After introducing himself to the pop world with the very likeable CUTS LIKE A KNIFE and RECKLESS, Bryan Adams settled into a mature groove when he produced this, the finest album of his career. Yes, the party-hungry angst of past albums is still here in songs such as "Only the Strong Survive" and "Hearts on Fire", but there is more - much more.

From the opening chords of "Heat of the Night", it is clear that this album is different. The maturity and more adult-oriented outlook on life is evident on song after song as Adams looks beyond the usual topics of romance and partying to deal with issues as diverse as the desire to return home ("Rebel", "Home Again") to the sad story of Canadian soldiers who fought in World War I ("Remembrance Day").

I was convinced when I originally heard this album that, just as SCARECROW represented a turning point for John Mellencamp, this album would mark a turn by Adams toward deeper, more personal music. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and Adams subsequently turned his attentions to producing music that was more silly than anything else.

Despite the disastrous musical direction Adams has chosen to take in the '90s, this album is wonderful, and marks the pinnacle of his musical achievements.

I wonder what fans who expected a followup just as hard-rocking as Reckless thought of Into The Fire. There are some engaging rocking songs and Keith Scott is still on board, but without the power chops that made Reckless such a hit. This is a more mellowed work, with some sobering topics that probably wouldn't have most music buyers scrambling to get this album. That's too bad for them, because that's exactly what makes this album a wonder.

"Heat Of The Night" was the first single of the album, and there's a bluesy lean towards the song. This was the only Top Ten single from Into The Fire.

The title track is a light philosophical rocker on life and its pains, and is a sure sign of the maturity he embarked on during his later albums. He's a stark realist, given, "You could wait for your dreams to come true/but time has no mercy/time won't stand still for you." The title lyric has similar tones: "Well, I know what your heart desires/but you can't take it with you into the fire."

Those who've been given the shaft on love will find their song on the third single, "Victim Of Love", which is my favourite song here. The part where the guitars stop with only the quiet percussion, makes the song wistful with Bryan's voice, which is down to a softened and tender rasp. Other times, he screams as if to stifle the pain. Love this lyric: "It's a table for one and a broken heart to go." Keith Scott's fiery guitar does wonders in this rock ballad.

The stripped down but engaging "Another Day" is a somber look at the day-to-day look at the perils of unemployment. As the song opens, the protagonist has spent his unemployment check, probably on drink, as he can't remember the previous night, and has bills to pay. However, he does sound a bit callous and fed up when he says "Some people never learn/their life ain't my concern."

After Iron Maiden and Europe, now it's Bryan Adams' turn to do a song on the injustices done to Native Americans with the sobering ballad "Native Son". Sung from the POV of an elderly Native, it tells of a time "before the wagons - before the soldiers' guns." There is anger-"like dogs we were driven from this place" and sadness-"With each new day that comes to pass/will the Great Spirit free us all at last?" in the song.

"Only The Strong Survive" has stylings of 60's rock on the verses, something like the Easybeats, and the title refers to the perils of the fast life.

"Rebel" is a look at the title character who returns to the town he left to be different. The rocking guitar melody has similarities to "Piano Man." He's caught between his situation now and his past days, but in the end, those "two worlds collide in a moment of truth."

"Remembrance Day" is the Commonwealth equivalent of Veteran's Day, 11 November, and has Adams tackling those who laid down their lives fighting that war to end all wars. It's a somber ballad that puts paid the macho image of war-"We'd face the fighting with a smile-or so we said/if only we had known what danger lay ahead." "Well the guns will be silent/there'll be no more fighting/oh, we'll lay down our weapons/on remembrance day" goes the chorus. That brings to mind how actions put weight behind words of "no more fighting." Indeed, there was another world war twenty-one years afterwards. How many times will we say that, I wonder?

The second single was "Hearts On Fire", which is a lightweight cousin of something that would've ended up on Reckless, which explains why it was released as a single, only to fall far below Adams' previous Top Ten glory.

I wonder if the protagonist from "Rebel" experienced the feelings of wanting to go "Home Again", because I can picture him singing this first, before moving to the events in "Rebel." In this song, he's going back home to the girl he left behind.

This was the second album Adams produced with Bob Clearmountain. His next co-pilot would be someone who'd given Def Leppard two hit albums and would become Mr. Shania Twain in the next decade. A jarring difference from Reckless, but meritorious nevertheless.

For his 1987 follow up to the highly successful "Reckless", Bryan gave us "Into the Fire". "Reckless" and "Cuts Like A Knife" are his best by far, but this one was always my favorite, although some of the other reviewers had valid points about how it was not a typical Adams effort. Personally though, it gets better for me as I get older (I'm 27), and something about this album cover really suits the music well. "Heat of the Night" features some great Keith Scott guitar work(He is TOO overlooked), the title track gives the listener a truthful view of life, as does "Another Day". Always liked "Victim of Love" also, for it's introspective lyric. "Native Sun" is really a wake up call to Mighty-Whitey's treatment of indians. I know it's a great song, but I was always eager for "Only the Strong Survive" to end so I could hear the next song, "Rebel". A bit of a contrived tune lyrically and musically perhaps, but wonderfully reflective. It is a very personal song that really hit me back when I was a teen. "Remembrance Day", again, great thought provoking lyric. Good drums by Mickey Curry. "Hearts on Fire" still holds up great today; it's in keeping with the Adams we all love and know. "Home Again" is somehow chilling, but lovely nonetheless. Most people seem to say that his next effort, "Waking up the Neighbors" was so much better. I didn't care for Def Leppard after 1981, and with Mutt Lange producing, "WUTN" may as well be just that, a Def Leppard album. Pick up "Into the Fire". It is really an awesome ending to Bryan's 1980's era of music. It's worth the bucks!

There is no weak song on this CD, get it!

Besides the commercial releases, I love "Native Son" and "Rebel", fantastic songs Bryan!!!

Probably the least popular of his albums,this is by far the best and most honest albums released by this artist.While his former albums combined bubble gum with great songs and the subsequent are pure cheesyness,'Into the Fire'is a veritable AOR gem-the sound here is very stripped down with a great sense of purpose and aggression matching the thoughtful lyrics.A very powerful yet singular artistic statement from this misdirected musician.