𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 — 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 (1992)

intothewellsabyss
Jun 16, 2023
2 min read

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

On this day (June 16) in 1992, FireHouse released their second full-length studio album “Hold Your Fire” via Epic Records.

The album spent thirty weeks in the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart peaking at No. 23.

The album is also infamously known for having the exact same snare sound as the one used on Dream Theater's album “Images and Words”, another album produced by David Prater around the same time.

Background:

FireHouse followed their impressive debut with “Hold Your Fire” in 1992. Although not as successful as its predecessor due to the (then) recent explosion of Grunge and Alternative rock, “Hold Your Fire” produced three more hit singles and was certified Gold in the USA. To date, “Hold Your Fire” has soundscanned over 873,000 copies in the United States alone. Singles from “Hold Your Fire” included "Sleeping with You", "Reach for the Sky", and the ballad "When I Look into Your Eyes". The latter single became a Top 10 hit in the United States.

Critical Reception:

“Hold Your Fire” received positive to mixed reviews.

In Robert Christgau “Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s” , he gave “Hold Your Fire” a grade of C-, stating;

“Metal has evolved at such a drastic pace that this assiduously inoffensive prefab seems almost folkloric, a weird anachronism in which the great tradition of Jon Bon Jovi and Mark Slaughter--manly tenor, moderate tempos, technically unassailable riffs--is preserved for the dwindling faithful. They "Reach for the Sky," they "Hold That Dream," they "Rock You Tonight," and because their "Mama Didn't Raise No Fool," they describe the inevitable bone job as "Sleeping With You." Now isn't that sweet?”

While, in a retrospective review for AllMusic, Sara Sytsma writes;

“With their second album, Firehouse perfected their slick, AOR hard-rock. While their rockers do have loud guitars, they are never threatening; unfortunately, they're rarely catchy, as well. Instead, it's the power ballads that make Hold Your Fire a prime piece of mainstream pop-metal. The group knows how to construct this type of songs, writing sweeping choruses and developing appropriately bombastic production that make Firehouse a worthwhile listen for fans of the genre.”

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Hold Your Fire” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/hold-your-fire/200298917

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Reach For The Sky”: https://youtu.be/byq2K2IYMlI

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Sleeping With You”: https://youtu.be/ENz-0kUDTBQ

Click this link to watch the official music video for “When I Look Into Your Eyes”: https://youtu.be/dQSkuDWhaAo

Click this link to follow FireHouse on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FireHouseMusic

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells