When I went to Reading Rock Festival in 1988 as a wee young thing, I had never heard of Bonfire. When I went home three days later, with my ear pierced and in desperate need of a bath, I had definitely heard of them, heard them, and seen them. Their album, Fireworks, got lots of air time, and I was sold. Fast forward to now, and plenty of good German Bier has flowed under the bridge. Things have changed, people have changed, the whole world has changed. But have Bonfire?
Bonfire – Higher Ground (Frontiers Music Srl)
Release Date: 24 January 2025
Words: Mark Rotherham
The album kicks off with Nostradamus, but if you were expecting a cover version of the Judas Priest opus, you would be disappointed. It’s a short instrumental intro. A thunderbolt, moody pianos, and then guitars and biblical chorusing announce the ominous intro to the album.
Higher Ground then rips along on top gear with I Will Rise, a thunderous riff and high-speed guitar. Dyan Mair’s vocals rip into this song, with lyrics that talk of overcoming adversity and succeeding against the odds. Red meat to pretty much every Metal fan out there.
Let’s be clear. This is not anything you have not heard before. In fact, you could even mix this with Fireworks and almost imagine that it is all from the same album. But that is missing the point. This is Bonfire, this is a point in time, and it’s what you like, right? And if you are of a certain age, and I know I sure as hell am, then we are probably on the same page.
The next track, Higher Ground, starts with a nice chuggy riff and a solid beat, with much darker lyrics than you would usually get from Bonfire. For this doomy soul, that is not a bad thing. With the likes of Hammerfall now on the scene, songs like this are definitely needed to compete.
But let’s face it. If Europe are getting heavier than they were in the ’80s, that’s definitely the path to follow. Personally, I found that the solo let the song down a little bit as it changed the tempo, at least for a while, before the solid riffing returned me to headbanging heaven. And those screaming vocals at the song’s end, oh yes!
While formed in the ’70s, Bonfire’s heyday was the ’80s. It’s the decade that defined them, and this is no more evident than it is with I Died Tonight. It’s a big production synth-soaked song that is probably just a bit too up-tempo to be called a power ballad but has got single written all over it. It’s melodic and accessible, and back in the day, it would have been seen as very radio and MTV-friendly.
In a similar vein is Lost All Control, which has a nice, solid intro, very similar to Higher Ground, but is actually, dare I say it, thrashy? Not what you would expect from Bonfire, but hey, let’s embrace the diversity. Dian’s vocals remain crystal clear and are accompanied by the Teutonic-style backing vocals that the German Metal bands have made their own. And obscure curve ball here, but the verse reminds me of an old Kiss Of The Gypsy song, Take This Old Heart. Surely a coincidence because the rest of the song sounds nothing like it, especially the super-fast shred solo.
When Love Comes Down is the power ballad, pretty much obligatory for Bonfire. It’s acoustic and guitar-based and follows the familiar love song theme. The chorus remains quite meaty and metallic. For the fans of the slower songs, it is thoughtful and well put together.
The Metal becomes molten once again with Fallin’, with its riffing and shredding intro, and the vocals are a mix of hot and cold, fast and slow. “I’m fallin’, when you call my name,” is the first line of the chorus. Again, it’s familiar subject matter for a band who cut their teeth in the ’80s. But it’s what you expect, and it’s also what Bonfire do, and if I may say, they do it particularly well.
As the album progresses, it seems to get heavier. Come Hell Or High Water (not a Kiss cover) has a dark, doomy and very heavy intro, which leaves you wondering where this came from. I certainly was not expecting this slice of relentless aggression.
It is as welcome as it is surprising, a world away from Bonfire’s accessible, radio-light Metal, but no less welcome because of it. The vocals suit the darker tone impeccably, and if this is a sign of Bonfire’s future, then get me a ticket on that train. Definitely my favourite track on this album. There is even a post-millennial growl as the song draws to a close. Amazing stuff.
The caffeinated Metal just keeps on coming with Jealousy. This song has another super-fast intro, almost Scandinavian in its attack. Much like the previous track, this has much more aggression than you would normally expect from Bonfire, and hey, that is not a bad thing, with the vocals also being a touch deeper.
There is an element of weirdness with Spinnin’ In The Black, which starts with a very strange opening, although after a few seconds, normal riffing service is resumed. There is certainly a much heavier edge to Higher Ground after the ballad is out of the way. This is a good, chugging song that keeps the heaviness moving along nicely.
The album concludes with Rock ‘N’ Roll Survivor (2024 Version). I have to confess that I had not heard the 2020 version, but this year’s track is standard Bonfire fare and will keep the fans more than happy. It will get buy-in from many Metal fans of a certain age who remember all of this from way back. It has a very German feel, again with the big choruses and basic messaging. None of that is a bad thing, and it is aimed squarely at the band’s core audience.
So there you have it, Bonfire’s latest album, Higher Ground. Due for release on 24 January, sadly, that was too late to find a copy in your Christmas stocking.
But if your New Year’s resolution is to listen to some great Heavy Metal, or if you just need something to banish the January blues, then Higher Ground will fit the bill perfectly.
Higher Ground – Track listing
1. Nostradamus
2. I Will Rise
3. Higher Ground
4. I Died Tonight
5. Lost All Control
6. When Love Comes Down
7. Fallin’
8. Come Hell Or High Water
9. Jealousy
10. Spinnin’ In The Black
11. Rock’n’Roll Survivor (2024 Version)
Line Up:
Hans Ziller – Guitar
Dyan Mair – Vocals
Frank Pané – Guitar
Ronnie Parkes – Bass
Fabio Alessandrini – Drums
