When the Swedish band TORCH released their debut EP "Fire Raiser" in 1982, it was a direct hit for all of us Heavy Metal enthusiasts. It was and still is brilliant, and could/should have been just as significant in Metal history as the MERCYFUL FATE debut EP. Their brand of short, punchy and very direct Heavy Metal was designed like an arrow, and it would puncture your heart in a beat. But, as TORCH didn't tour at that time, it didn't get the follow-up it deserved. Yes, the 1983 debut full length album "Torch" was also very good, as it followed the path set on the EP. Although, again, there was no physical presence to guide the band into orbit. And that is a real pity.

Even the 1984 lesser album "Electrikiss" got a lot of metal motors running, as they were sounding like ACCEPT did on "Balls To The Wall". It harbours a few very good songs. It would have been a success if TORCH had decided to start touring around that time. But unfortunately, they didn't, and the band fell into the background, not to resurface until 2009, when the compilation album "Dark Sinners" was released. It reignited the interest in the band, and they did some shows to emphasize this feat. In 2018 they even played the prestigious Sweden Rock festival, and make quite the impression.

So much so that in 2020 TORCH released their "Reignited" album. it showcases the fact that throughout they years band leader Dan Dark hasn't lost his touch concerning writing good music. To keep the interest up he then decided that the recordings of the 2018 Sweden Rock were in fact so good that they should be released as a full-length live album. Thus "Live Fire" is born. And it is a treat. The majority of the songs was taken from their debut full length album "Torch", and a few from "Electrikiss". It gives us a very nice compilation of upbeat Heavy Metal with a proper punch.

The only thing I would have liked is to hear the songs from the debut EP "Fire Raiser" plus their absolute masterpiece, the song "Beyond The Threshold Of Pain", as these are the real gems of the TORCH library. So, if you, like me, love what you hear on "Live Fire", look up the early TORCH music, and you will find that they made even better songs. What a treat!