The Michael Schenker Group – The Michael Schenker Group

The Michael Schenker Group – The Michael Schenker Group

Released in 1980, The Michael Schenker Group is the debut studio album from the legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker, following his influential work with UFO and Scorpions. The album established the Michael Schenker Group as a major force in early-1980s hard rock, combining Schenker's extraordinary guitar technique with powerful vocals, melodic songwriting, and expansive instrumental passages.

Schenker had already earned a reputation as one of rock's most technically accomplished guitarists, particularly through his work on UFO's classic albums. With his own group, he developed a sound centred on precise melodic guitar playing, muscular riffs, dramatic solos, and powerful rhythm sections, helping define the European hard rock and heavy metal sound of the period.

The album launches with "Armed And Ready," a driving hard rock anthem built around one of Schenker's trademark riffs. "Cry For The Nations" follows with a more expansive arrangement, while "Victim Of Illusion" combines heavy guitar work with an instantly memorable vocal melody.

Instrumental "Bijou Pleasurette" provides a brief showcase for Schenker's melodic side before "Feels Like A Good Thing" closes the first side with another energetic rock number.

Side two opens with the instrumental classic "Into The Arena," one of the album's defining tracks and a superb showcase for Schenker's virtuoso guitar playing. "Looking Out From Nowhere" and "Tales Of Mystery" continue the album's mixture of melody and power before the record closes with the epic "Lost Horizons." At over seven minutes, the track allows Schenker to stretch out across a dramatic, emotionally charged guitar performance.

The Michael Schenker Group became an influential record within the development of hard rock and heavy metal, particularly for its emphasis on melodic virtuosity rather than sheer speed. Schenker's distinctive tone and phrasing influenced countless guitarists who followed.

Essential for fans of UFO, Scorpions, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Gary Moore, Judas Priest, and classic British and European heavy metal, this debut is a must-have for guitar-rock collectors and one of the defining hard rock albums of the early 1980s.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Armed And Ready – 4:05
2. Cry For The Nations – 5:08
3. Victim Of Illusion – 4:11
4. Bijou Pleasurette – 2:16
5. Feels Like A Good Thing – 3:44

Side B

1. Into The Arena – 4:10
2. Looking Out From Nowhere – 4:28
3. Tales Of Mystery – 3:16
4. Lost Horizons – 7:04