FLAME – Flame ’92 + Blaze ’89 [Bad Reputation 2-CD Remaster] (2024) HQ *Exclusive*

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

CD 1. FLAME
01 – Razor Blade Road (Prelude)
02 – Rain
03 – Electraglide
04 – Wild One
05 – Don’t Look Down
06 – Wonderland
07 – Shelter You
08 – If You Had a Heart
09 – Never Say Die
10 – Ball and Chain
11 – Blood for Blood
12 – Desperate Heart
13 – Automatic
13 – Razor Blade Road (Reprise)

CD 2. BLAZE
01 – Lorelei
02 – Ride
03 – Ball & Chain
04 – New Love
05 – Givin’ Me Lies
06 – Give It All
07 – Automatic
08 – Fascination Touch
09 – Bound n Tied
10 – Freight Train
11 – Don’t Look Down

Phillip Andrew – vocals
Bronco Billy Harvey – lead guitar
Don McBee – guitar, keyboards
Stephen Vegas, Steve Smith – bass
Denis Bostok – drums

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