I can’t say it any clearer than this: Strangeways’ ‘Walk In The Fire’ is immense AOR of the finest sort.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Strangeways
ALBUM: Walk In The Fire
LABEL: Bonaire
SERIAL: 209 777
YEAR: 1989
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Scotland
LINEUP: Terry Brock – vocals * Ian Stewart – guitars * David Stewart – bass * Jim Drummond – drums
Guest: David ‘Munch’ Moore – keyboards
TRACK LISTING: 01 Where Are They Now? * 02 Danger In Your Eyes * 03 Love Lies Dying * 04 Every Time You Cry * 05 Talk To Me * 06 Living In The Danger Zone * 07 Modern World * 08 Into The Night * 09 Walk In The Fire * 10 After The Hurt Is Gone
RATING: 100/100
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
I can’t say it any clearer than this: Strangeways’ ‘Walk In The Fire’ is immense AOR of the finest sort. If there are two albums you need in your CD collection (that is: if you’re more than a half serious follower of melodic rock), then it’s their 1987 predecessor ‘Native Sons’ and this one ‘Walk In The Fire’.
Very much strangers in their homeland of Scotland, these Glaswegians plus American import Terry Brock continued the tradition of Journey in the purest sense between 1987 and 1989, when San Francisco’s finest went into hiatus.
Whereas Terry Brock’s vocal style was a deadringer for Steve Perry on ‘Native Sons’, his voice had by this stage taken on a husky rasp, though the sheer quality of it is awesome to say the least. The ten songs assembled here are an aural treat.
The Songs
Getting underway with ‘Where Are They Now’, it just whets the appetite for the rest to follow. The big booming drums and thrilling chorus is a winner from the outset.
What about the classic movie dialogue intro to ‘Danger In Your Eyes’ .. ‘I couldn’t do that, could you do that? How can they do that? .. who are those guys?’ The music which follows is compelling too.
We are then ushered in by the rather awesome ‘Love Lies Dying’, lyrically teary-eyed, but played with so much class. That special line ‘I’m losing this war with my own pride, I’d die before I let you down’ is a message all guys should take note of when it comes to keeping their lady relationships from going under.
‘Every Time You Cry’ is one of my all time favourite Strangeways tracks, those keyboard lines are like FM on their ‘Indiscreet’ album. ‘Living In The Danger Zone’ is AOR pitched at the very best level, as is the hi-tech sounding ‘Into The Night’.
Precedings slow up for the final two tracks: the title track ‘Walk In The Fire’ which melts away all musical inhibition, while we end with the subtle perfection of ‘After The Hurt Is Gone’, a predominantly soft meandering piece about the heartbreak of participating in war; with some spiky bursts of guitar and heavy drums through the middle.
In Summary
After this album, Brock left the band and returned to the US where he continued on as a session singer, until recently getting back into the scene again with The Sign, Phantoms Opera, Seventh Key, Slamer, Giant and as a solo artist.
The remainder of the band continued on, though musically, they moved in a completely different (and non melodic rock) direction. ‘Walk In The Fire’ is an incredible slice of melodic rock, the band and their first three albums at least stand on a pinnacle all by themselves.
Strangeways on Video
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