BONFIRE — Branded (review)

BONFIRE — Branded album cover Album · 2011 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
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.
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