by Sara Sytsma

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.