"Walk on Fire" Album Description:
1987. Belfast. Silent Running had already done the EMI thing with "Shades of Liberty" (1984), then got dropped and resurfaced on Atlantic with "Walk on Fire" like a band coming back into the room after you assumed they'd gone home. Not punk kids discovering synths overnight — more like grown-up nerves wrapped in cleaner clothes.
The New Wave Sound
Drop the needle and the first thing that hits is the posture: big, glossy, and slightly clenched. "Sanctuary" stretches out and breathes like it wants stage lights, while "Heartland" keeps marching forward even when the mood says "stay put." Then the title track "Walk on Fire" shows up with that mid-80s habit of turning tension into something you can hum in the street.
The best moments aren’t the shiny ones; it’s when the guitars bite through the polish and the rhythm section stays stubborn. It’s new wave with its sleeves rolled up. Not too clever. Not too sweet. Just determined.
The 12" LP helps because this album lives on space and punch. Late evening volume, not headphone whispering. The synth edges and the guitar attack stop fighting and start stacking. One of those records that sounds better when you're doing something ordinary — kitchen light on, coffee gone cold, and you're pretending you’re not paying attention (you are).
Artwork and Collectibility
The sleeve does its job: bold, era-correct, and made for the bigger canvas of a proper LP jacket. You don’t need a thesis about “visual identity” — you just need to see it leaning against the turntable while the room fills up.
As for collector bait: different pressings and formats exist, and singles like "Sanctuary" and "Heartland" had their own release trails, but the real “extra” is simpler — it’s finding a clean copy that hasn’t been loved to death.
A Moment in Time
"Walk on Fire" didn’t deliver the big breakthrough Atlantic probably wanted, and you can feel that quiet pressure in the production — the band reaching outward, the era pushing back. Still, there’s a stubborn heartbeat in it, and that matters more than any chart position. If this one doesn’t grab you immediately, fine. Let it sit there. It tends to win by hanging around.
