After guitarist Chris Yps Limburg BONFIRE had left, so had to her a second guitarist. Frank Pane is the new strings artists of the group. A native of Allgäu guitarist has now earned a very good reputation far beyond the borders of the Allgäu. About stations as, inter alia, Morning Dew, RED TO GREY, VALLEYS EVE and own solo albums he currently plays alongside BONFIRE also at Purpendicular, one of the best DEEP PURPLE Tribute bands in Europe - where at various gigs even the original drummer of DEEP PURPLE - Ian Paice on the Shooting sat at their current long groove the likes of "NEIL MURRAY" (Whitesnake, Gary Moore, Black Sabbath, MSG), Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Kansas) or Roger Glover (Deep Purple, Rainbow), Don Airey (Deep Purple, Rainbow , Gary Moore, ...) participated as guests.
Let's talk about the new album Glorious: Hans Ziller has written together with David Reece some real good hard rock numbers. "21 Guns Salute" - that a really good mid-tempo number with strong chorus. The double bass number "Nothin` At All" goes off well. "Remember" is characterized by the so typical melodic guitar runs of Hans Ziller and could have been standing on the great FIREWORKS album. The quite "Ready For Reaction" compatible "Freewind Desperado" and with a thrilling chorus provided "Put Out The Flame" are further highlights of this disc quite successful. Attention should be also the beautiful ballad "Shooting Star" and again provided with strong chorus title track "Glorious". All numbers are very well arranged by and are characterized by a good melodic and musical level.
The problem, but somehow is not a problem is, David Reece. Reece sings gigantic well. But he is not Claus Lessmann. This has been very much influenced the Bonfire Sound. With Reece who has a different vocal style and allowed to flow a certain amount of blues feeling and roughness in his singing, it sounds somehow different. It no longer sounds so by BONFIRE - more like a new band or just as still significantly better successful successor of last EZ LIVIN CD "Firestorm".
The ballad "Fallin` Outta Love" is a feeble attempt at the great ballads such as "Who`s Who Fooling" or "You Make Me Feel" get hold again. The bonus number - a tribute version of Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends" could have to pay - that does not fit BONFIRE. But somehow managed unnecessary are the admissions of the old classics "Sweet Obsession" and "American Nights".
Conclusion: BONFIRE have recorded with "Glörious" a thoroughly great hard rock disc. Quite a lot of numbers that I really enjoy. But you have to get used to the singer change first. By David Reece BONFIRE sound like another band. Claus Lessmann hovering here like a sword of Damocles over the group. Nevertheless thumbs up for a good piece of music. Fans of melodic hard rock can safely access here.
