1 	Nightmare 	5:36
2 	The Way It Used To Be 	5:20
3 	Fighting In The Street 	5:00
4 	No One Can Save Me 	4:57
5 	Any Day 	4:24
6 	Man Without A Face 	4:52
7 	Fire From The Soul 	8:52
8 	Spark To Start A Fire 	3:55
9 	Love Child 	4:34
10 	Sooner Or Later 	4:25
11 	Rondo Alla Turca 	0:36
12 	One Of These Days 	4:55
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13	Villanova Junction	6:18
14	Nightmare (Radio Edit)	3:47

Backing Vocals – Achim Poret, Catherine Jauer
Cello – Orkan Tekbacak (tracks: 7)
Drums – Jim McGillivray
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Heinz Glass
Grand Piano – Agnes Hapsari (tracks: 7)
Piano, Organ [Hammond] – Klaus Henatsch
Violin – Pete Sage (tracks: 2), Tim Reese
Vocals, Bass – Bernd Kolbe
Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Cliff Jackson

Epitaph have a long history stretching right back to their 1969 debut. Back then, while opening for the likes of Black Sabbath, they built a strong reputation as a psychedelic progressive rock outfit. Through personnel changes and a continued search for the 'breakthrough', they soon evolved through hard rock and metal, without any great success. Numerous attempts at hitting the big time came and went along with record label implosions and future members of Victory and Saxon, before the band seemed, during the mid 80s, to be gone for good, the underrated Domain formed from their ashes. More reunions and break ups have occurred since, this German led by an Englishman outfit coaxed back once more for some reunion shows and their first album (Remember The Daze in 2005) in over two decades. Dancing With Ghosts followed in 2009 and now we have Fire From The Soul.

The band's early days of prog may now be long behind them, but that doesn't mean that Epitaph aren't an eclectic lot, for while you can certainly file Fire From The Soul under melodic rock/AOR, there are also some meaty riffs and progressive elements. In fact, if anything, it's the band's desire to mix things up on this album that proves its undoing. "Nightmare" kicks things into gear, roaming bass chugging, guitars rolling along on a Magnum meets Styx hand clapping hybrid. "The Way It Used To Be" screams 80s rock, the hopes this sound could still fill arenas clear even if I can't help but be reminded of the slower Statue Quo output of the late 70s at the same time. Before "No One Can Save Me" takes a strange left turn into chanty pirate folk rock with hopeful Queen like backing vocals (if there's such a thing); proving catchy enough in the process, even if the helping of cheese its served with is hefty.

It's the first big missed step in what has been a reasonably enjoyable, if unspectacular journey up till now. However the lengthy title track begins to show real holes in Cliff Jackson's vocal armory and again, the backing vocals give off an unwelcome 'yo-ho-ho' feel. Which is all the more disappointing given how convincing the upbeat urgency and excellently multi-vocal layered "Spark To Start A Fire" and almost Dare like "Love Child" undoubtedly are. However "Sooner Or Later" spoons on the schmaltz once more, not sure whether to gather you round the camp fire, or aim for power ballad bombast, while the closing "One Of These Days" decides to intentionally pastiche the MHR/AOR sounds of days gone by. The opening riff harks to "Into The Fire" by Dokken, before moving onto a Magnum meets Styx pomp surge, Deep Purple strut and Kansas fiddle excursion. However it's the clever reworking of David Lee Roth's "Just Like Paradise" chorus (the rewording as "Paradise, I'm looking for paradise" suggesting that unlike Roth, the search still goes on for Epitaph (and the rest of us)) that really hooks you in and confirms the smile inducing homage.

In the cold light of day Fire From The Soul is an enjoyable, but throwaway set of songs that, with one or two exceptions, have you singing and tapping along as you listen. However rather than make you want to investigate the band further, you are inspired to dust down the albums by bands from years gone by that seem to have so strongly influenced this CD. Which, given that Epitaph are older than nearly all of the obvious touching points on this release, seems to defeat the purpose somewhat. ---Steven Reid, seaoftranquility.org

Początki Epitaph sięgają roku 1969, choć pierwszy album ta niemiecko-brytyjska formacja wydała dwa lata później. Był to nie tylko jeden z najefektowniejszych gitarowych heavy/progresywnych tworów na ówczesnym niemieckim rynku, ale w tej kategorii grania równał do największych bandów tamtych lat. Pomimo, iż grupa nigdy nie zyskała poklasku na miarę swych brytyjskich odpowiedników, choćby z podobnych Wishbone Ash. Oczywiście nie zestawiając kropka w kropkę artystycznych osiągnięć obu zespołów, bo jeśli ktoś pamięta dla przykładu przecudną balladę "Visions" - z pierwszego longplaya pt."Epitaph", to grupie wówczas bywało także blisko do dokonań King Crimson.

Muzycy Epitaph zawsze skłaniali się ku rozbudowanym formom, często wykraczającym poza obszar stereotypowych rockowych piosenek. Najważniejszą rolę pełniły gitary, w dawnych czasach wspomagane brzmieniem zacnego melotronu, jednak z czasem melotron został zastąpiony brzmieniem pianina, organów Hammonda, bądź efektownymi partiami skrzypiec - o czym również dowodzi ta oto najnowsza płyta "Fire From The Soul". Po siedmiu latach od bardzo udanej "Dancing With Ghosts" - z m.in. tak cudownymi kompozycjami, jak: "Ride The Storm" lub "On Your Knees".

Najnowsze dzieło Cliffa Jacksona, Berniego Kolbe i ich kompanów, przynosi blisko godzinną porcję muzyki, która tylko utrwala słuchacza w przekonaniu o wielkości tego zespołu. Być może młodszemu audytorium ten rodzaj grania wyda się niemodny i mocno anachroniczny, ale proszę niech zatem wskażą ewentualni niezadowoleni godnych im rówieśników. Epitaph grają melodyjnie, pomysłowo i zmysłowo zarazem, do tego różnorodnie, bogato i z wielką klasą. Poza tym, głosów Jacksona i Kolbego nie naruszył nic a nic ząb czasu. Cóż to za piękna płyta. Po wielokrotnym posłuchaniu naprawdę trudno cokolwiek wyróżnić, bo tyle tutaj dobrego. Że o odrzuceniu czegokolwiek mowy nie ma. ---Andrzej Masłowski, blognawiedzonego.blogspot.com

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01. Reflexion (Cliff Jackson) - 5:14
02. Woman (Cliff Jackson, Bernd Kolbe) - 4:16
03. Big City (Cliff Jackson) - 5:52
04. In Your Eyes (Cliff Jackson) - 2:49
05. Outside The Law (Cliff Jackson, Klaus Walz) - 6:06
06. Tequila Shuffle (Bernd Kolbe, Cliff Jackson, Klaus Walz) - 4:58
07. Fresh Air (Cliff Jackson, Bernd Kolbe, Klaus Walz) - 9:00

Personnel:
- Cliff Jackson - lead guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Klaus Walz - lead guitar
- Bernd Kolbe - bass, vocals
- Achim Wielert - drums, percussion
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- Fred Kaz - Grand piano (03,04)
- Billy Shaw - organ (06)

Epitaph's best album (actually, many would argue it's their only good album), 1974's Outside the Law, was produced during the German-based, English-fronted quartet's brief sojourn in America, while benefiting from the patronage of tiny independent label Billingsgate Records. Having just lost their deal with mighty Polydor following two nondescript LPs filled with progressive excess, the bandmembers now seemed motivated to edit themselves, and emerged from Chicago's Omega Studios with a far more focused and engaging set of songs, marked by fluid, mid-paced grooves, radio-friendly choruses, and dual-guitar harmonies often backed by acoustic rhythm guitars for added sweetening. The resulting sound -- epitomized by the boogie-happy standouts "Woman" and "Big City" -- was often reminiscent of contemporary bands like Stray and Wishbone Ash, but the biggest surprise may have been how Epitaph's European membership managed to pull off some convincing Southern rock twangs for opener "Reflexion," the title track, and the Allmans-esque, piano-based ballad "In Your Eyes." They even snuck some simulated lap steel into the album's most aggressive number, "Tequila Shuffle," which otherwise resembled Uriah Heep thanks to its nestled organs and aggressive guitar work -- a testament to Epitaph's creative range. And even though they finally relinquished their newfound economy for the nine-minute finale of "Fresh Air," Epitaph were on such a roll, for once, that every last note was worth the effort. Sadly, Outside the Law's impressive songcraft never had a chance to connect with consumers, as its marketing and distribution soon became embroiled in the bankruptcy of Billingsgate Records. Epitaph were forced to beat a hasty retreat back to Germany, broke up, and thus their best shot at possible stardom was doomed to cult appreciation forever after. --- Eduardo Rivadavia, allmusic.com

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01. Moving To The Country - 5:11
02. Visions - 5:24
03. Hopelessly - 8:13
04. Little Maggie - 8:31
05. Early Morning - 10:01
06. London Town Girl (single A-side,1971) - 3:25
07. Autumn 71 (single A-side,1973) (Cliff Jackson) - 4:27
08. Are You Ready (single B-side,1973) - 4:25
09. I'm Trying (demo,1970) - 5:30
10. Changing World (demo,1970) - 5:48

Personnel:
- Cliff Jackson - guitar, vocals
- Klaus Walz - guitar, vocals
- Bernd Kolbe - bass, mellotron, vocals
- Jim McGillivray - drums, percussion, vocals

Along with Lucifer's Friend, Blackwater Park, and other bands even more obscure, Epitaph were members of a curious fraternity of '70s German bands that featured British singers. Founded in Dortmund in late 1969 by vocalist/guitarist Cliff Jackson and his compatriot James McGillivray, plus locally bred bassist Bernd Kolbe, Epitaph were originally named Fagau's Epitaph, but decided to shorten it after moving to Hanover, where they eventually signed with Polydor. Second guitarist Klaus Walz joined the fold halfway through the sessions for their eponymous debut (released in 1971), which, along with its successor, Stop, Look & Listen (1972), contained only five lengthy tracks, largely comprised of post-psych progressive rock, spiced with occasional jazz accents and widespread twin-guitar harmonies. Neither LP succeeded at introducing the band to a significant audience, though, and McGillivray had quit by year's end, being replaced by German drummer Achim Wielert, just as Epitaph were beginning to experiment with a more compact and direct hard rock style. This was previewed by the two singles they released in 1973, but Polydor still decided it was time to cut their ties to the group, who surprisingly headed off to America almost immediately, drawn by the promises of a start-up indie label called Billingsgate.

Epitaph wound up recording their third and most critically acclaimed LP, 1974's Outside the Law, in Chicago, afterwards embarking on a tour of the U.S. with ex-Karthago drummer Norbert Lehmann -- only to have it rudely interrupted when Billingsgate went bankrupt. Drained by their string of bad luck and feeling lucky simply to escape back to Germany without being held responsible for Billingsgate's debts, Epitaph called it quits in January of 1975. But Cliff Jackson couldn't resist reviving Epitaph just a few months later, gradually rebuilding their damaged reputation until a revamped band -- rounded out by guitarist Heinz Glass, keyboardist Michael Karch, bassist Harvey Janssen, and drummer Fritz Randow -- finally re-emerged with 1979's Return to Reality album. Now pursuing a semi-heavy metal angle, this edition of Epitaph recorded two more, poorly received LPs (1980's oddly named See You in Alaska and 1981's Live), and then Jackson reunited the Outside the Law lineup for 1982's Danger Man. Also given to heavier rock sounds, and also unsuccessful, the latter finally proved to be Epitaph's, well, epitaph, barring very rare concert reunions thereafter. --- Eduardo Rivadavia, allmusic.com

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