UDR/EMI
When both Steve Dawson (1986) and Graham Oliver (1994) had been erased from the band pictures I sort of left the fold too. From late 1982 onwards SAXON were my heroes, but I thought I´d bought my last album after the uneven “Metalhead” in 1999. When former members started SON OF A BITCH, Later OLIVER/DAWSON SAXON around 1994 I followed closely as they were faithful to the old songs.
Fast forward to 2013, and the release of yet another SAXON album, their 20th studio outing I believe. The cover is just about the same as the previous three or so, but the music. At long last Biff has lead his cohorts back in time, 25 years or so, and created an album almost filled with modern sounding NWOBHM. The title track is blessed with a fat riff, a great refrain and Biff stays within his vocal range in a favorable way. They still mostly stay in more epic territories than OD SAXON, but bikers will like “Warrioprss of the Road” and “Wheels of Terror”. Most long-time fans will rejoice as “Stand Up and Fight” and “Standing in a Queue” lives and breathes their own denim and leather lives. A couple of excursions into the more German influenced SAXON in the nineties era are here to keep latter-day fans happy. Both “Guardians of the Tomb” and the gentler (complete with a banjo opening) “Made in Belfast” undeniably adheres to that part of the band´s past. But most important of all, Biff has decided not to deny the bands glory days. On the second disc there are a couple of expected and unexpected old tracks that have received a symphonic or re-recorded treatment. The orchestrated “Crusader” is mostly spiced up with keyboards and does less for me than the original, the same goes for old filler “Just Let Me Rock” and the perennial memorial song “Requiem”, which is better in original shape, as well as on Graham Oliver´s solo album. “Forever Free” is in an ok beefed up version, blessed with the same rejuvenated NWOBHM band using modern recording technique. And the best on offer? In my mind there is no doubt about “Frozen Rainbow” getting a very favorable acoustic treatment, winning the first prize in just about the same fashion that the first version of the band conquered England!
Track List
Procession
Sacrifice
Made in Belfast
Warriors of the Road
Guardians of the Tomb
Stand Up and Fight
Walking the Steel
Night of the Wolf
Wheels of Terror
Standing in a Queue
Bonus Disc
Crusader (Orchestrated)
Just Let Me Rock (Re-recorded)
Requiem (Accoustic)
Frozen Rainbow (Accoustic)
Forever Free (Re-recorded)
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