While a very different supporting cast joins Michael Schenker on Unforgiven, this 1999 collection of hard-rocking numbers and swirling guitar solos echoes the return to classic M.S.G. form first accomplished on 1996's Written in the Sand.
As the guitarist proved decades ago, there's no mystical chemistry, no mysteriously unifying combination of talents necessary for Schenker to kick out the old-school heavy metal jams with verve and style.
Great songwriting? Well, that's another story, but Schenker's appeal was always his energetic guitar performances and rich tone -- of which there is plenty of on Unforgiven.
Highlights include the old-time metal riffing on "Fat City N.O." and "Pilot of Your Soul," but there's plenty more where these satisfying throwbacks came from, as each number confidently delivers on the promise of Schenker's talent.
Ex-Baton Rouge vocalist Kelly Keeling maintains a strong presence with his Coverdale growling that while excessive, manages to stay out of Schenker's way.
The two make a good pair, confident, stylized and unapologetically grounded in their '80s roots.
Anyone who is at all inclined to buy traditional metal discs from the masters 20 years removed from their best work should consider Unforgiven, a satisfyingly nostalgic and muscular recording.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rude AwakeningKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:04 | 11 MB | 0 MB |
| 2 | The Mess I've MadeKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 04:33 | 10 MB | 0 MB |
| 3 | In and Out of TimeKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 03:47 | 8 MB | 0 MB |
| 4 | Hello AngelKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:15 | 12 MB | 0 MB |
| 5 | Fat City N.O.Kelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 04:18 | 9 MB | 0 MB |
| 6 | TowerKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:13 | 11 MB | 0 MB |
| 7 | Pilot of Your SoulKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 04:27 | 10 MB | 0 MB |
| 8 | Forever and MoreKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:45 | 13 MB | 0 MB |
| 9 | Turning off the EmotionKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:17 | 12 MB | 0 MB |
| 10 | Live for TodayKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 04:42 | 10 MB | 0 MB |
| 11 | IllusionKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 03:59 | 9 MB | 0 MB |
| 12 | The StormKelly Keeling, Michael Schenker | Michael Schenker Group, Michael Schenker | Play | 05:18 | 12 MB | 0 MB |
| 57 mins | 132 MB | |||||
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Bradman | Keyboards, Vocals (Background) |
| 2 | Gene Cornelius | Assistant Engineer |
| 3 | Shane Gaalaas | Drums |
| 4 | Steve Jennings | Photography |
| 5 | Kelly Keeling | Composer, Vocals |
| 6 | Joe Marquez | Engineer |
| 7 | John Onder | Bass |
| 8 | Ralph Patlan | Engineer, Mixing |
| 9 | Mark "Mooka" Rennick | Engineer, Mixing |
| 10 | Michael Schenker | Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Performer, Primary Artist, Producer |
| 11 | Michael Schenker Group | Primary Artist |
| 12 | Dave Stephens | Design, Layout Design |
| 13 | Mike Varney | Producer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |