"Hold Your Fire" is the twelfth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush. Released in September 1987, it concluded the band's most prolific period of releasing studio albums. The album was recorded at The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire, Rockfield Studios in Wales, and at McClear Place in Toronto.
As for the musical style, "Hold Your Fire" represents Rush's continued use of synthesizers, sequencers and digital technology. It is a progressive rock album with many complex arrangements and it features a more restrained, melodic sound compared to their earlier hard rock albums. Some of it reflects the reggae and ska influences of drummer Neil Peart.
Lyrically, "Hold Your Fire" is a thoughtful and introspective album. Peart, the band's primary lyricist, incorporated more personal and emotional themes into his songs, which marked a significant departure from the band's earlier rock songs.
Despite its strong start, "Hold Your Fire" did not sell as well as most of the group's previous albums. It received gold certification by the RIAA in October 1987. However, it marked a significant turning point in the band's history, introducing the more experimental approach that would define their later works.
