Bonfire - Roots
Album review by; The Dark Cookie
BONFIRE have been around a little while now. Since 1986 as BONFIRE, when a name change was suggested, and the rest, as they say is history. With Hans Ziller the one constant in the band on the axe, this band hailing from Ingolstadt, Germany, found their plans to hit the road to promote their last album, “Fistful Of Fire” fell to pieces, thanks to the damned pandemic, and like the rest of us, found themselves with time on their hands.
So rather than rest easy, and let’s be honest, out of necessity to earn a crust, the band hit the studio to record “Roots”, their “almost unplugged “ album of rerecording’s/reinterpretation’s of songs from their vast back catalogue, with a smattering of new stuff.
I cannot lie; I am coming to this with only scant knowledge of their work. I know what I have heard over the years I’ve enjoyed, being a sucker for well played Melodic Hard Rock, but also I have a real soft spot for versions of good rock songs played acoustic, even if it “almost”, it can give songs an extra dimension. I think it is a skill to play a rocker of a tune and make it still sound hard without the wall to wall amplification. Plus on the slow ones that unplugged vibe can really add another layer to the emotion of the song. And the BONFIRE boys deliver this in spades.
The other clever thing the band has done is slip cameos of some rock classics into the tunes. With a riff here, and a refrain there weaved seamlessly into their tunes, it adds some nice little Easter-eggs for listener. I’ll not spoil the game for you, I’ll leave you to find them all your selves, but it does add some nice “wait was that?” moments.
I am please to say there were no stinkers here; I found it very easy to listen. Highlights include “When An Old Man Cries” and “Love Don’t Lie” from the ballad draw, the latter sung as a male/female duet. Opening track “Starin’ Eyes “is a brilliant opener, which builds on one of those cameos I mentioned, into a cool mellow rocker. And “Wolfmen” is about un-unplugged as you can get, a full-out, totally over the top rocker to finish the album.
It has been a voyage of discovery for me, one I have thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely lead me to finding out the bands back catalogue.
5 out of 5
Bonfire are;
Alexx Stahl (Vocals)
Hans Ziller (Guitar)
Frank Pané (Guitar)
Ronnie Parkes (Bass)
André Hilgers (Drums)
Social Media Links;
Web; http://bonfire.de/english/home.php
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/bonfireofficial/about
Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/bonfire_official/
You Tube; https://m.youtube.com/user/Bonfireofficial
Spotify; https://open.spotify.com/artist/7gqKcfoY25do9k18uCCgIT?si=JpM9qAoFTq-aqjXo6gmxXw
Track listing;
CD1
Starin’ Eyes
American Nights
Let Me Be Your Water
The Price Of Loving You
Comin´ Home
Ready 4 Reaction
Give It A Try
Sleeping All Alone
Who´s Foolin´ Who
Why Is It Never Enough
CD2
Fantasy
When An Old Man Cries
Love Don´t Lie
Lonely Nights
Under Blue Skies
You Make Me Feel
No More
The Devil Made Me Do It
Without You
Your Love Is Heaven To Me
Piece Of My Heart
Youngbloods
Our Hearts Don´t Feel The Same
14 Wolfmen
