's Theme" is simply an organ piece performed by guest Gerald Saloman, and "Judge on the Run" is a pretty standard mid-paced power metal rocker within the influence of Judas Priest or Accept, well-plotted but lacking any truly memorable riffs. The album ends with a choral march "Intermezzo" that leads into a cover of Queen's "Innuendo", which Scanner is quick to make 'their own' with a rendition that positions itself seamlessly into the fabric of their original work. It's well done, but until the solo, I wasn't all that impressed.

Ball of the Damned has its shit together, and though not at the level of other German releases of its day like Imaginations from the Other Side or the dumb fun of Grave Digger's Tunes of War, it should both sate the general power metal fan and assuage some of the disappointment die hard fans like myself might have felt when we realized there would be no further Hypertrace or Terminal Earth. The material is mature, refined and rather well produced, with a unique atmosphere of mystery that doesn't alienate the band's science fiction roots, but also feels less glaringly geeky or obvious. It was cool to see the band continue with a good chunk of the line-up in tact, but this will change once again in the years to come, after another long hiatus, with what I'd consider Scanner's most drastic change in style and tone.

Highlights: Puppet on a String, Frozen Under the Sun, True-Stories-Teller, Tollshocked

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (some of those miles I regret)

http://www.myspace.com/scanner666

Scanner - Mental Reservation (1995)

Six years after the kooky charms of Terminal Earth, and well into a decade of counter-cultures, cultures and re-countered cultures that could not care less, Axel Julius would finally accrue himself a new studio lineup for Scanner, and thus release the band's third full length effort through Massacre records, one of the few labels eager to snap up bands performing power and progressive metal during this period, and to a fault (they released some fairly inadequate material, like this album). On the surface, Mental Reservation is actually an only natural progression from the band's prior output. The Andreas Marschall cover art is intriguing, and the style of the band has not much changed. They're still a melodic speed metal, for better or worse, and Julius is still capable of quite a few chops. In fact, he may have technically improved as a player for this album.

As with any Scanner album, one can expect some degree of change in the lineup. But in this case, it's an ENORMOUS difference. Axel is the only remaining member from the first two records, and here enlisted bassist John A.B.C. Smith (At Vance, Gallows Pole), skin beater D.D. Bucco and the third vocalist in three albums, Harridon Lee, who you may also know as Leszek Szpigiel, who has worked with Mekong Delta, Wolf Spider, and Crows. Once again, Julius has made a sound choice. Lee's voice is silken and siren-like, and very much fits into the band's modus operandi. But there unfortunately some measure of charisma lacking here. Whereas Coe and Knoblich had this uncontrolled charm, like lasers dancing across the void, Lee feels more restrained, or rather more careful. Nonetheless, he is still wholly capable of a melodic pairing with the guitar melodies, of which there are a great many.

And that's the real quandary I have with this album. It fires on most of, if not all the cylinders of a Hypertrace or Terminal Earth, but fails to compel me beyond a skim of its surface. "Break the Seal" stirs up a thrash-infused storm of average riffing, before Lee carries us away around 1:30, like a soaring kite over a fairly enthusiastic melodic speed lick. It's difficult to ignore the guitars, because Julius is giving one of the more proficient performances of his career, yet so few of the notes stick outside the solo and perhaps 1-2 of the riffs in the verse and chorus. "Upright Liar" has a more vicious attack, and I enjoyed everything up to the chorus, which is dull, obvious and forgettable, transforming partway through into a more soothing, anthem-tinged power chorus, and equally underwhelming. Again, a lot of intense guitars that cycle through riffs that don't quite carry the burden, and a little frustrating. The slower paced mood of "After the Storm" comes as rather refreshing, and I actually enjoyed the chorus quite a lot, reminding me a great deal of the American band Riot in their more power-framed years.

The rest of the record evokes very mixed reactions. "Your Infallible Smile" is a power ballad, but despite its wealth of atmosphere it never quite impresses, the chorus feeling like some 2nd rate Slaughter song (not the thrash band, eunuchs). Graceful, melodic and just a little empty. Tracks like "Conception of a Cure", "Out of Nowhere" are pretty complex and aggressive by comparison to Scanner's earlier work, but neither manages to squeeze out more than a single decent riff. I feel like the weight of the record rests on the shoulders of the more straight rocking, mid-paced tracks like "Rubberman" and "Wrong Lane Society", which again assert a hint of thrash into their modern crunch. Neither is a truly memorable affair, yet there is a dependable power to their characteristics which does convince the head to bang...a little. The grand finale, "20th Century Crusade" is probably the best of the faster material on the album, with some soaring melodic hooks, a great intro, and a cruel bite to the verse vocals, a decent song that feels like Scanner of the late 80s.

Technically, there are not many faults here. The lyrics here are arguably better than the past, though not nearly as amusing. The guitars feel a little thin in the reverb driven, atmospheric mix, but they compensate through their overall business and cutting delivery. The vocals are versatile and satisfactory, like Szpigiel's performance on any other album, and I am left to wonder how he'd sound on an album of really well written tracks. That's not to say Mental Reservation is a poor effort in the song department, because surely, nothing here deserves the label of 'bad', and even at this height of mediocrity, they still have more to offer than many other bands performing speed or power metal. And at the very least, a band thought long dead had returned from its hibernation, to make a stab for success in a time when so many had forsaken the format.

Highlights: 20th Century Crusade, Rubberman, After the Storm

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10] (arms in motion)

http://www.myspace.com/scanner666

Scanner - Terminal Earth (1989)

Scanner's first album Hypertrace was a blazing, screaming ball of melodic metal energy thrust like a comet across the starscape. A conceptual effort with glorious, songwriting and an unstoppable, virile energy despite its obvious eccentricity, it set up fairly huge expectations. Finally, another band with the raw speed and fire of their countrymen Rage! The direct followup to Hypertrace, Terminal Earth would be the one album for the remainder of the band's career that truly honored those expectations, a slab of peculiar, playful metal with some goofy but endearing lyrics, screaming high pitched vocals and brilliant hooks that would sink into the skin nearly as much as the debut.

However, Terminal Earth also marks the birth of the debilitating factor that would cripple this band's rise to success, that of the almost incessant line-up changes. There was but one change-up for this particular album, the replacement of Michael Knoblich with screecher S.L. Coe, and to be honest, Coe is a perfect fit for the band, with a shrill, almost impossibly high pitched tenure akin to Kai Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray) that has carved out much of his career, in both Scanner and the other acts he has worked with (Reactor and his very own C.O.E. project). Elsewhere, Terminal Earth is quite a close successor to Hypertrace, with the exception that many of the songs focus on individual subjects in place of a storyline, and the production and songwriting are ever so slightly given tighter reins. The lyrics aren't as far-fetched as the prior album, and yet in its impetus to humor us with cautionary tales of modern life and materialism, it remains all the more corny.

But when the music is this good, a little disconnect to the lyrics is more than bearable, and with "The Law", Axel Julius and Tom Sopha come out firing with quality, melodic speed metal rhythms that take the torch from their NWOBHM influences and the faster, more aggressive leanings of Running Wild and Rage, a few of the band's co-conspirators in the great German dominance of this style. Coe explores his range here, with a steady mid-range that can at any moment fly off its hinges toward the firmament, like a bloody cosmonaut on eagle wings. Yes, Scanner's new vocal fixture should satisfy the dwelling fans of Knoblich, and he's honestly got a better range, though the highs are perhaps not quite so satisfying as on Hypertrace. "Not Alone" is a rather enthusiastic 'statement of fact' about the existence of extraterrestrials, delivered through some snappy, charging riffs and swell leads. "Wonder" is the first of two infectious, I daresay 'pretty' songs on the album, with a superb chorus in which the guitars provide a tasty coattail to Coe's melodic spurts. I also really loved the chords in the verse, such a grace and glory that recalls some of the better, slower Running Wild songs of this period.

The next two tracks bring about the not so scathing critiques of our consumer society, but they do it with class. "Buy Or Die" delivers a high speed chase of carefully wound melodies, a taut momentum that carries into the backing shouts of the chorus, Coe screeching across the surface like a barn owl awoken by a farmer's shotgun blast. Indeed: No matter how you pay/cash or credit! "Telemania" is the fairly typical 80s metal rally against the intoxicating effects of the old boob tube', with a morose, creepy verse that picks up into some Maiden/Priest rocking while Coe belts out such warnings as: 20 channels by remote control, choice enough without a move. Holy fuck, Batman, we actually had 20 channels in those days! I doubt I've got half as many by 2010. Anachronisms and irony aside, the song's pretty good, with a few choice riffs, including the resonant crash of drums in the bridge. These are followed by "Touch the Light", a song even more flighty and transfixing with its 'pretty' bits than "Wonder", due to a tremendous chorus hook and some of the best sheer melodic guitar on the album. The Priest-like verse guitars kick a lot of ass, and when it picks up a little speed before the 2nd verse and inevitable chorus, I am reminded highly of moments from the first album.

"Terminal Earth" itself is also no slouch, with some bad ass, classic speed riffing and an obvious chorus that stands out in the memory. Sadly, the 9+ minute epic "From the Dust of Ages" might show the band biting off a little more than they can chew. There are a number of good riffs found within its depths, in particular the unkempt groove and powerful piston-like riff that occur deep into the first verse, or the doom-like marching slog (almost like a metalized adaptation Gustav Holst's "Mars", from The Planets) transpiring after 5:00, but I did not feel enthralled through much of the track. Compared to this, "The Challenge" is fast and flighty, returning to the formula of the rest of the album, with surges of majestic speed and well-composed riffs that breathe across the decades, losing none of their momentum. "L.A.D.Y." is a bizarre but funny track about a guy going to a gay-club under the recommendation of a friend, possibly trying to curb some deep seated homophobia, instead falling in love for the 'lady' he meets, who I'm assuming is either a transvestite or not a 'lady' at all. Musically, it's got more of a hard rock feel to it, clearly the least serious piece on the album, but nonetheless fun.

Though the frothing intergalactic steed that was Hypertrace might have been gelded down several inches to produce Terminal Earth, it still retains most of the key qualities that heralded that album's success: power, melody, proficiency, and grace. This is one of 'those German albums', like a Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. II, which has a sense of humor almost alien to kids of today, a band not taking itself all too seriously but regardless exhibiting a high level of skill. S.L. Coe was again a good fit for the band, and each of the other musicians had developed a more mature set of chops, important since these were standalone tracks rather than sci-fi narrative pieces of a whole. This album was further proof of the inherent talents of Axel Julius and his band of speed metal space cadets, talent that would unfortunately be squandered as the well of inspiration would dry. The band would go on to produce a very lackluster third effort, with only one member remaining from this period (guess who), and all momentum lost as the 90s become a time of turning one's back on traditional, power and speed metal. But Hypertrace and Terminal Earth provide a rather timeless legacy of under appreciated German classics that deserve their berth alongside the finer works of Helloween, Gamma Ray, Running Wild, and Rage.

Highlights: Wonder, Buy Or Die, Touch the Light, Terminal Earth

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10] (blankets and pillows and pills for the brain)

http://www.myspace.com/scanner666

Scanner - Hypertrace (1988)

By all rights, Scanner should have been every bit as big of a band as Helloween. They were just a few years too late, but had that same wild, anthemic flare combined with raw, excellent guitar work and shrieking vocals which made Walls of Jericho such a classic. Add to this the science fiction theme, which was pretty novel for early power metal, and you've got quite the find. Hypertrace was the band's first album, and remains their best (only Terminal Earth comes close). If you enjoy German power and speed metal with higher register vocals (i.e. Rage, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, etc), and have not heard this band, you are doing yourself a disservice. Track down the first two albums immediately.

Hypertrace is in fact a concept album, though the sequence of songs on the album is not the sequence of the narrative. But it only takes the first track "Warp 7" for it to hook you, as Michael Knoblich's insanely melodic, harpy-like vocals carry you out into the universe in gritty 80s style aboard the invisible Star Destroyer in your mind. Powerful leads, perfectly selected rhythm guitar sequences, and the damned song makes me smile every time I turn it on. Ditto for the glorious anthem "Terrion" and the raging "Locked Out", both of which sparkle with perfection and an intense sense for unforgettable riffs. Not convinced? "Across the Universe" is like a galactic anthem for happy space unity, Knoblich's lines in the verse cut out across the void like lasers.

Thousand light years we had overcome
Across the universe
It's a long way to the landing ground
The mission gets real
Human appearance electric inside
Solar batteries and a microchip brain
Android angels on wings of laser
Taking life in their hands

I have already orgasmed three times while writing this review. Try and guess where? "R.M.U." is next, and the longest track on the album (almost 6 minutes). Although it's solid and entertaining, it's the ONLY track on this album that I didn't outright love, and the ONLY reason this album does not have a perfect score. "Grapes of Fear" rules, and "Retaliation Positive" is immense, a slower track which builds up a good fist pump before Knoblich just explodes off in the chorus. "Killings Fields" is a satisfying close to the album, and the bonus tracks "Wizard Force" and "Galactos" are both excellent as well.

All men of steel and hearts of ivory
See the comrades side by side
Under fire seems like eternity
A game, sinister
The souls are sold where is the ecstasy?
Where are the bold? Times change
Is there a need for all the wasted youth?
They call it war!

To think, 1988 was such an amazing year for metal music that Hypertrace doesn't even qualify as one of its top albums. It's like some cloud of sentient space debris flew over Earth that year, thought to itself "This is the species that broadcast Master of Puppets, I shall reward them with a shower of inspirational cosmic dust to ensure their quality control remains intact." Scanner started with a bang, and carried this quality forward to their second album (even though S.L. Coe took over on vocals, he had a similar screech to Knoblich). Their later work is a mixed bag, but very high recommendations here to any fan of melodic speed/power metal! This is one kickass German album, criminally overlooked.

Highlights: start to finish

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10] (dark was the night right out of nowhere)

http://www.scanner4u.de/