From Blabbermouth.net:

According to a posting on the web site of the official SCORPIONS French fan club Crazyscorps, the German hard rock veterans have set "Humanity - Hour 1" as the title of their new album, due in Europe on May 14 via BMG. Check out the new CD artwork at http://www.crazyscorps.com.

SCORPIONS arrived in Los Angeles in October to begin recording their new album with songwriter/producer Desmond Child. Child, who has worked with such high-profile pop/rock artists as AEROSMITH, BON JOVI, ALICE COOPER, KISS, RICKY MARTIN, CHER, MICHAEL BOLTON and BONNIE TYLER, recently worked with Michael Beinhorn, Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman as co-producer on MEAT LOAF's "Bat Out Of Hell 3: The Monster Is Loose" CD, and has also been mentioned as MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil's likely collaborator on Neil's upcoming solo album.

SCORPIONS' latest album, "Unbreakable", was released in the U.S. in June 2004 through Sanctuary Records. The CD was recorded at Peppermint Park Studio in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at Wisseloord studios in Hilversum, Holland.

I haven't bought a Scorps album since 1984 when they started doing hair metal but this looks interesting and has a very cool cover. Not sure if that's enough for me to buy it though!

Changed thread title to reflect the American release date. ~ Linda

The album is coming out domestically on August 28, 2007:



Amazon.com
Humanity Hour 1, the latest Scorpions outing, has some sort of concept at the heart of it, but you needn't worry about the plot-–suffice it to say that the venerable Teutonic rock quintet has delivered a collection of highly melodic and semi-energetic hard pop. The record's short on hard rockers, though what is here--the title cut, "You're Lovin' Me to Death," "321"--serve as noble attempts at updating the group's sound and keeping its reputation as a heavy metal band intact. But the collection as a whole mires in midtempo melancholy: at least half of the record is occupied by ballads or ballads in a rocker's pleather pants, rendering this record closer to Michael Bolton than Metallica. True, few hard pop acts have written as many ballads that have reached aural permanence ("No One Like You" and "Holiday") but this is also the band that wrote its share of raucous rockers ("Rock You Like a Hurricane," "Blackout," "The Zoo"), which are in short supply here. Humanity Hour I isn't necessarily a bad record for that trade but it may be a sign that Klaus Meine and Co. are aging gracefully and keenly aware that they're making music for people who prefer to sway--rather than bang--their heads.

Product Description
A stunning surprise package is boxed and tied and ready for unwrapping: Scorpions, Germany's most-successful international music export, are poised to "sting" once again and are planning a frontal attack on the musical artery of rock fans all over the globe with their new album Humanity-Hour 1. Thirty-five years after the release of their debut album Lonesome Crow, Scorpions believe they have reached a new creative high in their impressive career. And they plan to prove it with the release of album number 21. Even though they have already made music history with hits like "Wind Of Change", "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and "Send Me An Angel"- there is still nothing more exciting than a new challenge, than adding another milestone to the band's history.

1. Hour 1
2. Game Of Love
3. We Were Born To Fly
4. Future Never Dies
5. You're Lovin' Me To Death
6. 321
7. Love Will Keep Us Alive
8. Your Last Song
9. Love Is War
10. Rise Again
11. Cross
12. Humanity

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TSIK14/?tag=imwan-20

If they are writing with Desmond Child then the songwriting must have dried up. That is why they our playing at our casino in the near future.



So now we know who to blame

If anyone gets this, I'd be curious to hear your opinion.

I liked it.

Hope Renny won't mind me jumping the gun, but Best Buy will have this for $7.99, including an exclusive bonus track.

Naturally, I already got a promo, sans bonus track.

I have to say-what I've heard is easily the best thing the Scorps have done in years, probably since Love At First Sting. That ain't saying much because they did so much crap after that, but 2004's "Unbreakable" got them going in the right direction again and this is nice in both an AOR way and a Metal way.
I'm shocked Best Buy has this on sale, but now I'll be picking it up!
P.S.
What a pity about Michael Schenker (see the recent clips on You Tube it's frightening-another in a long list of public meltdowns)-he must have a deathwish because he's headed that way. One of my favorite guitarists too-his brother Rudolf must be mortified.

Now that i played a couple Queen cds i think i picked the wrong song - Humanity sounds a lot like -
Queen 1986 - Who Wants to Live Forever.

Wynn

I picked this up yesterday. There's some really good songs on it. If you like Scorpions, you should check it out.

I agree, it's pretty good. FYI, the producers co-wrote every song & the back cover says the lyrical concept is totally from one of the producers.

It was a bit shocking to hear Billy Corgan's voice on a Scorps album even though i knew it was coming. It worked, though.