Deadly Sting: The Mercury Years
Although the 2 CD setDeadly Sting: The Mercury Yearsstarts with the Scorpions' fifth studio albumLovedrive, it effectively traces and relives most of the German outfit's development from buzz band to rock stars. Beginning with their Billboard debutLovedrive, which featured "Loving You Sunday Morning" and "Holiday" (contained here), the first disc follows the band through the platinum success ofBlackoutand the mind-blowing popularity ofLove at First Sting. Included are the guitar-buzzing, pulse-pounding cuts "The Zoo," "No One Like You," "Rock You Like a Hurricane," and "Still Loving You." But with the second disc,Deadly Stingunabashedly captures a star-dazed band on the way down. Four cuts from the sappy, mediocreSavage Amusementare included, as well as numbers from the equally unimpressiveCrazy Worldand the comeback-of-sortsFace the Heat. Although only the first CD is essential, it's the entire package that reveals the complete picture.--Jon Wiederhorn