SCORPIONS Have ‘Over 25 Songs’ Written For New Album

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Mikkey Dee spoke to "The MetalSucks Podcast"about the progress of the recording sessions for SCORPIONS' new album. The drummer and his bandmates recently regrouped to resume work on the effort, which is tentatively due in 2021. "I actually go back to Germany here on Sunday and continue the record," Mikkey said (hear audio below). "We're making a very good record. We record everything live together, and it's coming along really nice. "We're just in the beginning of the actual recordings, because it's quite a lot of production, demoing, doing the writing," he explained. "I think we have over 25 songs, and that's gonna be down to 12. And that's all great. And I can't wait to continue smacking the drums on that record." The initial session for SCORPIONS' new LP are taking place at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany. The disc will mark the German hard rock legends' first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of SCORPIONS' new and classic material. SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, most of the work so far has been done remotely, with Fidelman taking part via Zoom. Singer Klaus Meine recently told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce the new LP is to bring "the old vibe from albums like 'Blackout', 'Love At First Sting' or even 'Lovedrive'. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude," he said. "If we get there, who knows — it's so many years later. But it's the spirit and it's the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs." According to Meine, SCORPIONS' new LP will feature "no outside writers at all," unlike 2015's "Return To Forever", which was largely co-written by the album's producers, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen. Fidelman began his career as the guitarist and songwriter for RHINO BUCKET before launching his career as a producer, engineer and mixer, finding an early mentor in Rick Rubin. SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.