”Call to arms” is the 19th studio album from legendary British metal band Saxon and is due for release on 23rd May 2011.
The opening track is ”Hammer of the gods”. Opening with some excellent guitar work it gets off to a great start then really kicks off when Biff starts singing. With a combination of great guitar work throughout, and Biff’s vocals on fine form this song is Saxon at their best – this song could easily become one of their classic tracks.
”Back in ’79” has a nostalgic feel. The track has a backing chorus sung by 79 fans who came to the studio to sing after a last minute brainwave from Biff Byford the night before the song was due to be recorded led to a post on their website asking for volunteers to come along and sing on the album. This is another strong track in the Saxon tradition.
”Mists of Avalon” – a perfect title for a band like Saxon who have such a strong English image, slows the pace down slightly.
”Call to arms”, the title track from the album is a slower paced number. The song starts slowly before the pace steps up a notch for the chorus, after which it slows again. The track features an excellent guitar solo, and well crafted, thought provoking lyrics. The song appears twice on the album, a normal version and an orchestral version. To reassure worried fans, the Orchestral version still sounds like Saxon, but the orchestral arrangement gives the song a richer feel, well suited to this slower song.
”Afterburner” as you’d expect from the name is a fast track with plenty of power and Biff really lets rip with his voice in the chorus.
There is also a guest appearance from Rainbow/ELO/Ozzy Osbourne/Deep Purple keyboard legend Don Airy on ‘When Doomsday Comes’. This song will feature in the soundtrack of forthcoming sci-fi thriller movie ”Hybrid Theory”.
Ahead of the launch, Biff Byford said “This is probably the best album we’ve written and recorded in the last 20 years. I know a lot of bands say that, but ‘Call To Arms’ really does feel like that to me. It’s the perfect embrace of our past with a great modern edge”.
Having listened to the album at least a dozen times pretty much non-stop since getting it, I have to say that Biff might be right – its a very solid album with no weak tracks in my opinion, and with tracks like ”Hammer of the gods” which could well become a Saxon classic then this really is a fantastic album.
A must for all Saxon fans, old and new – this is an excellent album.
Tracklisting:
1. Hammer of the Gods
2. Back in 79
3. Surviving Against the Odds
4. Mists of Avalon
5. Call To Arms
6. Chasing the Bullet
7. Afterburner
8. When Doomsday Comes
9. No Rest for the Wicked
10. Ballad of the Working Man
11. Call To Arms – orchestral version
