The Unforgettable Fire [Import]

When listening to this album, one can definitely hear the progression of the band's talent. When you compare it to their earlier work like Boy it's a giant leap forward. Like their previous albums, it is an enjoyable listening experience. The digital remastering has improved the sound quality which is an added plus. U2 fans need to have this as part of their collection.

I own all of U2's albums, and all of the remastered editions as well. While I love the beautiful booklets accompanying these re-issues, and they all sound good, I haven't noticed a HUGE amount of sound improvement. Not that I'm complaining, but "WAR" for instance, still sounds a little "shrill" (to my ears at least). "Unforgettable Fire" is the U2 album most noticeably improved with the new mastering. "A Sort Of Homecoming" has a nice "roundness" to the sound and mix which the previous CD release lacked. There are even "incidental noises" which can be heard now that I never noticed before on the previous edition. Things like the odd cable buzz etc. actually add to the CD. U2 were, after all, recording fairly "live" in a castle. These "imperfections" really take you right into the recording session. These noises, I should add, are really only at heard discreetly at the start of certain tracks. The sound is GREAT. I have absolutely no complaints with this disc.
On another note, I've always felt that "Unforgettable Fire" was sandwiched between two rather celebrated U2 efforts "War" and "The Joshua Tree". For this reason I've often felt it's somewhat overlooked in the catalogue. True, "Pride" was a big hit, but listening back to this album now I realize how much artistic "gold" I had overlooked. "Bad" is absolute classic U2, "MLK" is beautiful, and "Unforgettable Fire" is another haunting piece. Basically, I've been most impressed with this particular U2 reissue. I'm really glad such an important artistic milestone for the band has now been given a proper release on CD.

While some may say that War really pushed the band into the spotlight, it was this album that allow them to expand world-wide especially after their Live Aid appearance where Bono goofed by spending too much time during Bad cutting their setlist from 3 tracks to 2. If it wasn't for this album, The Joshua Tree may not have been so huge on it's release. The album itself is a bit of a departure from their gritty rock, heading more towards a US orientated album [Pride, MLK, A Sort Of A Homecoming].

The Unforgettable Fire Limitred Box Set will feature the remastered album and a second CD featuring bonus audio material, including two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: 'Yoshino Blossom', and 'Disappearing Act' (a track which the band recently completed).

The set will also include DVD including music videos, a documentary, unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic prints. [Some were hoping for a UF era concert or the Live Aid footage.]