Few bands have the resilience of Yorkshire’s Saxon. Since their formation as Son of a Bitch in the mid-1970s, Saxon’s career has been a rollercoaster of a ride. Mistakenly included as part of the early round of NWOBHM, the band soared high in the 1980s with participation at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 (which spawned And the Bands Played On) and their early classic recordings Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law and Denim & Leather. Changes in fashion and tastes saw the band experience the metal lows of the 1990s and the embarrassing attempt in January 2007 to get fans at the Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland football match to participate in a world record air guitar attempt (it was a disaster – Wednesday 2-0 down, and Saxon from the home of Yorkshire rivals Barnsley). And yet, through it all they have retained a place in many a metal fan’s heart, from older school fans who were there at the start to those new fans who are only just discovering the rich and interesting back catalogue of 22 studio albums.
Since 2011’s Call to Arms, Saxon have been on a run of albums to rival those early years. Sacrifice, Battering Ram, and Thunderbolt have all been well received, with Saxon upping their heavy metal quota, introducing Andy Sneap to the production chair and generally grabbing that last chance by the balls, twisting it hard and ripping it dripping and bloody into the 21st century. They may still play heavy metal in the classic British style, but they play it bloody well and, on their day, few other bands can match them, especially live.
Album number 23 sees Saxon in no mood to hand over one iota of their hard fought and reclaimed position as true metal legends. Ten solid tracks that follow the usual Saxon format opens with the barnstorming title track, and it’s immediately clear that Saxon are indeed seizing not only the day but 2022 in its entirety. This is an album that has been waiting for its chance, delayed by the pandemic and the stop-gap Inspirations covers album from 2021, but now ready to roar like an escaping beast from a cage.
Highlights are many. The title track is a necessary Saxon anthem whilst “Age of Steam” maintains the powerful opening, the descriptions of the industrial revolution typically woven in Biff Byford’s own lyrical delivery whilst his vocal performance leaves you wondering if this is the same man that had a heart attack only two years previously. It is, and Mr Byford is on inspired form throughout the entire album.
Carpe Diem maintains the energy and power that the band delivered on Thunderbolt. It’s full of riffs to die for, underpinned by that classic Saxon melody and the dual guitar work of Messrs Quinn and Scarratt which is as frighteningly vicious as it has ever been. There are solos falling like raindrops, the shredding set at maximum.
Fist in the air anthems is what Saxon have always been about. “Dambusters” needs no explanation, a frenetic WWII monster that sees Biff retell the tale of the Barnes Wallis bouncing bomb at a tempo that is simply blistering. There is so much fire in this track that you can only stand back and ire. Elsewhere, there’s plenty to enjoy, whether it be the slower epics of “The Pilgrimage” and the “Lady in Grey”, the slightly inaccurate but poignant single “ the Fallen” or the barnstorming double finish of “Living on the Limit” (with its Motörhead/Iron Maiden feel) and “Black is the Night”, this is an album that every self-respecting fan of heavy metal should listen to.
Saxon may stick close to their formula, but when that has lasted over 40 years, why would you do anything else?
Carpe Diem is out on February 4th
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