When Focus suddenly ceased to exist, record company EMI was strongly looking for a decent replacement. They (thought they had) found it in Bonfire who not only got a record deal but was also given all of the Focus equipment, even including their tour bus!

Unfortunately Bonfire didn't make it, although their only album still stands as a nice example of Dutch progressive rock in the seventies, finding it's deserved place next to Focus, Solution and especially Finch. Bonfire's music at times is very reminiscent of Greenslade, especially when the Fender Rhodes piano sounds at its best. Then again "Chinese In Europe" has a lot of Camel elements from the Mirage-era.

Absolute highlight is the 18-minute long epic "The Sage Of The Running Nose" (which probably should've been "... runny nose" and therefore illustrates perfectly the literal translations from the Dutch!). Like with most of the Bonfire material, the composition is from keyboard man Frank Witte, whilst a lot of space has been reserved for ace guitar player Eugène Den Hoed. Guitar and electric piano often climb the scales together which results in some unique tension.

There are also four bonus tracks added. Apart from the edited single versions of the band's only 45 rpm, "Contrast" and "Circle", it contains two further unissued recordings, those being "There's Always A Reason" and "Ohne Wörte." Surely a very important re-release.

John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, Progressive World