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BONFIRE - Don't Touch The Light MMXXIII [Rerecorded] - 7.3/107.3/10
Summary
Label: Atomic AFM/Soulfood Records
Release date: September 22, 2023
User Review
( votes)German Hard Rock staple Bonfire is still going strong with the only founding member Hans Ziller leading a group of younger musicians to carry the Bonfire torch. With a catalogue of 17 studio albums and seven live albums under his belt, Zimmer has decided to remake the first three Bonfire releases with his new lineup. All three records are being released simultaneously, including complete re-recordings of Don’t Touch The Light (1986), Fireworks (1987) and Point Blank (1989), though this review only covers Don’t Touch The Light.
Check out the video from the Point Blank MMXXIII album:
Rewind to 1986
Hans Ziller talks about the project: “What we wanted to do was to record the songs as if Bonfire had been a metal band in the eighties!” Bringing a new voice to classic songs is Dyan Mair. Ziller enthuses: “Dyan can simply sing anything, from rock vocals to falsetto. You only have to listen to him to realize that he will excel live.”
As to how true the band stayed to the original recordings, Ziller explains: “Of course, we kept to the original arrangements as much as possible, perhaps slightly changing a riff now and then or updating the sound of a guitar part. But all the essential elements, right down to the lyrics, have remained untouched.”
Final Notes
First off, the production is great, and the new guys do a great job on their parts. As to rerecording old material, some may see this as an easy way to take the lesser road and rehash old songs to make a little more money off of music that’s already familiar. Others will be excited to hear all of their old favorite songs done by a fresh, younger version of Bonfire, with modern recording/production values really making the songs shine. Either way it’s a good move for the band, and if it’s what Bonfire felt like doing for the sheer joy of it, then that’s what really matters in the end. If you’re looking for a fresh take on an 80s original, look to Bonfire’s Don’t Touch The Light MMXXIII.
Lineup
- Dyan Mair – vocals
- Hans Ziller – guitar
- Frank Pané – guitar
- Ronnie Parkes – bass
- Fabio Allesandrini – drums
Tracklist: Don’t Touch The Light MMXXIII [Rerecorded]
- Intro
- Starin Eyes
- Hot to Rock
- You Make Me Feel
- Longing for You
- Don’t Touch the Light
- Sdi
- No More
- L.A
“As to rerecording old material…” OR it’s because they no longer have rights to royalties on these older songs, or to be able to stream older songs now longer in play?
Nevertheless, these 3 re-recordings shine IMHO a lot due to new singer Dyan (Mair)! He has incredible range and looks to be a hot upcoming vocalist even though he’s already 31 yrs old. https://www.facebook.com/DyanMairOfficial/