Heavy Metal galt Ende der 70er Jahre noch immer als eine Art von Untergrundbewegung und die Scorpions waren mit ihrem Album etwas zu früh dran für den großen Hit. Doch Virgin Killer hat alles, was eine klassische Hardrock- und wahre Heavy-Metal-Scheibe braucht: melodischen und gleichzeitig harten Rock, schwere Songs und das außergewöhnliche, schnelle, innovative Gitarrenspiel von Uli Jon Roth. Sein von Hendrix inspiriertes Solo auf Polar Nights gehört heute zu den Klassikern und bahnte seinen Weg zur Gitarrenlegende.
Das Line-up für die Platte blieb zum ersten Mal gleich und neben Sänger Klaus Meine und Gitarrist Uli Jon Roth spielten Rudolf Schenker an der Rhythmusgitarre, Francis Buchholz am Bass und Rudy Lenners am Schlagzeug. Die Scorpions erregten erstmal Aufsehen über Europas Grenzen hinaus. Das Remastering übernahm Kevin Gray, die 24-Karat-Gold-CD mit HDCD-Codierung erscheint im Slipcase in limitierter Auflage mit fortlaufender Seriennummer.
Virgin Killer is the first of four studio releases that really defined the Scorpions and their highly influential urgent metallic sound. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The album was a step in the band's shift from psychedelic music to hard rock. For the first time in the band's career the line-up stayed the same with Klaus Meine on vocals, Uli Jon Roth on lead guitar, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Rudy Lenners on drums. The nine tracks were laid down with Dieter Dierks producing.
The band is in top form and churns out some melodic yet blistering heavy rock. Virgin Killer is full of heavy songs and exceptionally, fast, innovative guitar leads by Uli Jon Roth. These songs are infectious and Uli's guitar solo on the Jimi Hendrix inspired "Polar Nights" exhibits the thunder-heavy riffs and grooves that make it a classic.
Virgin Killer should have made the band superstars, the recording draws the line of what was classic hard rock and true heavy metal. The metal is so clear cut and state-of-the-art, but since metal was still very much an underground movement, the Scorpions would have to wait until the '80's when the band cranked out their first hits.
The Hendrix comparisons are endless, Virgin Killer is simply essential listening; a landmark album for the genre's development that made Uli Jon Roth a guitar legend.