Search - Michael Schenker Group :: Assault Attack/Rock Will Never Die

Assault Attack +1 [IMPORT]

MICHAEL L SIPOLA JR | Tower, MN United States | 07/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album should be considered an all time melodic CRUNCHER, why this was not a super seller is beyond me. The mastering is great, Shenker, {flawless as usual], shows just what guitars were made for. The musicians involved couldn't have been hand picked or lucked together any better. If you like MSG at all or like crunch to the wall [melodic, not slammy or stupid]. This is a must have CD. Rating 25 stars."

THE GERMAN WONDER BOY !

M. D. Fonseca | Thunder | 04/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Michael Schenker was born in Germany in 1955. He was mad famous after playing with British band UFO. BUt, after being freed from UFO limits, he went on into a magnific solo career, where his real talents surfaced. This career was plagued by one of the most amazing ammounts of line-up changes I've ever seen (a thing that, as we know, is a certain formula to finish a band or make it loose credibility. But this ercord has 2 great albuns: one recorded in sutdio, the other is live."

Acquired Taste

Wild Colonial Boy | England | 03/12/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having lost both Cozy Powell on drums and Gary Barden on vocals, many fans waited with baited breath to hear the next MSG studio offering back in `82. Then came album no. 4 "Assault Attack", still trademark Schenker but sounding very different with renowned new vocalist Graham Bonnet.

I think that Graham Bonnet is very much an acquired taste. I was not happy back in '82 when I found out that the screamer was replacing Barden in the line up. I was also more than pleased when Barden returned, Mr. Bonnet having left rather abruptly after one album and a solitary performance in Sheffield. But you have to admit that the dynamic vocals do help to make this a good album with quality performances by both Bonnet and Schenker.

"Desert Song" is easily the best track, a beautifully constructed atmospheric number powerfully sung. The title track "Assault Attack" was recently used as a tour opener when I saw him only last month and is a powerful rocker. My other stand outs are "Broken Promises" and the timeless bluesy guitar number "Rock you to the Ground". "Dancer" was the attempt at a more commercial style and recorded as a single and along with "Searching for a Reason" are perhaps the weaker songs. To Mr. Bonnet's credit I guess there are very few singers around with the vocal range and power to pull off these numbers live to the same intensity. I therefore feel that despite a huge catalogue of material to choose from for live gigs these songs are largely ancient history.



I admit to preferring the first three albums with Mr. Barden over this one. I do on reflection appreciate this album a lot more now than when it first came out. Bonnet received criticism for not being a good song writer but I think he gets away with it on this album due to the quality of the music, some long instrumental sections and the Martin Birch production.



I would certainly buy the first three albums before this one to hear the best MSG work. A good overview can be heard on "Masters of Rock" for a very reasonable price if you are somehow new to Schenker and want a taster. I am not really a fan of the post 1984 Macaulay Schenker Group which is very AOR. I still like all his albums generally as the guitar work is always stunning. To be truthful the lyrical content and song structure is a repeated weakness of the later solo Schenker albums where B-list singers have repeatedly been employed. With the exception of "Written in Sand" which is excellent and the amazing cover versions on the Schenker Pattison Summit albums, this earlier stuff is best and still the main content of his live shows.



The other album on this double CD version is "Rock Will Never Die", a live set from 1984. I would treat this as a bonus that comes with "Assault Attack", which on its own can be expensive and more difficult to get hold of. The production isn't great and the vocal performance of Barden is below par compared to "One Night at Budokan". One high light is the electrifying solo on "Rock Will Never Die" ("Walk the Stage" to us older English guys).

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