San Francisco ’80s hard rockers FLAME got their two albums reissued / remastered by Bad Reputation Records on a 2-disc package.Their debut LP “Blaze” was released by indie label Rockhill in 1989, a ballsy collection of hard rocking tunes with a late LA sound similar to Babylon A.D. (they shared stages many times), Cry Wolf, Southgang, etc – a hair metal vibe with attitude, driven by menacing riffs.
Then FLAME secured a recording contract with major label Giant Records / Warner for their second album, 1992’s “Flame“. It was self-titled as the company wanted some kind of a re-launch of the band, also suggesting a change of musical style in favor of the prevailing sound at the time: bluesy melodic hard rock. The resulting album is much more polished, clean in production, similar to Great White, Tesla, and Tyketto on the acoustic / electric mix songs.
So we find two quite different albums here: “Flame” has that early ’90s US hard rock sound with bluesy melodies, while “Blaze” is rawer, aggressive gutsy LA hard rock. Either the case, we’re in front of capable musicians delivering some really good songs.
On CD1 1992’s “Flame” check out quality tunes like “Electraglide”, the melodic “Desperate Heart”, the moving “Don’t Look Down” or the punchy “Ball and Chain”, the latter two re-recordings of songs from FLAME’s first CD ‘Blaze’.
CD 2 “Blaze” brings the explosive energy of “Ride”, “Get It All”, “Automatic” and the sheer catchiness of “Don’t Look Down” in its earlier, sleazy version.
FLAME arrived too late to their major label deal, and Giant Records didn’t much to properly promote the band either. Giant was never in-line with long-term artist development like its distributing label was at the time. Many artists left the label after only one full-length release, as happened with FLAME. A shame, as this was a band with talented musicians and a lot of potential.
A welcomed reissue by Bad Reputation.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
Flame
1.1 Razor Blade Road (Prelude)
1.2 Rain
1.3 Electraglide
1.4 Wild One
1.5 Don't Look Down
1.6 Wonderland
1.7 Shelter You
1.8 If You Had A Heart
1.9 Never Say Die
1.10 Ball And Chain
1.11 Blood For Blood
1.12 Desperate Heart
1.13 Automatic
1.14 Razor Blade Road (Reprise)
Blaze - Rockhill
2.1 Loreli
2.2 Ride
2.3 Ball & Chain
2.4 New Love
2.5 Givin' Me Lies
2.6 Get It All
2.7 Automatic
2.8 Fascination Touch
2.9 Bound 'N Tied
2.10 Freight Train
2.11 Don't Look Down
Flame – Blaze Rockhill – Flame (2 CD) – 1989-1992 (Remaster 2024 Bad Reputation), FLAC+MP3, CD w/ Scans
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