Sony International has announced the release of legendary international hard rockers SCORPIONS' new offering MTV Unplugged. Due out in North America on January 21st, material from MTV Unplugged is taken from the Scorpions' first-ever MTV Unplugged show and features new acoustic versions of best-loved classic hits, as well as five brand new songs. MTV Unplugged will be available in two formats - a standard CD and a deluxe version featuring CD+DVD. MTV Unplugged will be released in 50 countries, a testament to the German band's iconic status worldwide. The album cover for MTV Unplugged can be seen below, while he exact trac listing will be announced at a later date.

Recorded and filmed just a few months ago on September 11th and September 12th of this year, the Scorpions' MTV Unplugged was culled from two dynamic acoustic sets at the Lycabettus Theatre in Athens, Greece. The spectacular open-air theatre, situated 300 meters above the city, was an impressive backdrop for the first-ever open-air show in the history of MTV Unplugged (the theatre also shares a birth year with the Scorpions themselves, having been built in 1965, the same year the Scorpions formed). Of the choice to film/record MTV Unplugged at the Lycabettus Theatre, Scorpions' singer/guitarist Klaus Meine commented, "We have fabulous fans all over the world, but the Greeks are absolute die-hards fans."

Scorpions are Klaus Meine (vocals/guitar), Rudolf Schenker (guitars/vocals), Matthias Jabs (guitars), Pawel Maciwoda (bass) and James Kottak (drums); additional musical support on MTV Unplugged includes contributions from Swedish musicians and producers Mikael Nord Andersson (guitars, mandolin, lap steel, vocals) and Martin Hansen (guitars, harmonica, vocals). The duo is also responsible for the arrangements on MTV Unplugged.

In other news, the Scorpions are still in the midst of their epic Farewell World Tour; the tour has been going on for more than three years now. To the delight of their fans there is no end in sight, as to date the band has only played 23 out of the 38 countries planned on the itinerary.

Scorpions are returning to Germany to play four exclusive shows in spring 2014. Dubbed MTV Unplugged Live 2014, the band will "deliver all their classic hits and a few songs you never heard before, featuring an extraordinary set and various guests," according to a press release.

Dates include:

April

29 - München, Germany - Olympiahalle München

May

1 - Köln, Germany - Lanxess Arena
2 - Hamburg, Germany - O2 World Hamburg
4 - Stuttgart, Germany - Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle

Tickets are now available exclusively at this location.

(Band photo: Torsten Hilse)