Those in the euro power metal know need no introduction to Scanner. Their first two albums, Hypertrace (1988) and Terminal Earth (1989) are stone cold classics of the genre, packed to the brim with mesmerizing sci-fi lyricism, unforgettable hooks, and extravagant musical virtuosity. The 35 years that followed have been filled with hits, misses, and enough personnel changes to make L.A. Guns (all two or three incarnations that are currently out there) blush. But alas, Scanner has soldiered on in all their Teutonic glory, returning for the first time in nearly a decade with their long awaited seventh album, The Cosmic Race.
Of the “classic” Scanner lineup, only founding guitarist Axel “A.J.” Julius remains. Now this isn’t to say that, by default, one should expect an album that’s Scanner in name only. Look at Uriah Heep and Tygers of Pan Tang: Two legacy acts that are also down to one founding member, yet ended up dominating our 2023 year end list. This, however, is largely due to the fact that both of these aforementioned bands stuck to the musical ethos that made them so beloved from the get-go. As for Scanner, this is the case roughly half of the time on this latest outing.
The songs on The Cosmic Race that adhere to the old school euro power/speed formula do not fool around. Cuts like “The Earth Song”, “Scanner’s Law”, and “Space Battalion” remind us of what made this band so special in the first place. The guitars are absolutely ripping, the double bass drumming lays us to waste, and vocalist Efthimios Ioannidis leads the way with a gritty and powerful delivery reminiscent of Running Wild’s Rock ‘n’ Rolf. Are they of the caliber of Hypertrace or Terminal Earth? No, but they’re most definitely of the same lineage.
The remainder of The Cosmic Race consists of Judas Priest fashioned traditional metal and musical oddballs that simply feel out of place. Of the Priest-esque cuts, “Warriors of the Light” stands the tallest, fusing Painkiller era riffs with a grandiose euro power metal chorus. There’s no doubt about it: This one was written with the Wacken legions in mind. And then there’s songs like the Black Label Society gone power metal “Dance of the Dead” or the run of the mill euro metal ballad “A New Horizon” that deter the pace and feeling of the album, sounding less like Scanner and more like *insert random modern euro power metal band here*.
Shockingly enough, the strong moments of The Cosmic Race are strong enough to save it from the black hole of pure mediocrity, and perhaps even warrant a spin or two in the future for retrospective purposes. In the same breath, I’ll be spinning both Hypertrace and Terminal Earth at least a dozen more times before checking out The Cosmic Race. In the never-ending euro power metal race, The Cosmic Race comes in at a modest third behind, well, two other albums that are bound to be determined because it’s only January. If you can’t go for gold, settle for bronze.
6 out of 10
Label: Rock of Angels Records
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Helloween, Running Wild, Judas Priest