{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox album | name = Pure Instinct | type = studio | artist = Scorpions | cover = ScorpionsPureInstinct.jpg | alt = | caption = Cover photo by Gered Mankowitz | released = 21 May 1996 | recorded = | studio = {{flatlist| *Scorpio Sound Studio, Hannover, Germany *Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands *Magic Moments Studio, New York City, New York, US *Goodnight LA, Los Angeles, California, US }} | genre = * Hard rock | length = 51:04 | label = East West (International){{·}}Atlantic (US) | producer = * Erwin Musper * Keith Olsen * Scorpions | prev_title = Face the Heat | prev_year = 1993 | next_title = Eye II Eye | next_year = 1999 | misc = {{Singles | name = Pure Instinct | type = studio | single1 = You and I" / "She's Knocking at My Door | single1date = 1996 | single2 = Does Anyone Know" / "Stone in My Shoe (live) | single2date = 1996 | single3 = Wild Child | single3date = 1996 <small>(US only)</small> | single4 = When You Came into My Life | single4date = 1996 | single5 = Where the River Flows | single5date = 1997 }} {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative cover photo by Michel Comte | type = Studio album | cover = PureInstinctUS.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = }} }} {{Music ratings | rev1 =AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-instinct-r234850/review | title = Scorpions Pure Instinct review | access-date = 5 August 2011 | last = Weber | first = Barry | work = AllMusic | publisher = Rovi Corporation}}</ref> | rev2 =''Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal'' | rev2Score = 4/10<ref name="martin" >{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | author-link1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties | publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing | date = 1 August 2007 | location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada | isbn = 978-1-894959-62-9 |pages=387–388}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Metal Hammer'' (GER) | rev3Score = 5/7<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/scorpions-pure-instinct/ |title=Scorpions – Pure Instinct |language=de |last=Scöwe |first=Andreas |magazine=Metal Hammer |date=May 1996 |access-date=20 June 2017 }}</ref> | rev4 = ''Rock Hard'' | rev4Score = 7.0/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Review Album: Scorpions - Pure Instinct |magazine=Rock Hard |year=1996 |last=Glas |first=Stefan |issue=101 |url=https://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=726 |access-date=20 June 2017 |language=de}}</ref> | rev5= ''Music Waves'' (FRA) | rev5Score = 2/5<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicwaves.fr/frmReview.aspx?ID=7127&REF= |date=7 May 2011 |author=Loloceltic |title=Scorpions Pure Instinct review |website=Music Waves |language=fr |access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref> | noprose= yes }}
'''''Pure Instinct''''' is the thirteenth studio album by the German hard rock band Scorpions, released in 1996. The album received mixed reviews from critics, with many criticizing it for having too many ballads and not enough hard rock songs.
The cover art for this album, as with several earlier Scorpions albums, was replaced with an alternative cover for some releases due to the nudity on the original cover.<ref name="Metal Exiles interview with Klaus Meine">{{cite web|author=Jeffrey Easton |title=Metal Exiles interview with Klaus Meine' |url=http://www.metalexiles.com/_mgxroot/page_11070.html |publisher=metalexiles.com |access-date=21 April 2010 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421000657/http://www.metalexiles.com/_mgxroot/page_11070.html |archive-date=21 April 2010 }}</ref> This is the only Scorpions album that does not feature an official drummer, released following the departure of Herman Rarebell before the recording sessions. The band hired session musician Curt Cress as drummer for the album. The song "You and I" gained some popularity and was often played in Scorpions concerts.
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_lyrics = Klaus Meine, except "When You Came into My Life" by Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Titiek Puspa and James F. Sundah | title1 = Wild Child | music1 = Schenker | length1 = 4:19 | title2 = But the Best for You | music2 = Meine | length2 = 5:26 | title3 = Does Anyone Know | music3 = Meine | length3 = 6:03 | title4 = Stone in My Shoe | music4 = Schenker | length4 = 4:42 | title5 = Soul Behind the Face | music5 = Schenker | length5 = 4:01 | title6 = Oh Girl (I Wanna Be with You) | music6 = Schenker | length6 = 3:56 | title7 = When You Came into My Life | music7 = Meine, Schenker, Puspa, Sundah | length7 = 5:13 | title8 = Where the River Flows | music8 = Schenker | length8 = 4:16 | title9 = Time Will Call Your Name | music9 = Schenker | length9 = 3:21 | title10 = You and I | music10 = Meine | length10 = 6:16 | title11 = Are You the One? | music11 = Schenker | length11 = 3:15 }} {{Track listing | headline = Japanese edition bonus track | title12 = She's Knocking at My Door | music12 = Schenker | length12 = 3:21 }} {{Track listing | headline = ''Pure Instinct'' single-only tracks | title1 = Kiss of Borrowed Time | length1 = 3:39 | writer1 = Meine | note1 = from the "When You Came into My Life" CD-single | title2 = You and I | length2 = 4:21 | writer2 = Meine | note2 = special single mix from the "You and I" CD-single }}
"Time Will Call Your Name" is 3:56 in length on European releases.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Pure Instinct |type=liner notes |others=Scorpions |publisher=EastWest Records GmbH |year=1996 |location=Germany |id=0630-14524-2 35 511 5}}</ref>
==Personnel== ;Scorpions *Klaus Meine – lead vocals *Rudolf Schenker – rhythm guitar, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars, EBow, backing vocals *Matthias Jabs – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars, slide guitar *Ralph Rieckermann – bass
;Additional musicians *Curt Cress – drums, percussion *Pitti Hecht – percussion *Luke Herzog, Koen van Bael – keyboards
;Production *Erwin Musper – producer, engineer, mixing *Keith Olsen – producer on track 1 *Evelien Tjebbes, Attie Bauw, Peter Kirkman – assistant engineers *David Foster – producer, arranger, keyboards on track 7 (uncredited on this album, but credited on single) *Claude Gaudette – keyboards on track 7 (uncredited on this album, but credited on single) *David Reitzas, Felipe Elgueta – engineers on track 7 (uncredited on this album, but credited on single) *Chris Lord-Alge – mixing on track 7 (uncredited on this album, but credited on single) *George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! Chart (1996) ! Peak<br/>position |- {{Album chart|Austria|20|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Wallonia|37|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Netherlands|95|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Finland|10|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- !scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_Y.php |website =Infodisc.fr |language=fr |access-date=March 25, 2024 |title=Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – S |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022124902/http://infodisc.fr/Album_S.php |archive-date=22 October 2014 }} ''Select ''Scorpions'' from the menu, then press ''OK''.''</ref> | align="center"|11 |- {{Album chart|Germany|8|id=2304|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Hungary|14|year=1996|week=21|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 18, 2025}} |- !scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="JPN">{{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=Oricon Entertainment|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}</ref> | align="center"| 28 |- {{Album chart|Norway|4|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Sweden|38|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Switzerland|15|artist=Scorpions|album=Pure Instinct|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|UKRock|18|date=19960512|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |- {{Album chart|Billboard200|99|artist=Scorpions|refname=Billboard 200|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 25, 2024}} |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry | region=Finland | title=Pure Instinct | artist=Scorpions| award=Gold| type=album| access-date=13 January 2021| relyear=1996|salesamount=25,000}} {{Certification Table Entry | region=France| title=Pure Instinct | artist=Scorpions | award=Gold | type=album | access-date=13 January 2022 | relyear=1996|certyear=1996|source=infodisc}} {{Certification Table Entry | region=Germany | title=Pure Instinct | artist=Scorpions | award=Gold | type=album | access-date=15 November 2011 | relyear=1996| relmonth=5 | date=1996}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Indonesia|award=Platinum|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|certref=<ref name=BILLBOARD>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1996/1996-11-30-Billboard-Page-0053.pdf|title=Scorpions Pure Instinct|magazine=Billboard|date=November 30, 1996|page=53}}</ref>|salesamount=50,000|salesref=<ref name=IFPI>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/certification-award-levels.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109165528/http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/certification-award-levels.pdf|archive-date=9 January 2007|url-status=dead|title=Certification Award Levels|publisher=IFPI|access-date=23 March 2023}}</ref>}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Malaysia|award=Platinum|number=6|certref=<ref name="Malasya">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VPxOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3BQEAAAAIBAJ&hl=en&pg=3313%2C1907099|title=Scorpions bares its soul|newspaper=New Straits Times|access-date=11 July 2023|date=19 April 1999|page=3}}</ref> |salesamount=150,000|salesref=<ref name="Malasya"/>}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Portugal|award=Gold|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|certref=<ref name=BILLBOARD />}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Singapore|award=Gold|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|certref=<ref name=BILLBOARD />|salesamount=7,500|salesref=<ref name=IFPI />}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=South Korea|award=Gold|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|certref=<ref name=BILLBOARD />|salesamount=15,000|salesref=<ref name=IFPI />}} {{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1996|region=Thailand|award=Platinum|certyear=1996|certref=<ref name=plaque>{{cite web|url=https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tRUJH-SaobM/Vx6DSmwgdpI/AAAAAAAAhpc/40FG2nyRu2MJPoNcuIP8JBa-lZ1OiBEkQCLcB/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-04-23-23h04m55s698.png|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206173922/https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tRUJH-SaobM/Vx6DSmwgdpI/AAAAAAAAhpc/40FG2nyRu2MJPoNcuIP8JBa-lZ1OiBEkQCLcB/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-04-23-23h04m55s698.png|archive-date=6 December 2020|url-status=dead|title=Platinum Award for the sales of 50'000 copies of Pure Instinct|access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref>|salesamount=50,000|salesref=<ref name=plaque/>}} {{Certification Table Bottom}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [http://www.the-scorpions.com/english/discography/records/pure_instinct.asp Official album page] * [http://www.the-scorpions.com/german/videos/you_and_i.asp "You and I" video] * [http://www.the-scorpions.com/german/videos/when_you_came_into_my_life.asp "When You Came into My Life" video]
{{Scorpions}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1996 albums Category:Scorpions (band) albums Category:Albums produced by Keith Olsen Category:Albums recorded at Wisseloord Studios Category:Atlantic Records albums Category:East West Records albums