Way back in 1987 I was collage student and on my first day found myself sat next to a young bloke who would become a good friend for the next ten years. It quickly turned out that we both loved rock music and one of the first albums he played me was the classic Fireworks by Bonfire! That particular album was, and still is, regarded as bit of hard rock classic and a certain magazine is even named it. Bonfire released an excellent follow in Point Blank. Unfortunately the next album proved a 'Knock Out' blow for me as I thought it was very poor and even featured a cover of 'The Stoke by Billy Squire subsequently I didn't pay much attention, the spilt,  reformations and the every other clichéd shenanigan to do with rock bands, but here we are with the new opus Double X which is a massive improvement on much of their recent work but still doesn't manage to hit the heights scaled by the aforementioned Fireworks & Point Blank albums. Mind you time has moved on and these days the bands sound is a bit more varied, incorporating southern rock and more modern sounds into the mix. 

A quick jaunt through the tracks shows that after album opener, the heavy, Day 9/11, which deals with the aftermath of that attack on America we get 'But We Still Rock' and they do on this up-tempo number which is very 'Hard On Me' in style and presentation. 'Cry For Help on the other hand is a semi ballad with some very clever lyrical ideas in place and the comes 'Bet Your Bottom Dollar' which is a bit of southern boogie. 

What’s On Your Mind?(a decent pay-rise LOL!) Is a great  track with some excellent guitar work and a chorus that is reminiscent of the style that graced Fireworks. 'Blink Of An Eye' starts off acoustically and builds into a epic track in similar style to Dry Country by Bon Jovi and then the gloriously titled 'Rap Is Crap', well I couldn't agree more, yet more great lyrical ideas boys...

Notion Of Love is the short thing you’ve heard a million times before but I like it and then with 'Right Things Right' - who said AC/DC. Mind you switching from AC/DC to REM is a bit of a leap but Bonfire do just that with 'Hard To Say', but at least it is better that 'Wings To Fly' which is instantly forgettable. 'So What' completes proceedings and once again sees the band in AC/DC mode, although perhaps slightly punkier in feel that 'Right Things Right'.

So there you go, Double X in a nutshell, all in all it's not a bad album, just not as good as 'Fireworks', but perhaps that album will always be a millstone round their neck. 

A not band album just not as good as the classic fireworks.

Let us know your views on 'Double X'

Track List

Day 911
But We Still Rock
Cry For Help
Bet Your Bottom Dollar
Whats On Your Mind?
Blink Of An Eye
Rap Is Crap!
Notion Of Love
Right Things Right
Hard To Say
Wings To Fly
So What?
Blink Of An Eye (Extended Version)

Line Up

Claus Lessmann - Vocals
Hans Ziller - Guitars
Jürgen Wiehler - Drums
Uwe Köhler - Bass
Chris Limburg - Guitars