Kev Rowland Apparently this album has been put together from “long lost tapes”, and although it doesn’t say so on the cover the bulk of the material stems from their 1998 performance at the Wacken festival (on top of the 11 songs from there, there are an additional six songs including some previously unreleased material). So, there is some rare stuff here and there is no doubt that it will appeal to hardcore fans, but in truth it is really only them that will want to get this album anyway (also available in vinyl!). Even though I am sure that there has been a great deal of work undertaken on the sound, the levels aren’t as good as they could be, and the guitars are way too low in the mix. Any band that also performs a cover of “The Stroke” should be taken out and shot at dawn as it has to be one of the worst tongue in cheek songs of all time.

If you can’t live without everything that Bonfire has released then be happy that this is out there, but if like me you can do quite well without them then pass this one by. The guys do have a really good website (although the album listing hasn’t been updated to include this one), which can be found at www.bonfire.de

1967/ 1976 Skilled in creating a perfect mix between Hard Rock and Glam Metal, Bonfire are among the prime movers of the German scene of the 1980's to assert themselves in the masses. "Free" from 2003 is a good album if you think that Bonfire is a Glam Metal band but an excellent album if you think that Bonfire is a Hard Rock band.

The evolution of Hard Rock has created a hybrid of original Hard Rock and Heavy Metal which is extremely difficult to understand what has become the Hard Rock. Also because there are even songs written by Rock Hard Power Metal bands, and if we have to be honest, even a band like Soul Asylum is a Hard Rock band.

This is important. In fact "Free" is a 100% hybrid between Hard Rock and Glam Metal. The music is Hard Rock, the vocal part are Glam Metal and the arrangements are Glam Metal or Hard Rock, depends from the atmospheres that the band have in head song for song. And in type of music is incredible the transformation of the perception of the genre of a single song, moment after moment. "Free" (the title track) is a perfect Hard Rock song with Glam Metal refrain and solo. "I Would Anything 4 U" have a start in Van Halen field but the r5est of the song is close to AOR as "Love CCA" is a good Hard AOR due to the mix between Glam Metal and Hard Rock, theme that is the base of the songs style, at the end. It is true that the more close Hard Rock song not have connection with Heavy Metal but "Give A Little" is a simple AOR song. But you don't have to think that Bonfire is an AOR song. In my perception is Hard Rock that have its evolution in this road, today. Certainly in 1980's Bonfire was more close to Heavy Metal (glam Metal) but in 1980 that was Hard Rock. Returning to speak about "Free", the songs are not technical but remain a good songs for technique, all geared towards feeling and magic. Certainly good are the vocal parts, close to AOR or Glam Metal, depend on song or moment of song. Interesting are the guitas, not too aggressive in distorted sound and good in clean sound, also if not in evidence in the economy of the songs because used only as an element of sound, as drums and voice. this is valid also in "September On My Mind" the more Heavy Metal (but 100% Hard Rock) song in "Free", an aggressive but melodic song.

In definitive view "Free" is a good album with good songs, a good piece of Hard Rock. If for you Heavy Metal is the cild of Hard Rock "Free" is one of your album. At the same time if you think that Hard Rock isn't a genre that have strong connection with Heavy Metal, today, "Free" remain a great album. Not for case if you are a Hard Rocker "Free" is a great album and if you are Metalhead "Free" is only a good album, due to the evolution of Hard Rock. Remain the fact that Bonfire is a great band that with "free" have composed an album that not is a masterpiece but a great album.

Stephen Bonfire's twelfth studio album, "Branded", marks the return of long-time drummer, Dominik Huelshorst to the band, and still offering Lessmann/Ziller's penned tracks in the veins of classic German melodic rock style. Honestly, I haven't followed them for quite sometimes since "Knock Out", though I'm familiar with some newer tracks from the compilation "You Make Me Feel", and after a thorough listening and comparing it to the first four records, I can say that "Branded" is an okay effort but definitely quite far from their victorious years.

The starter, "Deadly Contradiction" moves in midpace, sometimes slow, the verse is good and the chorus is brilliant. "Just Follow The Rainbow" maintained the strong arrangement and both of these songs are instant fave. "Save Me", is actually still a nice song but I can feel the pattern is too similar with the previous. "Let It Grow", a balladic attempt with a 'Blaze of Glory' feel, turns out to be an acceptable song, but nothing's extra-ordinary.

From track five, all the way to the ninth, Bonfire looks like they're losing momentum. Most of the songs are sitting right on the verge of filler's cliff, average at best. The only heaviest track of the album, "Do Or Die", has the blazing rhythm and promising at start, but then fell off eventually, lacking memorable hooks that made this song easy to pass. "Crazy" and "Loser's Lane" will be much better if both have stronger grips on the choruses. Luckily, "Hold Me Now" is a brilliant ballad to end the album.

Two acoustical renditions of "I Need You" and "Rivers of Glory" are a neat addition to this album. Excellent production, some great solos, and passionate vocal delivery are among the highlights of "Branded", though it seems that Claus Lessmann didn't want to take risk venturing to the upper registry anymore. Unfortunately, too many slow/mid-tempo average tracks here as I believe that Lessmann/Ziller's capability is beyond this and they can do much better. That's what I'm expecting in their future releases, back to form, with more punchy chorus, bigger hooks, and better songs.