A German rock quintet that rose from the ashes of Lion’s Breed in 1987, Scanner comprised Tom S. Sopha on guitar, Michael Knoblich on vocals, Wolfgang Kolorz on drums, Axel A.J. Julius on guitar, and Martin Bork on bass. The group's brand of thrash-metal linked them stylistically to fellow countrymen Helloween. Signing to Noise Records in 1988, Scanner released HYPERTRACE, a science-fiction concept album with a storyline that revolved around extraterrestrial robots preventing war between the world's superpowers. Singer Knoblich quit the group in 1989 and was replaced by ex-Angel Dust vocalist S.L. Coe. The new lineup recorded TERMINAL EARTH, another concept album, which bore a strong musical resemblance to its predecessor.