ANNOUNCE THE SPECIAL ADDITION OF TYGERS OF PAN TANG TO THEIR CELEBRATORY ‘HELL, FIRE AND STEEL’ NEWCASTLE O2 CITY HALL SHOW ON NOV 11
The Mighty SAXON are pleased to announce the special addition of Tygers of Pan Tang to their celebratory Hell, Fire and Steel Newcastle O2 City Hall show on November 11th.
Singer Biff Byford says: “When we first ventured out to perform Wheels of Steel for the first time 45 years ago, we were accompanied by our mates Tygers of Pan Tang, so it seemed fitting to invite them back to play a special set at our Newcastle O2 City Hall show (their home town) on November 11th on what will be our final ever performance of our classic album Wheels of Steel from start to finish in Newcastle” The whole evening promises to be pretty special with Tygers of Pan Tang performing a special celebratory set, followed by Dirkschneider performing the classic album Balls to the Wall in full, before SAXON round things off by playing the Wheels of Steel album as well as other fan favourites, hits and songs from the new album Hell, Fire and Damnation.
The band’s Hell, Fire and Steel UK Tour is currently close to being SOLD OUT, so fans are advised to grab the last few tickets quickly to avoid disappointment, as this will be the last opportunity to see SAXON this year in UK and Ireland performing their classic Wheels of Steel album in full from start to finish. NOV 4 – Ulster Hall, Belfast (UK) [LOW TICKET WARNING] NOV 5 – 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin (Ireland ) [LOW TICKET WARNING] NOV 7 – O2 Apollo, Manchester (UK) NOV 8 – Octagon Centre, Sheffield (UK) [SOLD OUT] NOV 9 – O2 Glasgow Academy (UK) NOV 11 – O2 City Hall, Newcastle (UK) NOV 13 – Beacon, Bristol (UK) [LOW TICKET WARNING] NOV 14 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton (UK) NOV 15 – Hammersmith Apollo, London (UK) NOV 16 – Great Hall, Cardiff (UK) For more information and last tickets for all shows go to www.saxon747.com/tourdates
FRONTMAN BIFF BYFORD ANNOUNCES HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER AND UPCOMING TREATMENT IN A SPECIAL POST TO FANS
In a special post on the band’s social media channels, SAXON frontman and singer Biff Byford discusses battling cancer following his recent diagnosis after the band’s Japanese Tour in late April and his upcoming ‘mopping-up’ chemotherapy treatment.
Biff also discusses the postponement of SAXON’s imminent French and Spanish shows until April and May of next year while he undergoes a short period of chemotherapy but has been told by doctors that his prognosis going forward is positive. All tickets will remain valid for the new rescheduled dates which will be announced on SAXON’s socials imminently.
Sadly, Biff’s treatment also impacts on the band’s forthcoming festival performances at both Trutnoff Open Air, with the band’s appearance later this month having to be cancelled, and Neuborn Open Air, also later this month, now postponed until the festival’s 2026 edition. Biff would like to reassure fans that both the band’s special Hell, Fire and Steel UK & Ireland Tour this November will be going ahead as planned along with SAXON’s headline performance at Metal Hammer Paradise in Lübeck, Germany. The band’s Hell Fire and Steel UK Tour is currently close to being SOLD OUT, so fans are advised to grab the last few tickets quickly to avoid disappointment, as this will be the last opportunity to see SAXON this year in UK and Ireland and to hear the band’s classic Wheels of Steel album played in full for the last time from start to finish.
SAXON ANNOUNCE CANCELLATION OF 10 SUMMER SHOWS & FESTIVAL APPEARANCES WHILE SINGER BIFF BYFORD UNDERGOES EMERGENCY PROCEDURE
Heavy Metal legends Saxon are sorry to announce the immediate cancellation of 10 Summer shows and Festival appearances while singer Biff Byford undergoes an emergency procedure.
The recovery period for the operation will sadly mean the immediate cancellation/postponement of 10 shows across a six-week period. As a result, the band will regretfully now not be performing at the below scheduled shows including their much anticipated upcoming performances at Wacken Open Air, Pol’And’ Rock, Summer Breeze, Ekenäs, Area 53 and Öland Rock Festivals.
A spokesperson for Saxon’s management company said: “Saxon were so looking forward to performing at all the below Summer festivals and events, but the health and wellbeing of the band obviously has to come first. It goes without saying that all in Saxon are gutted that they will be unable to perform but look forward to hopefully being back on stage in time to play both Trutnoff Open Air Festival in Czech Republic on August 23rd and Neuborn Open Air on August 29th. The band are also very much looking forward to their upcoming tours of both Spain, France and the UK later this year too.”
Saxon will still be performing as planned at Rockharz Festival in Ballenstedt in Germany on July 2nd.
Saxon are sorry for any inconvenience caused to fans and ask for everyone’s patience and understanding at this time. The band are currently working with all the promoters of the above events to see as to whether any of these shows and appearances can be rescheduled.
Area 53 Festival in Leoben (Austria) has already confirmed that the band will now be appearing at their 2026 edition instead. More details to follow.
The 3 club shows in Sweden on July 24th (Ekilstuna), 26th (Linköping) and 27th (Gävle) have all sadly been cancelled with immediate effect. Tickets buyers should contact their point of purchase for a full refund.
Details of any other rescheduled shows will be announced on Saxon’s website in due course.
The mighty Saxon continues their journey as one of the UK’s most well-known metal bands. Their output still comes thick and fast, but never compromising on quality. They know what their rabid fan base wants and deliver every time. They are still a formidable live act even though original member Paul Quinn decided to step down recently. Never fear, though; Diamond Head founder Brian Tatler stepped up and is a fantastic addition.
Eagles Over Hellfest is an epic documentation of Saxon’s blistering performance at Hellfest in France last year. The band smash out a set of classics and material from their latest LP Hell, Fire and Damnation. With a career as long as Saxon has enjoyed, picking a set of material must be a task. Everything you would expect to hear at a Saxon show is here: ‘Motorcycle Man’, ‘Power and the Glory’, ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’, ‘Dallas 1PM’, ‘The Eagle Has Landed’, ‘Strong Arm of the Law’ all sound incredible. The new tracks sound great too, we have the title track from Hell, Fire and Damnation and Madame Guillotine.
The band are on fire as always, but Biff Byford sounds better than ever; he’s constantly whipping up the crowd to a frenzy and has them in the palm of his hand. He’s singing better than people half his age.
A special shout out must go to drummer Nigel Glockler too. His playing is exemplary, a showcase in heavy metal drumming. Simply brilliant. Doug Scarratt plays his arse of too and even though I can’t see bass player Nibs Carter while listening to the album, I can picture him going crazy and constantly banging his head in my minds eye!
The album blasts through blistering versions of And the Bands Played On, Denim and Leather, Wheels of Steel, 747 (Strangers in the Night), Crusader, and finishes off with the legendary ‘Princess of the Night’. Crystal clear production from Biff makes you feel like you were there at Hellfest, singing along.
Saxon shows us yet again why they are a constant in the lives of metal fans all over the world and have influenced so many.
I’m pretty sure most of us…ahem…. more mature metal heads would never have thought that 40 years on from the latter days of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, two of the most prominent and important bands from that movement would still be around today. We certainly couldn’t have imagined that they would still be releasing new material and putting on the kinds of performances that I was fortunate enough to witness in the grand surroundings of St David’s Hall in Cardiff tonight.
It’s a travesty that Midlands based metallers Diamond Head never reached the dizzy heights that they were so deserving of. Similarly to Welsh legends Budgie, Diamond Head owe a lot to a certain thrash band from the San Francisco Bay Area who, as we all know covered some of their back catalogue and introduced a whole new generation of metal fans to the brilliance of Diamond Head. In 2022 Diamond Head are still a force to be reckoned with. I caught their set at this year’s Steelhouse Festival, and they were amazing. I was anticipating another banging performance this evening and they certainly didn’t disappoint!
With a short forty-five-minute set, they made sure that all eras of the band’s history were covered. The setting of St David’s Hall as a venue for a metal gig is always a risky choice with its set up of seating only. This had a detrimental effect for the first few songs of DH’s set with a lukewarm crowd who seemed to be restricted in building some momentum. Frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen does a sterling job of whipping up the crowd and he has a fantastic stage presence along with an extremely powerful voice. By the time we get to the three song closers of It’s Electric, Helpless and Am I Evil? the place is absolutely bouncing with everyone up on their feet, headbanging and horn throwing like their lives depended on it. Guitarist Brian Tatler still holds an impressive figure with his Flying V being wrangled to squeeze out every tasteful solo and gigantic riff. The rest of the band are no slouches either, an extremely impressive set, my only complaint is that it could have been a bit longer.
I know I’ve probably bored you all with this before, but I really can’t emphasize enough how important Saxon are in my musical development. At the age of thirteen, football was my passion and even though I religiously watched Top of the Pops every Thursday and listened to the charts on a Sunday, I didn’t find my calling until a boy I was in school with called Tim made me a tape of the Saxon compilation Strong Arm Metal. I had never heard music like this, and I was instantly in love. Pete Gill and Nigel Glockler are up there with my biggest drum heroes, and they inspired me to pick up a pair of sticks and start my own musical journey. Thank you so much Saxon, and Tim of course!
I was lucky enough to review Saxon’s latest album Carpe Diem earlier this year for this fine online magazine, (unbelievably their 23rd studio album) and loved it straight away. Some of their strongest material has been released in the last ten years or so and they are playing better than ever. I also saw Saxon at the Steelhouse festival in the summer when they graciously stood in when a certain guitarist who used to be in Kiss cancelled his performance. Saxon were on top form and played a blinder even with some of the band suffering from Covid at the time. They really are a class act.
The room is noticeably fuller by the time the band stroll onto the darkened stage to the sound of the stirring intro of the Carpe Diem album, and with a thunderous drum intro from Mr Glockler, we are off into full force Saxon at their best. They really put newer acts to shame with their boundless energy. Tasmanian Devil lookalike Nibs Carter literally doesn’t stop all night, running around furiously headbanging and jumping around like a teenager. The supremely talented Nigel Glockler is a delight to watch, his huge drum kit being battered for all its worth, and double bass drum barrages a plenty. Superb! The ever-present duo of Paul Quinn and Biff Byford are loving every minute and Biff’s voice sounds incredible. Doug Scarratt will forever be the new boy even though he’s been in the band since 1995, his guitar style and stage presence suit the band perfectly.
The set is a combination of new tracks from Carpe Diem, some old favourites, and some tracks they don’t play too often. It was great to hear Thin Red Line and Metalhead mixed in with Dallas 1PM and Heavy Metal Thunder. When Biff asks the audience which song they would like to hear out a choice of three, he jokes that they could probably do a week’s residence in Cardiff and play a different set every night… we might just hold you to that Biff! We end up with a fantastic rendition of The Eagle Has Landed which showcases Carter’s bass playing beautifully. The equally impressive sound mix and light show really highlights the atmosphere for this tune.
They pull out all the heavy hitters for the tail end of the set, And the Bands Played On, Wheels of Steel, a rousing performance of Carpe Diem highlight The Pilgrimage along with a Strong Arm of the Law/Solid Ball of Rock medley which leads seamlessly into their ‘should have been a number one single’ 747. We all witness a lovely moment during Denim & Leather when Biff catches a battle vest that a crowd member throws at him. He wears it until the guitar solo and then signs it and throws it back to the ecstatic fan. Quality. They close with Princess of the Night and confirm yet again that Saxon really are up there with the best in the world of metal. Looking around at the audience, it was great to see how many young people were in attendance wearing Saxon, Motorhead and Maiden shirts having the time of their lives. Bands like Saxon have worked so hard to maintain their roots as a true heavy metal band in every sense of the word. They deserve all the respect and success that continues to come their way. As Biff once sang: ‘Give us the stage, turn on the lights, fire up the sound, we’ll rock the nations’. They certainly stay true to their word.
Jim Jones All Stars feat Nikki Hill – ‘It’s Your Voodoo Working’ (Ako Lite Records) Can I get an Amen brothers and sisters for the time has come to testify that Brother Jim Jones has released the first song from his All Stars line up and its a horn honking piano tonking slice of bloooze from outta the delta that features the enigmatic Nikki Hill which seems like a perfect fit for the All Stars just in case you were gonna ask. What a slice of smoldering rock n roll this is. Brother Jim is howling with the fever and on this one track alone is worthy of being the single of the month for the whole of this spooktacular Rocktober. Check it out Here
The Empty Page – ‘Dry Ice’ (Self Release) The band released a bunch of 7-inch singles in 2019 including the breakout track ‘When The Cloud Explodes’. they found themselves being spun on BBC 6 Music, chosen by Chvrches singer Lauren Mayberry from the BBC Introducing archives for airplay on BBC Radio 1 and stayed near the top of Spotify’s Punk List for months. this is the first dive into what’s to come from the band as Dry Ice is the first single to be released from The Empty Page’s as-yet-untitled (and long-awaited) second album, due in spring 2023. this is a weird mix of cold angular post-punk yet a warmth from Kels vocals the song grows like a shadow as it builds and falls back into the verse with some sweet guitar howls as Giz rinses his instrument of all it can give. The longer the song goes on the more is given up and soundscapes are happening – unfolding. It’s Epic, sweet, alluring, dark, light, things that shouldn’t work but most certainly do. An excellent introduction as to what is coming from The Empty Page – Bring it on! There is a video coming around the time of release in mid-November, so, we’ll be back with more Empty Pages to fill. Socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok
Polute – ‘Polute’ (Legless Records) If Lemmy had joined the Stooges then this is what it would have sounded like. Cheap whizz and some horrific homebrew results in this 100% proof fireball of a Rock and Roll record. Relentless and fucked up just the way rock and roll should be.
It even comes in a Sunday piss coloured vinyl. C.O.F.F.I.N, STIFF RICHARDS & CUTTERS combine to kick fuck out of your ear drums. single of the week and the fuckin month – Done! Buy Here
Key of Caustic’s – ‘Pretty Little Suicide’ (Code 213 Records) They’ve been referred to as sounding like Green Day fronted by the singer from Boston which is a stretch for most of us but once you hear em you can see where that comparison comes from I think. anyway hit the video up and decide for yourself.
Forgotten Sons – ‘Flipside’ (Self Release) Pop punk from this Shetland Isle trio in the mold of Gaslight Anthem and Hot Water Music this is a well-produced stab at pop punk or whatever label it goes under these days. It’s a sprightly mid-paced tune that isn’t a bad effort at all. It all sounds like they’ve kept the stabilisers on or just dipped their toes in rather than cutting loose and giving it some oomph. That I’m sure will come further down the line but for a debut its a step in the right direction.
Billy Idol – ‘The Cage’ EP (Dark Horse Records) To coincide with his return to the UK stages Idol releases this EP and lead track ‘Running From The Ghost’ with its melancholy intro before the guitars crash in and that sneering vocal fires up. Very polished and slick and accompanied by his long time comrade Steve Stevens Idol does what Idol does best. Radio friendly Rock is the name of the game and selling it to the masses is what he does. Listen Here
The Courettes – ‘Bye Bye Mon Amour’ (Damaged Goods Records) What you have here is a French version of the ‘Want You! Like a Cigarette’ which features in its English language version on the B Side. It’s been a fantastic time for this dynamic duo with rave review after rave review for both live and studio performances and it shows no sign of relenting. retro Rock n roll or whatever you fancy calling it. They do it pretty much better than anyone else out there. Flavio had this to say on the single –
“We are big fans of ’60s French pop – Gainsbourg, Sylvie Vartan, Jacques Dutronc, France Gall and many more. We love the versions made in France of the British and American hits back them, like Marie Laforet’s version of Stones’ ‘Paint it Black’ (‘Marie Douceur’) and Petula Clark’s version of The Kinks’ ‘A Well Respected Man’ (‘A Jeune Homme Bien’). So we decided to have our own Frenchy pop hit! Please welcome ‘Bye Bye, mon amour’! Because nous desirons les francophone fans comme a un cigarette! Hope the French, the Canadians, the English, the Danes, the Brazilian, the whole planet, the whole galaxy enjoy it. Turn up your volume and allez-y!” It’s available now on Pink 7″ Website
Saxon – Black Is The Night’ (BMG) What Saxon release a new single and RPM aren’t having it. Biff and the gang are back, firing on all cylinders ahead of their tour to support their recent album. There is nobody more metal than Biff and to hear his pipes billowing out is a warm reassuring thing and he’s still got it.
Steelhouse Festival has been forced into a late change ahead of this year’s event. However, the hugely positive outcome of this is that the mighty SAXON are now headlining Steelhouse Saturday, 30th of July.
This will be the metal legend’s only UK festival appearance of 2022. They will be performing a ‘40th Anniversary Greatest Hits’ set.
In a statement about the line-up change, promoters Mikey and Max said, “We have been informed by Ace Frehley’s representatives that, due to unforeseen circumstances on his part, he needs to cancel his entire European tour including his appearance at Steelhouse”.
They continue, “Our most heartfelt thanks to the mighty SAXON. A bona fide British metal institution who have gone above and beyond to make this happen and in the process make Steelhouse 2022 an even more mouth-watering prospect. Every song in this set is a true metal classic.”
Biff Byford of SAXON said, “We’ve been asked to step in and headline Steelhouse Festival, Saturday 30th July. We love playing there so happy to help out. We’re doing our 40th anniversary set list so all the big songs. And it’s our only UK festival this year so see you in Wales. Fill your heads with heavy metal thunder”
Steelhouse Festival was honoured to be voted ‘Best Festival’ by the followers and members of the NWOCRsocial community at the end of 2021.
2021, in the face of overwhelming odds, was a resounding success – marking as it did the 10thSteelhouse Festival. 2022 has a lot to live up to, but is well on the way to being the best ever with an outstanding line-up and production upgrades including its biggest ever stage. Weekend and all day tickets are now on sale; demand has been such that Glamping sold out faster than ever.
With its unique mountain top setting on the edge of the beautiful Brecon Beacons, this family friendly great value event has built up a true following and a real heritage of its own since its establishment in 2011. Previous performers at The Steelhouse Festival have included Thin Lizzy, Glenn Hughes, Myles Kennedy, Black Star Riders, The Wildhearts, Thunder, The Darkness, UFO, Uriah Heep, Europe, Rival Sons, Saxon, Anvil, Michael Schenker, and Skindred. The event now includes a larger stage, an official Friday night, more glamping and we are working once more with our media partner Planet Rock.
Saxon have been a mainstay in my life since I was 13 years old. My school pal Tigger gave me a cassette of their Strong Arm Metal compilation, and my life changed the moment I pressed play on that TDK C90 and Strong Arm of the Law came chugging out of the speakers. They introduced me to the world of heavy metal, and I have been a fan ever since. The band have had their ups and downs, but despite this they have (mainly) stuck to their trademark traditional metal sound. Of course, their most successful period was in the 80s starting as a forerunner of the NWOBHM movement, but they were head and shoulders above many of the other bands that faded away, except for Iron Maiden and Motorhead (yes, I do consider Motorhead a NWOBHM band!). Saxon flew the flag of heavy metal all over the world and influenced many of the bands to come after them in the thrash movement. A band you may have heard of called Metallica played one of their earliest gigs supporting Saxon. (Don’t mention the fan incident!)
Saxon have had an amazingly prolific career and their latest effort Carpe Diem is unbelievably their 23rd studio album. The band have released a fantastic succession of albums in the last eleven years or so starting with Call to Arms in 2011, along with other highlights in Sacrifice, Battering Ram, and Thunderbolt. I would say this period is up there with their strongest material. Many would argue that a major aspect in the quality of their more recent material would be in no small part due to producer extraordinaire and part-time member of Judas Priest, Andy Sneap. (Fun fact: Andy produced an album called Sugarbuzz by the band Whatever in the 90s, and this scribe played drums in the band! He was also our live sound engineer and loves a Phall curry!).
The production on Carpe Diem is incredible as we have come to expect from Sneap, I must also comment on Biff Byford’s voice. He sounds as good (if not better) as he did back in the early days of Saxon, no small feat for a man who recently suffered a heart attack, not sure if that’s where the album’s title came from, but Seize the Day seems apt! The opening of the album’s title track starts off with an atmospheric intro before a drum flourish gives way to a scream from Biff that could be something from Wheels of Steel! No sign of Biff retiring any time soon!
Carpe Diem gives us ten leather studded tracks of headbanging glory as only the Barnsley big teasers can deliver. This album does seem to be a bit more stripped down and lean compared to the other recent albums. This is no bad thing of course, big riffs courtesy of Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt, pounding bass lines from the forever new kid Nibbs Carter, and the constantly outstanding Nigel Glockler in the engine room show the young un’s how to do this ‘eavy metal business. The title track is a head down, balls-out barnstormer with some glorious riffage and vocal gymnastics from Mr Byford, bloody marvelous!
Covid inspired track Remember the Fallen kicks off with another big chugging riff and kind of reminds me of another Saxon track about human disaster, Red Alert from their 1988 album Destiny, that song being about the Chernobyl incident. Saxon have always had great songs about historical events, The Eagle has Landed, Dallas 1 PM etc.. (I swear I learned so much more about history from metal bands that I ever did in school!) The track has a great video to go with it too with lots of news footage of the pandemic.
The entire album embraces Saxon’s signature sound and like many other of the giants of metal still around, you know exactly who it is instantly. Age of Steam steams along (sorry!) nicely with Nibs and Nigel locking as tightly as the proverbial duck’s backside! The pace slows a little for the epic ‘The Pilgrimage’ but we are soon back in breakneck territory for the brilliant ‘Dambusters’ (I can’t believe Saxon haven’t had a song about the RAF bombers before!), Glockler again shows why he is one of metals most influential drummers here with his double bass barrage. The album continues to impress with more fantastic, blazing metal with tracks like ‘Super Nova’, ‘All For One’, and the brilliant ‘Lady in Gray’.
Saxon has proven yet again why their metal eagle continues to fly so high. As I write this, the band is playing to sold-out audiences in Manchester and London with Uriah Heep, Diamond Head, and Girlschool in support. Carpe Diem is another quality collection of songs to add to their legacy, Saxon has done it again, right, I’m off to Seize the Day!
Recorded at Brockfield Hall near York, UK, with a firm eye on the old school way using Marshall cabs, Marshall amps, real drums and produced by Biff Byford with Jacky Lehmann recording and mixing, Saxon approach the likes of Motörhead’s ‘Bomber’ (with added whistle!), Toto’s ‘Hold The Line’, Black Sabbath’s ‘Evil Woman’ and a raucous Deep Purple’s ‘Speed King’ with refreshingly warm, unfiltered, “vintage” sounding renditions.
Continues Byford: “We wanted to do an album based on our influences, the songs and bands that inspired us to write what we did and still do.”
Byford does, indeed, take on some new vocal challenges, which he duly smashes on the likes of Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Rocker’. The net result is that whether cranking up a heavyweight take on Led Zeppelin‘s ‘Immigrant Song’ or throwing down AC/DC’s ‘Problem Child’, Saxon does a supreme job of entertaining both themselves and their audience throughout Inspirations.
Ah, the mighty Saxon. The band that turned me into a metal head back in 1986. Up until that point it was all about the top 40 and whatever was on Top of the Pops for me! A friend from school did me a mix tape and lent me his vinyl copy of the compilation ‘Strong Arm Metal’ and I was hooked. It was all about heavy metal for me from that pivotal moment. There was something about early Saxon that I connected with and I’ve (mostly) been a fan ever since. They have been through their ups and downs over the years and a few line up changes, but Saxon have had a resurgence over the last 10 years or so and have released some fantastic albums. 2013’s ‘Sacrifice’ and 2015’s ‘Battering Ram’ is up there with their best work, as is 2018’s ‘Thunderbolt’. Enlisting Andy Sneap (Sabbat/Judas Priest) as producer gave their sound a thunderous edge and pushed Saxon back into the big leagues of metal.
The band had been busier than ever in the live arena until the dreaded virus put paid to any dates that were scheduled. What do you do when you have lots of free time on your hands? Put out an album of covers from the bands and artists that have influenced you of course! That’s exactly what Saxon have done here with some fantastic results. It’s a celebration of the music that makes Saxon the band they are. They have gone down the old school route to record the album at Brockfield House near York, using real drums, and lots of Marshall amps! Frontman Biff Byford along with Jacky Lehmann have produced the album and it benefits from a great mix.
The band have dabbled with covers in the past with a great version of The Sweet’s ‘Set Me Free’ on 1984s ‘Crusader’ album and this foray into the bands influences throws up some tracks I would never have dreamed of a band like Saxon covering. The albums kicks off with a crunchy version of The Rolling Stones ‘Paint it Black’, this was the first release from Inspirations and there’s a cool behind the scenes video to accompany it. Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ is up next and Biff shows his vocal prowess here (yes, he handles the high notes in his own inimitable style), the bands groove is relentless behind him, this is a great version. The next track is one of the songs that shouldn’t work but it does somehow! The Beatles ‘Paperback Writer’ sounds great with heavier guitars and the vocal harmonies really work well.
We get back on more familiar ground with Black Sabbath’s ‘Evil Woman’, a real showcase for Tim ‘Nibbs’ Carter who is undoubtedly one of metals most underrated bass players. Next up we have a version of Jimi Hendrix’s classic anthem ‘Stone Free’, the band sound like they are having a blast with this one, you can feel the energy. I don’t think Saxon fans would be very happy if there wasn’t a Motorhead cover on here, of course they deliver with a brilliant version of ‘Bomber’ with drummer Nigel Glockler in full double bass monster mode. A great tribute to their old friends.
A frenetic take on Deep Purple’s ‘Speed King’ again highlights the vocal range of Biff Byford, he screams like a man possessed here and guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt play an absolute blinder with some serious shredding. A lesser know Thin Lizzy track gets the Saxon treatment, ‘The Rocker’ is a welcome addition instead of the usual Lizzy covers. Byford surprises again here with his range and really carries the song. A true to the original version of ‘Hold the Line’ by Toto grooves along nicely with Glockler showing he can handle the famous ‘Porcaro Shuffle’ with ease. (Google it kids). AC/DC’s ‘Problem Child’ doesn’t have the raw energy of the original, but it’s a solid effort all the same with Biff doing his best Bon impression. To close the album, we have a version of The Kinks ‘See My Friends’ which is probably the only track that doesn’t transition very well over to the metal titans even though it does chunk up towards the end.
Saxon have done a great job here and the main thing is to remember that it’s a bit of fun to try and lighten up these darkest of days that we have all been experiencing over the last year. Don’t take it too seriously, Saxon certainly haven’t. Crank it up with a beer in hand and sing along, you know the words!
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