Built to Destroy

Michael Schenker Group: Michael Schenker (guitar); Gary Barden (vocals); Andy Nye (keyboards); Chris Glen (bass); Ted McKenna (drums).
Additional personnel: Derek St. Holmes (vocals).
Built to Destroy was not much different than MSG's previous effort, Assault Attack, except that Gary Barden replaced Graham Bonnet on lead vocals. Michael Schenker's steady musicianship usually lifted his sometimes mediocre solo efforts into at least the listenable range. But other than "Rock My Nights Away" and the instrumental "Nemo," most of the songs on this album sound like standard '80s fare: upbeat, keyboard-laced pop-metal songs with inspirationally banal lyrics that would fit nicely on a movie soundtrack. The U.K. version on BGO Records and the U.S. one on Chrysalis are supposed to have alternate mixes, but the difference is imperceptible. The easier-to-find American release has a shuffled song order. Built to Destroy, while average, was still much better than UFO albums from the same period, proving that Schenker was really the guiding force behind his former band. Nonetheless, this release is for fans of the genre or Schenker completists only. ~ Brian Downing