Bonfire is a German heavy metal band, founded by Hans Ziller in Ingolstadt in 1972. In 1986, based on the advice of the record company and the management, the band changed its name to Bonfire. Original founder Ziller is still in the band and is the only one who has the rights to the Bonfire name.
Don't Touch the Light is the first album by German hard rock band Bonfire, following its name change from Cacumen. It was released in 1986 on RCA Records.
Cacumen is the first full-length album by the heavy metal band Cacumen. It was released in 1981 on the independent label Rockport Records. The album came out after their single, Riding Away, was released two years prior and features a new version of that song. Cacumen would rename themselves Bonfire in 1986. In 2002/2003, Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller purchased the rights to the Cacumen material and re-release the collection under the Bonfire name individually as well as a box set called The Early Days.
Bad Widow is the second and last full-length album by the German hard rock band Cacumen. It was released in 1983 on the independent label Boom Records. Cacumen would rename themselves Bonfire in 1986. In 2002/2003, Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller purchased the rights to the Cacumen material and re-released the collection under the Bonfire name individually as well as a box set called The Early Days.
Glaub dran is the only album by the German duo known as Lessmann/Ziller. It was released in 1993 on the label BMG International and featured the reunion of Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller in musical partnership. The entire album is performed in German. In 2002/2003, Lessmann and Ziller purchased the rights to the material and re-released it under the Bonfire name individually as well as in a box set called The Early Days.
Feels Like Comin' Home is the "comeback" album by German heavy metal band Bonfire. It is the band's fifth album, released in 1996 on the independent label LZ Records, and featured the reunion of Bonfire. The album contains mostly English versions of the Glaub dran album by Lessmann/Ziller, and a German version of the album, Freudenfeuer, was released as well. Ex-Bonfire drummer Dominik Hülshorst contributed to the drums on the album.
Strike Ten is the eighth album by German heavy metal band Bonfire, but the tenth album release, hence the name. It was released in 2001 by BMG International and features a bonus song that was cut from the Fireworks album called "Angel in White", which was also a B-side to the single "Sleeping All Alone".
"Tell Me What U Know" was the third single released by the German hard rock band Bonfire that had not appeared on a previously released album. It was released in 2003 by BMG International as a preview to the album known as Free, which had a more modern sound to the music. It also features three songs from the Live Over Europe! album. Ana Johnsson provides the female backing vocals on the studio song.
The Early Days is the fourth compilation by German hard rock band Bonfire. It was released in 2004 by LZ Records and is a five-part CD set that was initially sold individually and then released as a box set. The set is a re-release of all the Cacumen material including the "Riding Away" single, the albums Cacumen and Bad Widow, and the Longing for You EP; the EZ Livin' album, After the Fire; and the Lessmann/Ziller album, Glaub dran. All tracks have been digitally remastered and feature previously unreleased songs.
Double X is the tenth album by the German hard rock band Bonfire. It was released in 2006 by BMG International. It celebrates 20 years of Bonfire music.
The Räuber is the eleventh album by the German hard rock band Bonfire. It was released in 2008 by LZ Records. The band collaborated with P.W. Politz to create a rock opera called The Räuber that debuted in Ingolstadt, Germany, in March 2008. The opera itself featured the band performing all the songs and went sold out for several weeks. A DVD was released in August 2008 that contained the opera performance as well as a full length concert by the band. The album features music in both English and German.
Longing for You is an EP by German hard rock band Cacumen, released in 1985 on the independent label Boom Records. It was because of this recording that the band would finally be signed to a major recording label in 1986 and rename themselves Bonfire. In 2002/2003, Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller purchased the rights to the Cacumen material and re-released the collection under the Bonfire name individually as well as a box set called The Early Days. This recording was part 3 of the collection, renamed to 'Down to Hell' and featured six previously unreleased recordings.
Who's Foolin' Who is the second compilation by the German hard rock band Bonfire. It is a greatest hits collection that was released by BMG International in 2000. The album contains material from Bonfire's first four albums. The title is from one of the band's songs from the album Point Blank.
Free is the ninth album by German hard rock band Bonfire. It was released in 2003 by Sony/BMG/LZ Records and features music that leans more towards the once popular alternative sound. The album had two covers, one for German outlet and another for worldwide distribution. The German cover had a brown wall background while the other one was white. The band was highly criticized by their loyal fans as well as several critics for the material. Reaction overall from fans was less than favourable. The song "September on My Mind" is about the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. The reason "Friends" has such a long time frame is due to a large space after the song that was followed by band members Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller making recordings of the album's songs.
"Schanzer Herz" is a single released by the German hard rock band Bonfire that had not appeared on a previously released album. It was released in 2004 by LZ Records. The single was only available in Germany and was dedicated to the football team FC Ingolstadt 04, becoming the team's theme song. Two previously unreleased versions of "I Need You" and "Southern Winds" from the album Strike Ten are also featured. The female backing vocalist on "I Need You" is not credited.
You Make Me Feel: The Ballads is the fifth compilation by the German hard rock band Bonfire. It is a greatest hits collection that was released by LZ Records in 2009, featuring a double CD set of all the best ballad songs by the band. The album also features a new version of "You Make Me Feel" as well as "Domo Arigato" that was on the Japanese version of The Räuber. Although at the time of this release Dominik Huelshorst was the band's drummer, it is the previous drummer, Jurgen Wiehler, that plays on the two songs previously mentioned.
Charade is the first album by a new group from formerly members of the band Bonfire. It was released in 1998 by Bareknuckle. The album was originally recorded in 1993 by the group when they were known as Bonfire. When Claus Lessmann left the band, Michael Bormann joined and recorded this album. It was shelved by the band's record company and the group went their separate ways. After Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller purchased the rights to the name of Bonfire and music from 1986–1991, Michael Bormann and Angel Schleifer decided to give the previously shelved album a chance. It was picked up by a Japanese record company and under a new name it was released. Jörg Deisinger and Edgar Patrik provide the bass and drums to the album but declined to be included in the line-up. In 2004 it was re-released with Charade's second album. In addition to the music, there is a file encoded on the disc that brings up Avex Incorporated's web site.
"Deutsche Nationalhymne" is a single by the German heavy metal band Bonfire that had not appeared on a previously released album. It was released in 2010 by the imprint LZ Records and the first release by the band under their new contract with Universal Music. The single was only available in Germany and was recorded in support for the 2010 World Cup event in South Africa for the German football team. It was a recording of the German National Anthem in a hard rock arrangement. The song managed to enter the Top 50 Songs listing in Germany and it was the first time that a National Anthem had ever entered the Top 50 of any music chart.
Branded is the twelfth album by the German hard rock band Bonfire. It was released in 2011 by LZ Records and Sony Music. This is the first full album to be released with Bonfire's original drummer, Dominik Huelshorst, back behind the drum kit for the band. Two extra tracks were included, acoustic versions of "I Need You" and "Rivers Of Glory" that were recorded in 2011 with Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller playing acoustic guitars and Chiara Ziller on piano.
Fireworks Still Alive is the fifth live album by the German heavy metal band Bonfire. It was released in 2011 by LZ Records and Sony Music. All the live performances on the album were recorded at various venues/concerts by Bonfire throughout Europe. The concept was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of the band's studio album, Fireworks, and the entire album is presented on the live edition. In addition, the band included live performances of a song from their last studio album as well as a cover song from Gotthard. One studio song was included, an edited version of Let It Grow from Branded.
