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"This “Don't Sell Your Soul,” the second part of a trilogy announced by Michael Schenker, is above all a disappointment. MSG has done so much better..."
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2/5
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Michael Schenker turned 70 in January, but the German legend doesn't seem to care. Fans of the Flying V guitarist have barely recovered from last year's release of his album of UFO covers, and now they have the pleasure of seeing him back in business under the banner of his famous MSG. Three years after the highly successful “Universal,” Schenker is back with “Don't Sell Your Soul,” which is sure to delight fans of the guitarist.
According to the production team, this new opus is part of a trilogy that began with last year's “My Years With UFO” and will therefore be followed by a sequel, the form of which has yet to be determined. However, it's already clear that when listening to the 2025 production, the conceptual link between these first two works is not immediately apparent, as the resemblance between the new tracks and those concocted by the German UFO is purely anecdotal. The concept behind this triptych may be revealed when the third part is released.
As with “Universal,” the guitar hero invited several singers to join the party. However, Sweden's Erik Grönwall (ex-H.E.A.T./Skid Row) sings on most of the eleven tracks, leaving Robin McAuley (ex-Grand Prix/MSG), Michael Voss (ex-Mad Max) and Dimitri Liapakis (Mystic Prophecy) only four opportunities to take the mic. It is on this subject of vocals that the first disappointment arises, and it comes as a surprise because the Scandinavian headliner had accustomed us to more calibrated performances. His vocals here really lacks personality and fails to make an impact on the audience. To say that it is dull would perhaps be a tad harsh, but in any case it leaves an unpleasant impression of blandness.
This does little to help the compositions, which could really use some help. Unfortunately, this is where the second problem lies. Between the lack of depth in many of the choruses, the predictability of many of the structures, and the dusty production of the work, there is very little to hold on to. The eponymous title track that opens the album stands out from the crowd with its catchy melody, but it's not until the end of the album, with “It's You” and “Flesh And Bone,” that the miracle happens again. The rest of the work navigates between pleasant but unmemorable passages (“Danger Zone,” “I Can't Stand Waiting,” and “Sign Of The Times”) and movements that have been repeated ad nauseam (“Eye Of The Storm” and ‘Surrender’), or are even insipid (“The Chosen,” 'Sixstring Shotgun' and ‘Janey The Fox’, which seems unfinished due to its abrupt conclusion).
This second part of the announced trilogy is a disappointment. Michael Shencker remains a formidable guitarist, however, and he has lost none of his brilliance. But his solos remain almost the only attraction of “Don't Sell Your Soul.” They burst to the surface like bubbles of oxygen rising from the depths. Despite this disappointment, we'll be back for the grand finale. We don't expect it to live up to the first part—UFO is unattainable—but we hope it will at least make up for this year's misstep. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
 01. Don't Sell Your Soul
02. Danger Zone
03. Eye Of The Strom
04. Janey The Fox
05. I Can't Stand Waiting
06. Sign Of The Times
07. The Chosen
08. It's You
09. Sixstring Shotgun
10. Flesh And Bone
11. Surrender
LINEUP:
Barend Courbois: Basse
Bodo Schopf: Batterie
Erik Grönwall: Chant
Michael Schenker: Guitares
Michael Voss: Chant
Roberto Dimitri Liapakis: Chant
Robin Mcauley: Chant
Steve Mann: Guitares / Claviers
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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(6) COMMENT(S)
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En notre qualité de vieux machins connaisseurs, il est exact que nous sommes souvent d'accord  Si tu passes par Nîmes je t'offrirai une bière !
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J’aime beaucoup Mickaël pour l’ensemble de son œuvre mais je trouve que sur ce « Don’t sell your soul », il a mis un peu le pilote automatique : pas de surprise,ni dans les riffs,ni dans les mélodies mais surtout les solis sont peu créatifs, assez attendus, sans inventivité, bref, assez passe-partout… bien sûr ça n’est pas foncièrement mauvais mais on pouvait espérer un peu mieux de la part du petit frère de Rudolf… dans la « mouvance germanique » sorti presque en même temps, je préfère largement le Babylon de Dirkschneider et son vieux gang, tellement plus vivifiant , varié et mieux produit, du coup je suis d'accord avec Lynott ce qui me rassure quelque part..
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Alors je m'incline ! Merci pour la rectification ! 
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Pour M. VOSS, c'est ce qui est noté sur le livret du cd, donc...?! 
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Peut-être que la raison est là, je suis plus fan d'UFO que de MSG. Mais a priori les critiques pleuvent sur le Net sur ce disque...M'enfin, les goûts et les couleurs...Par ailleurs je pense que Voss ne chante que sur un titre...Le débat reste ouvert !
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READERS
4/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
2/5 (1 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG)
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG)
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