I must admit right from the very beginning of this review that I was never the one who gave a fair chance to Bonfire’s new singer Alexx Stahl as I always considered Claus Lessmann as the undisputed frontman of the German outfit. This is something that will never change but at the same time I was willing to keep an open mind upon receiving the new (almost) unplugged album called “Roots”. To be perfectly honest with you I was curious to see how Stahl interpreted the classic tracks.
Truth be told here; I really enjoyed the album! Not only did Stahl delivered the goods but he really shines on the album. He might not be on par with Lessmann’s overall input but nevertheless he did his best and that’s all that counts really. “Roots” includes different takes on classics like “Price of Lovin’ You”, “You Make Me Feel”, “Who’s Fooling Who”, “American Nights” etc. but also cuts from the latter era with Stahl behind the mic. The really cool aspect of the album is Ziller’s guitar hooks that blend the trademark Bonfire riffs with classic melodies by Maiden, Purple, Zeppelin and others thus shedding a new and refreshed outlook on the songs.
All in all, I’d give “Roots” a thumbs up sign and I truly believe that every single fan that enjoyed in the past such albums as “Unarmed” (Helloween) and “MTV Unplugged” (Scorpions) should definitely buy this one. Especially in this difficult time when every band needs our support.
Highlight: It would be a mishap if we didn’t point out that the album includes 5 brand new songs…so that’s an extra initiative in order to purchase the album.
