Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Bonfire
Label: AFM Records
Release: 2018
Duration: 43: 15
Rating: 4.5/5
It’s been clear for a few years now that not a single »B« of the real Bonfire is left. What’s left is a »Z«, the only remaining original (and founding) member of the band, Hans Ziller. Hans remains an inexhaustible wellspring of creative inspiration and ambition, and with that the main cog driving the band’s engine, even in the mature years of its musical career.
The man didn’t rename the crew »Zillfire«, he’s taking Bonfire into a new chapter instead. Two years ago came »Glorius«, which hinted at this transition, and a year later Bonfire released a double compilation of newly recorded classics called »Pearls«. The famous David Reece (ex-Accept) sang on both, but he obviously couldn’t keep up with Ziller’s momentum, and neither could Ziller’s fleeting session with former Jaded Heart singer Michael Bormann. The very next year, meaning last year, Bonfire put out the seriously solid and convincing »Byte the Bullet« with new singer Axl Stahl (Roxxcalibur). The band carried this newly found magic, chemistry and artistic rebirth forward, and so a year later, this April, »Temple Of Lies« came out. A title that’s always timely for any rock and metal album.
On it, Bonfire loosen their artistic ties, as they already hinted at with the predecessor, and happily venture into classic heavy metal territory too, which the opener announces right away: the title track Temple Of Lies, fierce and packed with punch, yet drenched in pomp and bombast. Stahl is phenomenal in the high and highest registers, and in the opening track Bonfire weave a link to the energy of classic German metal, springing out of associations with the classic work of Stormwitch or Scanner. Stahl is a real killer in the extremely high registers, too.
Ziller hasn’t forgotten how to write catchy guitar phrases (riffs) that hit hard on the very first listen. The very next track, On the Wings Of An Angel, reassures the listener that at least a »B« of Bonfire is still there, meaning the new album is naturally close to the classic Bonfire days, and quite a few more confirmations like that follow later on. Even more so. It’s astonishing to realize that Stahl can come close to the vocal character of the band’s legendary original voice, Klaus Lessmann. He proves it a bit later on the mid-tempo Feel the Fire (Like Bonfire), especially distinctive in its fully developed melodic catchiness – which the song title itself winks at. No wonder Ziller welcomed Stahl into the new Bonfire with open arms. On the ballad Comin’ Home, Stahl becomes an even more successful creator of vocal likeness to Lessmann. But he by no means sticks with that, mostly developing his own vocal character across the album. He’s a technically superb vocalist, and tracks like the opening title track, Fly Away or Stand or Fall present the singer in a brilliant light as he carries out his vocal duties. The man could sing in any classic heavy metal band, and plenty of people would envy the development of his vocal power in the extreme registers.
Just under 44 minutes of devilishly good music that keeps a wonderfully clever link to the classic Bonfire alive. It teases just the right amount in that respect. Only a little, but enough. Yes. So it’s hard to believe, after the intro to this piece, that Bonfire today don’t have even a single »B« of that word left. The band also managed to stay in the identical lineup that recorded the predecessor »Byte the Bullet«, which is definite proof that Bonfire have found the right foundation for continuing their career in this mature era. Ziller remains the creative force and the constant.
The record wraps up with the extremely strong Crazy Over You. A song that should become a fixture in the new Bonfire’s live set. An outstanding finish. An album, then, that doesn’t drop in quality. From start to finish. It keeps its hunger and its seriously dynamic swings of mood. The crew serves up excellent guitar soloing, polished mid-eight passages that dramatize the songs, and top-notch chorus melodies that are the emotional peaks of the tracks.Bonfire (in places) skillfully dress Stahl’s lead lines with added vocal harmonies and color a fresh batch of punchy riffs no less craftily. With keyboard backdrops that often mimic the sound of eighties synths, Ziller also still loves adding arrangement curtains in the form of orchestral bursts. Pomp from head to toe. »Temple Of Lies« has thus put the dot on the »i« of its predecessor. It sounds even more focused and compact. Simply because the band managed to bring together a bundle of tracks of completely equal quality, with just the right measure of arrangement and idea variety, and that’s the guarantee of the exceptional dynamics and »drama theater« tension the album builds over its running time. With this kind of drive, the new Bonfire will obviously be kicking around on this planet and in this galaxy for a good while yet. Let it stay that way.
Lineup
Alexx Stahl – vocals
Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
Ronnie Parkes – bass guitar, backing vocals
Tim Breideband – drums
Production
Hans Ziller
Track list
01. In The Beginning
02. Temple Of Lies
03. On The Wings Of An Angel
04. Feed The Fire (Like The Bonfire)
05. Stand Or Fall
06. Comin’ Home
07. I’ll Never Be Loved By You
08. Fly Away
09. I Help You Hate Me
10. Crazy Over You
