I've been on a big Scanner kick lately and saw on their website they are still doing some shows. I wonder if they are working on a new album?? Would be cool if the singer from the first album would come back, he ruled. Anyone see them in concert lately?
SCANNER(Germany) Still around?
- Thread starter Qrusher14242
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booB
Señor Member
Good question. I've been wanting a follow-up to Scantropolis for years now! Although, I'd rather have the vocalist from Mental Reservation and Ball of the Damned. MR is one of my top Euro power metal albums ever!
Diabolik
Member
I loved the first disc....one of the greatest power metal albums of all time. They got worse as they went along. I never picked up the last one....I heard they have a female singer. Gamma Ray, Iron Savior, and many others owe them lots for borrowing thier sound.
booB
Señor Member
BenMech
student of the d'eh
and if by 'Greatest Power Metal Albums" you mean to say Worst Garbage Ever (Terminal Earth as prime example), then I'd agree. What an awful band.
Claus / Intromental
20 years of uniting the powers of metal
One of the things I love about this band is that they completely divide people into "hate" or "love" 'em.
I think HYPERTRACE and TERMINAL EARTH are fantastic power metal albums, but I completely understand why some hate those discs.
c.
I think HYPERTRACE and TERMINAL EARTH are fantastic power metal albums, but I completely understand why some hate those discs.
c.
KYF_Cincinnati
The Metal Professor
I have all of their albums and the two releases "(1995) Mental Reservation" and "(1997) Ball of The Damned" are masterpieces. IMO, anyone who says otherwise isn't paying attention or hasn't completely listened to those two albums.
The rest of their releases sound nothing like the two I mentioned above and aren't anything to write home about.
-KYF
The rest of their releases sound nothing like the two I mentioned above and aren't anything to write home about.
-KYF
mel_progson
Member
Claus / Intromental
20 years of uniting the powers of metal
Considering that Kai and Piet were part of the ORIGINAL / OLD SCHOOL of German power/speed metal, it's not fair to say that they owe Mania and Scanner anything ... on contraire, actually. Both Mania and Scanner were called "Helloween-rip-offs" when they first came out (which is why I rushed out and bought their discs back then - heck, Mania was one of the first bands I joined/signed up for their fanclub haha).
c.
Dustin
C-C-Cool Beans!!!
Scanner is seriously underrated. In fact, I think I am the only yankee who has sported a Scanner T-shirt at the fest. 
Although "Hypertrace" is pretty much a classic in the power-metal genre, and holds sentimental value for me being a blind purchase on cassette decades ago, I still prefer "Metal Reservation" and "Ball of the Damned". With those two albums, the songwriting is top notch and Leo's vocals are undeniably superb. The balled "Your Infallible Smile" is easily one of the best songs ever written. "Scantropolis", although not their best, is still a fantastic album with some excellent hook-laden songs. I feel that they got the shaft on that one most of their fans (and the general power metal fan) had turned their backs on them for going a unique route with a female lead singer, using a drum machine/Electronic drums and even using some sampling. I even had some reservations about it, but after I had listen to it a few times, I found it to be a very rewarding album that is far too often overlooked.
speaking of Mania I have been trying to track down their albums (they have two right?) for YEARS!!! I have only seen them pop up on eBay
twice in the last decade, and they have gone for $50+ on both occasions. Someone needs to re-release these.
Although "Hypertrace" is pretty much a classic in the power-metal genre, and holds sentimental value for me being a blind purchase on cassette decades ago, I still prefer "Metal Reservation" and "Ball of the Damned". With those two albums, the songwriting is top notch and Leo's vocals are undeniably superb. The balled "Your Infallible Smile" is easily one of the best songs ever written. "Scantropolis", although not their best, is still a fantastic album with some excellent hook-laden songs. I feel that they got the shaft on that one most of their fans (and the general power metal fan) had turned their backs on them for going a unique route with a female lead singer, using a drum machine/Electronic drums and even using some sampling. I even had some reservations about it, but after I had listen to it a few times, I found it to be a very rewarding album that is far too often overlooked.
speaking of Mania I have been trying to track down their albums (they have two right?) for YEARS!!! I have only seen them pop up on eBay
twice in the last decade, and they have gone for $50+ on both occasions. Someone needs to re-release these.
Diabolik
Member
I agree....but the lyrics and sound are what Gamma Ray is today and even Iron Savior. It is almost a rip off being ripped off.
booB
Señor Member
Agree completely, except that I doubt the drum machine was a stylistic move, but rather that Axel simply didn't have a drummer to record the drums, or couldn't afford one. It's hard to think that any proper musician would go out of their way to use a drum machine on purpose. I didn't like Scantropolis upon first listen, and I still don't think the vocalist is very good, but she's listenable, and it grew on me. I like it better than the first two albums, but not as much as MR and BotD.
I only wish the "live" track at the end had really been live, and not a lip-synched version of Track 1.
Dustin
C-C-Cool Beans!!!
Agree completely, except that I doubt the drum machine was a stylistic move, but rather that Axel simply didn't have a drummer to record the drums, or couldn't afford one. It's hard to think that any proper musician would go out of their way to use a drum machine on purpose. I didn't like Scantropolis upon first listen, and I still don't think the vocalist is very good, but she's listenable, and it grew on me. I like it better than the first two albums, but not as much as MR and BotD.
I only wish the "live" track at the end had really been live, and not a lip-synched version of Track 1.
I'm totally with you on Scantropolis, being that I also listen to that one a lot more than the first two albums.
And your right, I'm sure Axel did not intended to use an electronic drum kit out of choice, but possibly out of necessity. I'll have to research it a again, but I believe I read in an interview that there was someone that performed the actual parts, and was all done on a Roland TD kit or something similar. Most modern electro-kits like the new TD-20, or even some of the latest drum plugin's from BFD or Tunetracks nearly nail any drum sound you want perfectly, however, even though they have become much better, the hi-hat's never sound as realistic as it should, it's a very unforgiving part of the drum kit.
It's not uncommon for bands to sound replace an entire drum performance, in fact, it's common practice in metal. So in that respect, even if there was a real drummer and a real kit, the drums could have been entirely sound replaced. The only reason it's very apparent that it's an electronic kit/drum machine, is the hi-hat sound, it's pretty obvious when hearing that. I think it can be chalked up to the technology and budget Axel had to use at the time, and he shouldn't have been ostracized for trying to make a great album with what means he had to use at that time. Unfortunately, most reviewers and fans couldn't get over that and tore the album apart aside from the budget/personnel shortfalls, I looked past it and was able to enjoy Scantropolis for what it is. It's not nearly as bad as what some people make it out to be, and is a really, really great album.
TribunalRecords
Record Label(s)/Vocalist
he is actually vocalist on the latest MEKONG DELTA album, Lurking Fear under his real name, Leo Szpigiel.
and i think the first 4 SCANNER records are great stuff, Ball Of The Damned being the least favorite. All others are a seriously fun power metal. good stuff.
Hello all together, I`m the topical SCANNER-Drummer and I am glad to read which still passes a lot of interest in the Band. Maybe we see sometime on tour during the states? In this sense ... stay heavy,Matt B.
I found this video on youtube - sounds pretty damn good - singer reminds me of the singer from Custard. It's a demo from summer 2013...can't wait for the album.
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Eyes Of Horus
Member
Was a new album ever released? As this video is from 9 months ago.
Nevermind. I found their facebook page and see that they are slowly finishing up the album.
Nevermind. I found their facebook page and see that they are slowly finishing up the album.
