An institution in the German heavy music scene, Bonfire returns after a five-year absence with a new vocalist in tow for this latest studio record Higher Ground. Welcoming singer Dyan Mair to the group, the quintet sets about developing a set of material that proves melodic hard rock/metal will never die. When you want to grab the ears of listeners globally, the ability to write and execute catchy riffs, endearing melodies, and the right mix of fiery solos plus larger than life choirs into ideal, memorable songs is paramount – and that definitely appears in spades on these ten main tracks.
Smartly reminding people that the band can wield musical weaponry in a savage, heads down fashion through tracks like “Lost All Control” or first single “I Will Rise”, you can easily tell that guitarists Hans Ziller and Frank Pane fill the sonic landscape in tasty licks beyond fluid break mechanics, Dyan’s voice stirring up the ideal mix of bluesy thoughtfulness against soaring power when called for. The dynamic versatility always wins in albums of this type – acoustic elements come to the forefront on the ballad “When Love Comes Down”, titanic choirs in the chorus soothing as the arrangement see-saws between clean, calmer verses and distortion/electric-fueled parts. The German precision / finesse roars through a mid-tempo anthem such as “Fallin”, while the rhythm section of bassist Ronnie Parkes and drummer Fabio Alessandrini flex their professionalism in key spots for back half highlight “Jealousy”. Hans’ production abilities shine as well on this release. He understands how to position all the music and vocals in such a way that your brain and ears will absorb multiple elements tailored to incessant toe tapping, hair whipping, or fist waving antics.
Possibly the three re-recorded albums of the early Bonfire records give Higher Ground that balance between the past and present as far as inspiration – because these musicians feel vibrant in their passion for melodic heavy metal/hard rock. For some, the latest material for a veteran artist can’t hold a candle to the classics – but this is not the case here. If you’ve been negligent on this discography, this record could be an ideal start into a treasure trove of music.