Michael Schenker komt met nieuw MSG album in januari 2021

Michael Schenker legt momenteel de laatste hand aan een gloednieuw MSG album. Het album zal op 8 januari 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records worden uitgebracht. De titel is Immortal en dat is een mooi statement wanneer het gaat om de nalatenschap van deze gitarist die zijn 50-jarige jubileum viert als muzikant. 
„It’s going very well. We have a lot of guest musicians, who will undoubtedly help to make it an exceptional success“, zegt Michael Schenker. Hij voegt daaraan toe: „First of all I want to say that I am very grateful to any musicians that have helped to create a fitting tribute to my long career on this special release. I want to thank all of them for their incredible contribution.“
Oprichter Markus Staiger van Nuclear Blast Records is opgetogen over het nieuwe album. Zijn eigen tieneridool, diegene die hem op het metalpad bracht, laat weer van zich horen. “I am really looking forward to release this brand new MSG album, after the two excellent MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST records. At the age of 14, the self-titled MSG debut completely blew me away and helped to shape my taste, since then I’ve followed and loved his music and unique compositions. Those ten new tracks are pure magic!”
Het is niet verwonderlijk dat Michael Voss het album co-produceerde en ook op twee composities te horen zal zijn.
„It is always a pleasure to work with Michael Voss, who works around the clock and is a phenomenal musician and producer. He was composing the melody and lyrics  for a power ballad I had written the music for, and he ended up singing along. It turned out so amazing, I did not think anyone else could have done a better job for this song. Truly great.“
Het nieuwe album is een vervolg op de albums Resurrection en Revelation en ook hier is de lijst met gastbijdrage weer uitgebreid te noemen met Ronnie Romero, Michael Voss, Ralf Scheepers en Joe Lynn Turner op zang. Daarnaast hebben Sgeve Mann, Barry Sparks, Bodo Schopf, Brian Tichy en Simon Philipps muzikaal bijgedragen en in het bijzonder Derek Sherinian.
„Brian Tichy was thrilled to be part of it. He is a master of groove and ended up playing on six songs. I could not believe it: This man is something else. He is a true natural and very original. With his input it made the album very solid and complete. So guess what – I am very happy“, zegt Michael Schenker. En over Derek zegt hij: „Derek and myself trading solos, it sounds unexpected and beyond my expectation. Absolutely fantastic!“
Op Immortal zal naast negen nieuwe composities ook In Search Of The Peace Of Mind staan.
„I wrote this song when I was 15 years old, it was my first ever written piece of music which I recorded with SCORPIONS on our first studio album „Lonesome Crow“ in 1970, getting released in 1972 – when I had already left SCORPIONS to join the British rock Band UFO in June of 1972 – when I was 17. We re-recorded this song for my 50th anniversary as a celebration and it turned out to be an epic; with an extra extension at the end of the song, which turned out absolutely fantastic with Simon Phillips on drums, doing his usual amazing stuff.“ The result is a true highlight and features even more surprises: „Gary Barden sings the first verse,  continued by Ronnie Romero – and in the end we have Ronnie, Doogie White and Robin McAuley screaming their heads off, as a tribute to my 50th anniversary. Absolute amazing. Thanks to the guys for doing this!“