BONFIRE can look back on 12 studio albums, about 6 million sold records and more than 20 years of Rock 'n' Roll. The band from Ingolstadt, Bavaria once started as a school band named CACUMEN in 1977 and is now one of the leading bands in Germany that exports Rock music to the whole world.
Their music may be seen as little innovative, cheesy or even boring but the guys are nothing but traditional, trying to keep the feeling and the meaning of Rock 'n' Roll alive. And after 20 years of success they still acquit themselves very well. Even though BONFIRE always counted on tradition, they now dare to tread uncharted trails producing their new album The Rauber. It was originally the idea of Pierre Walter Politz - the director of the theater in Ingolstadt - to put on a musical of the storm and stress era play The Rauber by German playwright Friedrich Schiller. He asked BONFIRE to set his idea to music and they managed to deliver a great Rock musical, including rebellion, pain, sorrow, desire for freedom and even fun and also make two worlds come together successfully.
The intro, The Rauber, introduces on one hand the dark and deeply emotional atmosphere on this record in a amazing way and also the following song, Bells Of Freedom, which is the song reminds me of tough Hard Rock of the best. A short interlude called The Oath brings back to my mind that the record is ought to be a musical. You can visualize it very well being played in the theater in Ingolstadt by listening to the following German song, Blut Und Tod , which is a very strong, evil-sounding and impressive song showing the musical skills of the Bavarian guys. Peculiar is that BONFIRE produced a bi-lingual record for the first time. Any other album was either completely English or German.
Hereupon follow also three great ballads called Love Don't lie, Do You Still Love Me and Let Me Be Your Water. Two of these are recorded twice, again as acoustic versions and bonus tracks on this album. In this case my flesh began to creep when I heard the acoustic versions. These two songs will definitely be loved by those who also like it a little more softly sometimes.
Really noticeable is the song Black Night, which is NOT a cover-version of the DEEP PURPLE song but definitely a true highlight on this record. Then some kind of a party-song called Hip Hip Hooray makes the album go on, including an absolutely catchy refrain with great lyrics. Lass Die Toten Schlafen, the next German creation, comes up with a beautiful melody and also fascinating lyrics. Fleet-footed Time and sable Father's return complete this special album in a condign manner.
Maybe this very rocking artwork, including both enthralling poetry from a revolutionary era and heavy Rock tones from one of Germany's greatest Rock bands ever, could point on a new target audience. For those who are searching for another great Rock experience, try to convince yourself going to a theater and maybe realize that in this case even culture can be Rock'n'Roll.