Description
TAKEN BY FORCE was released on 4 December 1977 and was the last studio album with Uli Jon Roth and the first with the new drummer Herman Rarebell. The newcomer also introduced himself as a songwriter and contributed the lyrics to Hes A Woman Shes A Man. TAKEN BY FORCE features a number of songs that have since become classics. Steamrock Fever is one of them, a typical live hit that was an absolute hit with the audience for many years. Then we have Ive Got To Be Free, written by Uli Jon Roth a highenergy and hardrocking piece with great riffs and some guitar magic that once again demonstrates Roths exceptional class. Ultraheavy riffs and a catchy chorus, on the other hand, are the trademarks of the aforementioned Hes A Woman Shes A Man. The small masterpiece The Sails Of Charon, another song by Uli Jon Roth, is a caliber on its own. The most unusual, and often criminally underrated, track on the album, however, is Your Light. A funky bass introduces the track and the song grooves almost like a Motown production. Your Light is the perfect counterpart and balance to the rather dark and oppressive The Sails Of Charon or The Riot Of Your Time. The ballad Born To Touch Your Feelings represents the romantic side of the Scorpions, which has established them as the Masters of Ballads over the years. The song is of the same class as the later monster hits Still Loving You or Holiday. Although the musical differences between Uli Jon Roth and the other band members had already become apparent during the recording process, TAKEN BY FORCE has become a fascinating album that does not have the slightest weak spot. It is the exquisite culmination of the era with Uli Jon Roth and at the same time a work that should have a significant influence on the future development of heavy metal. TAKEN BY FORCE is now released as a 180g 1LP, pressed on white vinyl.
