Saxon - The Lions of Heavy Metal

When I first met them, they told me it was too early to drink. They were tea drinkers, preferring a nice cup of tea to beer. They were horrified by us

(Lemmy Kilmister)

My favourite among the first four or five albums was 'Strong Arm Of The Law'. 'Heavy Metal Thunder' was an anthem. But the whole record was full of great songs, great lyrics. It made you feel part of what was happening

(Lars Ulrich)

We love tea. We run on tea. If you put something in it. Sugar

(Biff Byford)

Son of a bitch

November 1975. Barnsley is a typical English market town nestled in the heart of South Yorkshire, with its strong industrial and mining tradition overseen by the headquarters of the National Union Of Mineworkers. Famous for its glassmaking, Barnsley is home to what proclaims itself the largest cake bakery in Europe, and is one of the British cradles of the so-called brass band, the brass bands that originated precisely as a social bond within the local mining community. It's certainly not the liveliest setting for a long-haired twenty-year-old who loves the heaviest music, while topping the UK charts are the Swedish ABBA with "SOS" and KC and the Sunshine Band with "That's The Way (I Like It)". From the glam ashes left by the death announced on the London stage of the alien Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie has shifted course, riding the new American trends between soul, funk and disco, while the dark lords known as Black Sabbath have just released "Sabotage", another experiment in fusion with progressive rock following the excellent "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath".

Born in Mexborough, in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, Graham Oliver had only just turned twenty-three when he became one of the key architects behind the merger of two fierce local bands, united by a desire to beef up the typical blues-derived hard rock sound. Having gone to work in a factory as a very young man, Oliver thought about giving up music for good after a workplace accident tore off the top joint of his index finger. He sold his prized 1962 Fender Stratocaster, telling his friend Paul Quinn about his disappointed but, as he saw it, unavoidable decision. At his future bandmate's insistence, Graham changed his mind, going back to work on his chords to improve his technique. In 1970 he went on to found Blue Condition, with singer Steve Firth, drummer John Walker and Sheffield-born bassist Steven "Dobby" Dawson.

The group began playing a rough mix of blues and hard rock, changing their name to S.O.B. after the Free album "Tons Of Sobs". They enjoyed decent success both locally and internationally, which took the band touring through Germany and the Netherlands up until the autumn of 1975. Among S.O.B.'s main rivals were Coast, who took their name from the Trapeze song "Coast To Coast", formed in 1973 as a power trio by Oliver's friend Paul Quinn (guitar) with Al Dodd (drums) and Biff Byford (vocals and bass).

Born in the village of Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, in January 1951, Peter Rodney Byford had to face the tragic death of his mother at the age of 11, an event that shaped his adolescence in pain. Young Biff also suffered the abuse of an alcoholic and violent father, tormented by an arm mutilated in an accident with a machine inside the textile factory where he worked. His first experiences with music came at fourteen, in a local youth band, while he started working as an apprentice carpenter at fifteen. With a first child on the way, the need to earn more money led him to work at a coal mine in Flockton, in the Huddersfield area, assigned to the boiler room because he was considered too tall for work underground. His only outlet was playing guitar, taught by the brother of his best friend, who was enlisted in a local blues band. Later switching to bass, Byford played with various bands in the Barnsley area, writing his first songs for the psychedelic group Jumble Lane. His first experiences as a singer then came with the Iron Mad Wilkinson Band, followed by Coast alongside guitarist friend Paul Quinn.

While Coast had reached the end of their run, S.O.B. had just lost their singer, Steve Furth, who decided to pursue a solo career. This is how Son of a Bitch came about, featuring Byford on vocals, Oliver and Quinn on guitars, Dawson on bass and Walker on drums. It was essentially a merger with the shared goal of presenting local audiences with a sound far heavier than classic hard-blues. After their first rehearsals together, the group recorded a demo tape, "Tapestry", and hit the ground running with a relentless string of gigs across the UK and neighbouring European countries. Two years later they lost drummer John Walker, replacing him first with Dave Cowell and then with another Sheffield native, Peter Gill, who came from the glam rock band The Glitter Band.

Son of a Bitch produced a demo EP in 1978, with a comic-book cover reminiscent of the literary character Conan the Barbarian. The opening "Big Teaser" already reveals the band's first sonic blueprint, an explosive blend of lightning-fast riffs and killer choruses, set to a breakneck rhythm. The heavier framework of "Stallions Of The Highway" completes the band's transformation out of the hard rock ashes of the two previous groups, veering towards supersonic boogie ("Back To The Wall") and aiming for a formula that combines tight Ac/Dc-style rhythms with darker, more Sabbath-like slow-downs, as on "Rainbow Theme". Byford's powerful, evocative vocals pair perfectly with the guitars, which move with total ease from the sharpest riff to the most intense solos, as on the ending of "Frozen Rainbow".

With a solid EP in hand, Son of a Bitch got in touch with executives from Carrere Records, the French record label founded in 1962 by Claude Carrere. After debuting on the French market with a handful of local artists, Carrere decided to move into the more lucrative British market, buoyed by the success of "Black Is Black" by the group La Belle Époque, which reached number two thanks to EMI's distribution. Setting up offices at Hansa Records in June 1978, the French label boss appointed former EMI A&R director Freddie Cannon as head of the label's UK division, signing a South African group, Clout. Encouraged by the success of their single "Substitute" – also a number two hit – Cannon then signed power-pop band The Incredible Kidda Band, before meeting Son of a Bitch in mid-1978.

After listening to the EP's tracks, Carrere's new executives agreed to sign the band, on condition that they change their name, which was deemed too much to break into the market. Cannon suggested emphasising their British roots, with a name that could be Anglo-Saxon. Byford chimed in: "Fine, then drop the 'Anglo' and you've got the band's name".

NWOBHM

Having signed their first contract with Carrere, the newly formed Saxon immediately set off on tour, supporting major acts such as Motörhead and the Ian Gillan Band, sharpening their guitars on stages across Europe. Between January and March 1979 they holed up at Livingston Recording Studios, north of London, with producer John Verity, former guitarist of Argent, the band formed by Rod Argent after leaving the Zombies. The core material of Saxon, released that spring, was the same already recorded for the demo EP, reusing the barbarian figure on the cover. The album is a dress rehearsal for what would soon follow, a first attempt to break away from the hard-blues-rock made successful by giants such as Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. It's one of the first stirrings of what would come to be called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a still rough-edged sonic result from a band that had in fact never recorded in a professional studio, but which could nonetheless already boast almost ten years of live experience.

The debut album rests on three key tracks that foreshadow the explosion to come, from the dizzying pace of "Judgement Day", later softened by a wah-wah solo, to the martial intro of "Militia Guard", torn open by an acoustic refrain before picking up speed on an obsessive riff and suddenly swerving into glam guitar. With the relentless, driving rhythm of "Stallions Of The Highway", whose rhythm section charges ahead like a runaway train, Saxon deliver their first true road anthems, capturing the biker imagery that would go on to define their fortune.

The rest of the album, however, struggles to find a clear sonic direction, likely hampered by a record label specialising in disco music, which had not yet worked out how to effectively record a heavy metal band. While the pairing of "Rainbow Theme" and "Frozen Rainbow" shows progressive elements in a style halfway between Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy, the boogie numbers "Big Teaser" and "Still Fit To Boogie" owe more than a little to Marc Bolan. Despite a stumbling production, Saxon's debut album launched the band onto the British scene, effectively placing them among the founders of the new wave of heavy-metal.

Saxon was largely ignored by the mainstream British public, save for fans of heavier sounds. The band therefore decided to change producer, hiring Pete Hinton, who was far more attuned to heavy arrangements. Byford and co. also switched recording studios, choosing Ramport, built by the Who in the London district of Battersea.

Recorded in just one month, Wheels Of Steel came out in the spring of 1980, and is a seminal album both for the band's career and for the entire NWOBHM movement. Like the towering chromed eagle on the biker's wheel, Saxon's sound became sharp and fast, roaring ahead at full throttle on the lightning riff of the new anthem, "Motorcycle Man". It's essentially proto-speed metal, a powerful manifesto for life on two wheels built on a relentless rhythm, pushed even further on rock'n'roll-flavoured tracks like "Freeway Mad".

The band suddenly became a benchmark with its aesthetic of sonic speed, crafting explosive driving songs like the title track, opened by an irresistible, obsessive boogie, torn open halfway through by a distorted solo. This on-the-road epic also makes room for more dramatic moments such as "747 (Strangers In The Night)" – which recounts the complicated story of Scandinavian Airlines Flight 101, left circling above New York's JFK airport due to a city-wide blackout at the end of 1965 – built on a slightly toned-down riff and Byford's lyrical vocal delivery. The band sounds in a state of grace after a stumbling debut, as "Suzie Hold On" delivers a perfect hard rock ballad, embellished by finely crafted guitar work from Oliver and Quinn. These are brief pauses in a breathtaking album, which roars back to life on the stormy riffs of "Street Fighting Gang" and the steamroller rhythm of "See The Light Shining", before easing off into springier arrangements more in line with seventies-style rock.

The ride on two wheels comes to a halt the way it began, bursting into flame on the closing "Machine Gun", like a punch straight to the face that Saxon land on the new English heavy metal scene.

Tuono

Wheels Of Steel is like a blinding flash on the English record market, climbing the best-sellers chart all the way to number five. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) awards it a gold disc after reaching 100,000 copies distributed in the UK. The title track drags the band's popularity along with it, as they set off on a long tour at home that eventually takes them to the stage of the brand-new Monsters Of Rock festival. First staged in the summer of 1980 by Paul Loasby and Maurice Jones, Monsters Of Rock aimed straight away at the best of hard rock and heavy metal. Loasby had started out working as a promoter for Rainbow, originally conceived as the first headliners at the tail end of their UK tour. In the striking setting of Castle Donington, in Leicestershire, the first edition of the festival is held on 16 August 1980 in front of 35,000 people, featuring Rainbow alongside Judas Priest and Saxon. Byford and co. whip the fans into a frenzy, earning glowing reviews from the trade press, before finally hitting it big on TV during an episode of the famous Top of The Pops with the hit "Wheels Of Steel".

In between tour dates, a second album, Strong Arm Of The Law, is quickly recorded, again with Pete Hinton at Ramport Studios in Battersea. Riding the wave of success, the band proves to be in blistering form, delivering a second heavy metal instant classic. The album no longer opens with the roar of engines tearing up sun-baked tarmac, but with rain effects split by thunder, introducing another anthemic track, the proto-thrash "Heavy Metal Thunder". Saxon show they've learned plenty from their early live experiences alongside Motörhead, churning out tracks of epic speed-metal like "To Hell And Back Again" and "Taking Your Chances".

Mindful of an unpleasant run-in with a police patrol on English roads, the band breaks up the frantic pace with the new hit, "Strong Arm Of The Law", opened by a sweeping hard rock riff and superbly carried by Byford's theatrical voice. Despite a fairly by-the-book instrumental execution, the track is practically impossible to ignore, built to become a British metal classic. While the rhythm section is free to let rip on the rock-solid groove of "20,000 Ft.", the dark arpeggio of "Hungry Years" introduces a clattering boogie midtempo, with Oliver and Quinn's guitars chasing each other around.

The band speeds back up on the racy "Sixth From Girls", before closing the album with a return to the road-riff sound of "Dallas 1 PM". Centred on the (more or less conspiracy-minded) theories surrounding the death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the song takes on cinematic overtones in its central break, proving that Saxon aren't just a speed machine, but already a mature band with a second, rock-solid album under their belt.

Propelled by its title single, Strong Arm Of The Law climbs the UK charts all the way to number eleven, earning a gold disc. The album is also a huge success across Europe, in countries like France and Sweden, paving the way for a long tour that kicks off in the UK with an extremely high rate of sold-out shows. The band's fame spreads overseas too, as far as the Far East, with the second album's single, "Motorcycle Man", sitting steadily in the Japanese charts for a full six months.

In mid-1981 the band changes recording studios, moving from Ramport in London to Aquarius in Geneva, working alongside producer Nigel Thomas. Released in September, Denim And Leather is dedicated to all the metalheads who emerged at the start of the 1980s, typically dressed in denim jeans and leather biker jackets. With it, the band wants to identify with their own fans, further redefining the musical and cultural aesthetic of the NWOBHM. The album closes out a superb heavy metal trilogy, bringing to an end an unrepeatable cycle that lasted a year and a half.

The new anthem is unquestionably "Princess Of The Night", an unusual declaration of love for a steam train, driven by a killer riff over a possessed rhythm section. Byford's melodic singing carves out a track that becomes a massive success in America, quickly turning into one of the genre's cornerstones. The album is practically bookended by two manifesto-like tracks, closing with the perfect British-sound of the title track, dedicated to the personal liberation allowed by the band's new look. The guitars keep up their excellent work of constant interplay, with the introduction of the final choral section, which becomes an anthem for the long-haired devotees of hard music.

Sandwiched between two instant classics, the new material recorded by Saxon remains of the highest standard, from the street-riff of "Out Of Control" to the supersonic boogie of "Rough And Ready", redolent of Deep Purple. While "Fire In The Sky" returns with excitement to classic speed-metal sounds, "Midnight Rider" pays homage to the on-the-road story told by the Allman Brothers Band. Born out of the band's live experience at Monsters Of Rock, "And The Bands Played On" swaps the classic riff for a fine solo, building another cornerstone for the band's fans. While "Never Surrender" charges ahead like a tank with its blazing uptempo rhythm, "Play It Loud" once again draws on the hard rock lesson to deliver the definitive statement on heavy metal.

Power and glory

Released in September 1981, Denim And Leather matches the success of the two previous albums, climbing to number nine on the UK chart. The album is also a big commercial success in Germany, once again earning a gold disc. For Saxon, it's a magical moment, the supreme standard-bearers of heavy metal ahead of bands like Def Leppard, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. But fate has a cruel sense of humour, as drummer Pete Gill is forced to step back due to a hand injury, just before the start of a new, lengthy tour across the United States and Europe. To avoid any dangerous loss of momentum, Byford and co. replace him with the almost thirty-year-old Nigel Glockler, a native of Hove, East Sussex. Nigel had started out playing in Krakatoa, before moving on to Toyah, the new wave band fronted by singer Toyah Willcox. When he's called in for studio rehearsals, he has almost no time to prepare for the long tour awaiting Saxon, having to learn the entire set in a day and a half.

It turns out to be an undertaking that pays off handsomely, though, because in 1982 Saxon invite Ozzy Osbourne to open for them, the first band to play twice at Monsters Of Rock in the summer of 1982. During several dates of the European tour, recordings are made for what the band intends to be a double live album, later cut down to a single disc amid loud protests against the Carrere label's executives. Certain sections of the British press can't wait to go after The Eagle Has Landed, conceived by the label as a simple live greatest-hits set and, precisely because of that, glaringly missing several of the band's anthems. Used to the great live albums of the 1970s, both journalists and fans are left puzzled by the decision to leave out several hits considered essential.

Greeted by an ecstatic crowd, over the roar of engines, Saxon tear into the exciting "Motorcycle Man" at full throttle, surely one of the best versions on the record, between Glockler's relentless drumming and Oliver/Quinn's electric outbursts. The versions of "747 (Strangers In The Night)" and "Princess Of The Night" are also convincing and full of bite, played at breakneck speed to capture the band's live essence. While "Strong Arm Of The Law" settles for a serviceable run-through, the version of "Heavy Metal Thunder", though tightly played, fails to recapture on record the sheer power of the original.

The second side makes room for the band's most recent studio work, from "Never Surrender" to "Fire In The Sky" – glaringly missing is the hit "And The Bands Played On", which will only be included as a bonus track more than twenty years later – but above all for the epic "Wheels Of Steel", stretched out here to around nine minutes, a testament to the powerful bond between the band and their audience.

Carried by heavy rotation on the fledgling MTV, the new wave of British heavy metal lands in the United States, as several videos from Def Leppard's album "Pyromania" clean up on the American market. In 1983, Quiet Riot become the first American heavy band to climb the Billboard charts, while the Us Festival in California features a "heavy-metal day" on the bill with Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Scorpions, Mötley Crüe and Judas Priest.

It's an incredible success, one that pushes the US market share for harder-edged records from 8% up to 20%. Several magazines dedicated to the genre spring up, from Kerrang! to Metal Hammer, leading Billboard's editors to declare that "metal has widened its audience, no longer the exclusive domain of teenage boys, but now also of older generations and female listeners".

Saxon thus decide to record in the States for the first time, at Axis Sound in Atlanta, with seasoned producer Jeff Glixman, who had already worked with Kansas, Kiss and Gary Moore. Sessions begin in autumn 1982, while Carrere already savors the commercial smash they expect for the following spring.

Power & The Glory is thus driven by the title-track single, a preview of the most lyrical power-metal riding on the furious drumming of newcomer Nigel Glockler. The record is marred, however, by a limping production, delivering a muffled sound across its roughly 40-minute runtime. The band keeps up its mad dash on the Zeppelin-esque riff of "Redline" and the obsessive, dark rhythm of "Warrior", itself loosely related to the Sabbath-like "Children Of The Grave". Toward the end of side one, the record breaks its fury with the near-ballad "Nightmare", entrusted to Byford's melodic singing but rather flat in execution, weakened by the audio strategies used during recording. Once past the halfway point, the album picks back up with the proto-thrash "This Town Rocks" - confirming Saxon's excellent choice in replacing Gill behind the kit - but ends up bogged down in a couple of filler tracks: the carefree hard rock of "Watching The Sky" and the distorted "Midas Touch". The closer, though, is terrific, built on the hypnotic bass line that opens "The Eagle Has Landed", later carried by ethereal blues guitar into a kind of dark progressive-metal procession.

Sailing to America

Power & The Glory is Saxon's first commercial success in the United States, entering (albeit low) the Billboard 200 around the summer of 1983. At home it reaches number fifteen, while topping the metal charts in Sweden, France and Germany. The album sells over a million and a half copies worldwide, though critics are split between those hailing a new band masterpiece and those who sense the first signs of artistic decline. Saxon embark on a new world tour, starting in Europe before moving to the United States alongside Iron Maiden and Fastway. Buoyed by strong sales in the Los Angeles area, within a few months the band holes up at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, with Canadian producer Kevin Beamish, who had been working with Reo Speedwagon and Jefferson Starship since the start of the decade.

Released on January 30, 1984, Crusader threatens the listener right from its cover, depicting a crusade scene, yet turns out softer, less ferocious, than its predecessors. Introduced by horns and galloping horses, the title track opens with a light guitar arpeggio before flowing into a melodic midtempo. The new epic sound, however, feels more faded, softened by its more choral tones, drifting away from the band's classic musical style. While "A Little Bit Of What You Fancy" returns to the sharp, fast riff of hard-boogie flavor, its catchy chorus betrays a strange turn toward glam rock territory, also explored in the cover of Sweet's "Set Me Free".

Two songs then immediately provoke outrage among longtime fans: "Sailing To America" and "Do It All For You" show an AOR arrangement, full of melodic softness bordering on mainstream rock. Likely influenced by their American success, Saxon abandon the ferocity of British metal to craft Adult rock tracks that make more than one fan wince. Even "Just Let Me Rock", which brings back more measured heavy rhythms, aims to be a new anthem without having the means to pull it off, closer to certain hairstyles typical of hair-metal. More incisive is the souped-up rock'n'roll of "Bad Boys (Like To Rock N' Roll)", while the roaring "Rock City" seems to echo some of Kiss's more opportunistic work.

While Crusader is generally a well-played record, the crack that opens up at the end of "Run For Your Lives" - a genuine misstep with useless, grating stadium chants - is a warning sign for a band that suddenly seems to be resting on the laurels of global fame.

Despite the early criticism from fans and press alike, Saxon still land a number one in several European countries, climbing the charts both at home and in the States. Crusader sells two million copies, launching a new world tour whose American leg features Accept as support, while the band itself opens for Mötley Crüe on some dates. Tempted by their growing success, Byford and co. decide not to renew their expiring contract with Carrere, opting instead for the big leap into the arms of a far more powerful major label, EMI. Founded in 1972 as the UK's flagship label, EMI Records had struck gold with globally successful bands like Queen and is also the current label of Iron Maiden, who had meanwhile snatched from Saxon the crown of best act in the NWOBHM movement. With the new contract signed, the band gets straight to work with producer Simon Hanhart at Union Studios in Munich, ahead of the release of a new album in September 1985.

When it hits the market, Innocence Is No Excuse divides industry observers even more than Crusader did, with some pointing the finger at a commercial drift meant to please American listeners, and others calling it a well-crafted work, albeit far from the standards of 1980-1981. The record proves both sides right, settling the truth right down the middle.

It opens with the pandering "Rockin' Again", which embraces an epic, big-arena style in the vein of American-made hard rock. "Call Of The Wild" doesn't give up the classic taste for a powerful riff, though arranged in a more commercial sonic dress to please the American audience. The new direction certainly produces some good results, like the roaring "Back On The Streets", which expresses the band's desire to reconnect with the street and thus with the grumbling old-guard fans. If "Devil Rides Out" comes across as overly glossy with its showy solo, "Rock 'n' Roll Gypsy" returns to the winning combination of street-smart riff and epic refrain, built on the explosiveness of records like Denim And Leather.

Among the most explicit tracks in this new direction is the poignant ballad "Broken Heroes", dedicated to American soldiers in Vietnam, its heavy-rotation-on-MTV chorus effectively splitting fans and critics. While "Gonna Shout" echoes Spinal Tap, "Everybody Up" mixes a fast martial rhythm with a melodic refrain. Still walking the line of total commercial drift, Saxon nonetheless manage to save themselves at the last minute, with the thunderous riff of "Raise Some Hell" and the muscular rock'n'roll of the closing "Give It Everything You've Got".

Innocence Is No Excuse fails to repeat the commercial success of the previous Crusader, stalling at position 133 out of 200 on the American Billboard chart. In autumn 1985, Saxon embark on a huge, sold-out world tour, but internal tensions within the band grow, leading Byford and his bandmates to bicker over the most trivial things. The breaking point comes when bassist Steve Dawson is fired, though some rumors suggest pressure from his wife, tired of seeing him constantly away from home. The departure of the longtime bassist temporarily leads Byford to pick up an instrument he had tried before, as the band regroups at the end of the tour at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands to record their second EMI album with producer Gary Lyons.

Rock The Nations attempts to restore the classic rules of the NWOBHM movement, with rougher, less commercial arrangements than the previous album. Starting with the raw riff of the title track, the band's sound paradoxically comes across as even more lackluster, falling into repetition - if not outright cliché - on pseudo-epic tracks like "We Came Here To Rock" and "Running Hot". With the obvious lack of a proper bass presence, the band leans into the AOR ballad format on "Waiting For The Night", while "Northern Lady" returns to more stirring electro-acoustic melodies with a seventies flavor, aided by the upright piano of special guest Elton John. The English songwriter is invited by the band to play on two tracks on the album, since he happens to be recording his own "Leather Jackets" at the same Dutch studios. The collaboration also yields the fun "Party 'Til You Puke", which starts off as an improvised jam before exploding into a riotous rock'n'roll. It's too little, though, to redeem an entire album that lacks verve on filler tracks like "Battle Cry" and "You Ain't No Angel".

S.O.S.

Despite the creative void surrounding Rock The Nations, Saxon still manage to land an album in the places that matter, reaching position 31 on the UK's best-selling metal albums chart. Already credited on the last record, bassist Paul Johnson is drafted in to replace Dawson ahead of the upcoming European tour, which includes a prestigious slot at the Reading Festival. Practically drained after almost ten years of relentless touring and recording sessions, Byford and co. decide to take something of a break in 1987, limiting themselves to a short run of shows in North America. Early in the year they have to deal with the departure of drummer Nigel Glockler, lured away by the chance to work with two giants, Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, in the progressive project GTR. Nigel Durham is brought in behind the kit, having recently worked with none other than Steve Dawson in U.S.I..

In spring, recording sessions begin at Sarm Hook End studios in Berkshire with a new producer, Stephan Galfas, who has worked with wildly different artists, from Cher to the Allman Brothers Band. EMI's not-so-hidden agenda is to squeeze the most out of Saxon, who are in fact losing ground, having failed to truly win over the American audience. The band thus comes under enormous pressure from the major label, which is determined to get a radio-friendly sound out of them.

The result, Destiny, is a genuine artistic shipwreck, ironically underlined by the pop-metal detour inspired by the Titanic story, "S.O.S." Opened by a tranquilized cover of Christopher Cross's hit "Ride Like The Wind", the album offers very few moments worth noting, perhaps only the following "Where The Lightning Strikes", which returns to a dignified hard rock sound. The ballads "I Can't Wait Anymore" and "Song For Emma" - the latter co-written with producer Stephan Galfas himself - are failures, stuffed with atmospheric effects and synthesized melodies. More aggressive, street-wise tracks like "Calm Before The Storm" and "Jericho Siren" are really just watered-down versions of the band's old heavy metal rhythms, closer to certain late-period Whitesnake records after their hair-metal makeover. The band does put in real effort - the tight, revitalizing "For Whom The Bell Tolls" stands out - but it's inevitably sucked into EMI's pressure, which pushes it to completely lose its identity in favor of a plastic, hollow metal.

Released in March 1988, Destiny turns out to be a commercial flop, while Saxon fans grow increasingly baffled. With America now out of reach, EMI's top brass drop the band after just three albums. Still torn by internal divisions, Saxon see new bassist Nibbs Carter replace Paul Johnson, while Glockler returns behind the drums in the middle of the new promotional tour across Europe and the United States. Several Eastern European dates are recorded with a second live album in mind, evidence of a band now struggling to fill arenas the way it once did, especially in the much-coveted States.

From the stage of the Budapest Sports Hall, in May 1988, comes Rock'n'Roll Gypsies, produced by Byford himself and released through Roadrunner Records, the Dutch label founded in 1980 by Cees Wessels with a focus on hard'n'heavy productions. The tracklist opens with two classics, the evocative "Power And The Glory" and "And The Bands Played On", which over the years has become an anthem for the fans. There's also room for more recent studio material, from the choral "Rock The Nations" to the ballad "Broken Heroes", performed live with a more classic approach than the new MTV-friendly sound of the band's most recent records.

What disappoints, though, is the near-total absence of the songs that made Saxon's fortune, aside from the powerful "Dallas 1PM" with a great solo from Oliver. While the intimate rendition of "Northern Lady" warms things up with Byford's intense vocal performance, renditions of "The Eagle Has Landed" and "Just Let Me Rock" underline how Saxon are stuck in limbo, caught between past glories and the sheer difficulty of figuring out how to move forward.

Can't Stop Rockin'

By the end of the 1980s, without a record deal, Saxon's future looks decidedly uncertain. In a last-ditch, almost miraculous move, the band's management decides to put together the 10 Years of Denim and Leather Tour, a long run of European shows aimed at rebuilding a connection with Old Continent fans after the disaster of the American campaign. The great classics from the early albums are dusted off and collected on Greatest Hits Live, released on Castle Records in September 1990. From the furious power of "Heavy Metal Thunder" and "20,000 Ft" to the irresistible road anthems "Motorcycle Man" and "Wheels Of Steel", the record hands listeners back the old Saxon essence, neatly packed into nearly an hour and fifteen minutes of music. While the crowd sings the classic "happy birthday to you", digging up historic tracks like "747 (Strangers In The Night)" and "See The Light Shining" proves a far more winning move than the one played on the previous live album.

Given the unexpected success of the Denim And Leather anniversary tour, the band's management secures a new record deal with Virgin Records, serial collector of platinum discs thanks to names like Genesis and Culture Club. The band flies to Hamburg, to Karo Studios, to work with German producer Kalle Trapp, recognized across Europe as one of the chief architects of the power-metal style. The band decides to hand new bassist Nibbs Carter a hand in the songwriting, hoping to be reborn with a fresher, more aggressive style.

At the start of 1991 comes Solid Ball Of Rock, opening with the epic riff of the title track, written by Bram Tchaikovsky with Micki Broadbent, somewhere between power-pop echoes and synthesized textures. While the opening seems to hint at another commercial record, the martial thrash rhythm of "Altar Of The Gods" marks Nibbs Carter's first strong showing behind the mixing desk. "Requiem (We Will Remember)", chosen as the single to promote the album, is a hugely successful return to heavy metal's anthemic format, riding its galloping pace alongside Byford's intense vocals. While "Lights In The Sky" works around an even catchier chorus, "I Just Can't Get Enough" retraces the more classic hard rock path in the style of Ac/Dc. Another pivotal track on the record is "Baptism Of Fire", again written by Carter, unleashing a scorching rhythm that proves Saxon are still very much alive on the NWOBHM scene.

On thoroughly enjoyable tracks like the Zeppelin-esque "Ain't Gonna Take It", the band builds a record as solid as its title suggests, after several failed attempts since the mid-80s. It's probably too early to declare the band's official return to the pantheon of heavy metal, but there's fun to be had in the carefree rock'n'roll of "I'm On Fire", followed by intriguing progressive experiments on "Overture In B-Minor/Refugee". Revitalized by the new bassist's ideas, Saxon manage to get back on the right track after drifting for a while, returning to the charts in countries that have always been loyal, like Germany.

The band's rebirth is confirmed by the following Forever Free, recorded partly in Vienna with the help of producer Herwig Ursin, released in spring 1992. Saxon have finally realized that trying to imitate bands like Def Leppard to conquer the States has failed, and they're ready to go back to the raw, powerful sound that defined them from the very start. Starting with the explosive riff of the title track, the band rediscovers the pleasure of playing direct, lean songs, true to the best British metal tradition. Tracks like "Hole In The Sky" bring back the great galloping rhythms of old with a fresh new verve, Carter's mighty bass locking in with the twin guitars of Quinn and Oliver. The riff-making machine speeds down the blues road with a cover of "Just Wanna Make Love To You" (Willie Dixon), then swerves into hard rock'n'roll on "Get Down And Dirty". Deeply moving is the seventies-style folk-ballad "Iron Wheels", which Byford dedicates to his miner father, dense with medieval-tinged arpeggios.

The record glides smoothly through its more speed-metal numbers ("One Step Away", "Nighthunter"), even surprising with the hyper-vitamin-charged funk of "Grind", slyly designed to please radio playlists. But it's a minor sin, because ultimately Forever Free marks the great comeback of a band finally redeemed and still capable of churning out high-voltage music.

Reinvigorated by positive reviews from industry insiders, Saxon tour the world, since concert revenues now outstrip record sales - much to Virgin's displeasure. Riding the wave of renewed creativity, the band returns to record between Boston (Lincolnshire) and Manchester, with producer Rainer Hänsel supported on mixing duties by old acquaintance Kalle Trapp. Hänsel himself is credited as a special guest on guitar on the following Dogs Of War, which isn't released until September 1995, a full three years after the successful Forever Free.

The third album of the Virgin era doesn't disappoint Saxon fans' expectations, starting with the thundering gallop of the title track, which sounds like a genuine instant classic in the band's catalogue. Byford once again delivers an excellent vocal performance on the following "Burning Wheels", driven by a retro riff worthy of the band's best 80s albums. While "Don't Worry" veers into an engaging hard-blues with a melodic chorus, "Big Twin Rolling (Coming Home)" returns to street-boogie electricity. The record is the product of a great creative moment following Carter's arrival on bass and Glockler's return, from the solid, distinctly AOR-flavored midtempo of "Hold On" to the slowed-down, dark groove of "The Great White Buffalo". Amid distorted effects, "Demolition Alley" oozes a typically metal energy, climbing up into classic Ac/Dc-style territory.

The album isn't without its small flaws – the martial "Walking Through Tokyo", for instance, is mere filler – but Saxon manage to muster just the right focus to deliver a set of enjoyable, fresh new songs, like "Give It All Away", which boasts the most granite-solid riff, or the closing "Yesterday's Gone", captivating between Byford's harmonic vocal lines and the guitar scales locked in frenzied dialogue.

The Thin Red Line

While Dogs Of War earns good reviews from critics, climbing the charts in Germany and Switzerland, a violent earthquake shakes up the Saxon line-up. Graham Oliver is fired amid a serious accusation: he allegedly "stole" all the proceeds from the unauthorized sale of a bootleg recording of the band's 1980 live show at Monsters Of Rock. Byford is furious and sees it as a grave betrayal, so the guitarist is pushed out of the band and replaced by Doug Scarratt shortly before the start of a new promotional tour.

Born in Hove, East Sussex, in 1959, Scarratt started playing guitar at age 12, ending up working as a graphic designer after university due to a lack of solid musical prospects to make a living. He's put forward as Oliver's replacement by Nigel Glockler, his friend and neighbor, drawn to his more aggressive, technically flashy guitar style. While some claim Oliver left over disagreements about the band's artistic future, Scarratt joins Saxon to bring greater compositional weight, much as Carter had done from Solid Ball Of Rock onward. At Glockler's insistence, Doug is accepted by the rest of the band, immediately recording a cover of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" for the project "A Tribute To Judas Priest Legends Of Metal vol.1", released in 1996.

That summer, Virgin releases another live album, this time a double, titled The Eagle Has Landed – Part II, recorded in Germany during the band's last European tour. Starting with "Dogs Of War", Scarratt's new approach is immediately apparent, more aggressive and technique-driven than Oliver's. From "Forever Free" to "Requiem (We Will Remember)", there's plenty of room for the more recent Virgin-era material, played live at breakneck speed thanks to a refreshed line-up. Despite leaning on solid tracks, the double album suffers from a lack of classics, aside from "Denim And Leather", featuring special guest Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar, and the excellent closing medley "Wheels Of Steel/ Demolition Alley".

Dropped by Virgin, despite releasing above-average albums from the time they signed through the early Nineties, Saxon are taken on by Cmc International. Founded as an independent label by entrepreneurs Bill Cain and Tom Lipsky, the American label had for years been on the constant hunt for hard-hitting bands, eager to beef up its hard'n'heavy roster at any cost. Byford's band is a perfect fit for a relaunch on American soil, but first, naturally, they need a new album to tour behind.

Recorded at Karo Studios in Brackel, Germany, with trusted producer Kalle Trapp, Unleash The Beast is the first work with the new line-up following Oliver's departure. The enthusiasm of new guitarist Doug Scarratt, who readily accepts Byford's ever-growing leadership, pushes the English band into a third era, aiming for a definitive relaunch on American soil as well. Like the blood-eyed gargoyle on the Maiden-esque cover art by Paul Gregory, the band promises fire and brimstone, introducing darker musical elements.

Opened by the nocturnal acoustic effects of "Gothic Dreams", the record makes its intentions clear right from the title track, built on speed and tightness, as if to mark a decisive return to the glories of the NWOBHM. As with the Priest-like riff of the following "Terminal Velocity", the band polishes up the Saxon brand, abandoning once and for all any commercial or radio-friendly ambitions. If there's to be a comeback on the American market, it will happen on the band's own terms, now freed from the clutches of demanding majors. And so "Circle Of Light" caresses instrumental epicness, while "The Thin Red Line" rediscovers just the right pathos with its now-trademark chorus. Saxon really seem to be having fun on the airy, melodic "Ministry Of Fools", also finding new, more melancholy and darker sonic paths, as on "The Preacher". From the scorching speed of "Bloodletter" to the leaden pounding of the monolithic "Cut Out The Disease", the album feels like a rebirth, blossoming into the acoustic beauty of the ballad "Absent Friends".

The Unleash The Beast tour kicks off in Europe, where the album climbs the charts in countries like Sweden and Germany, before moving on to South America – with a sold-out date in São Paulo, Brazil – and wrapping up in Belgium with a Christmas show. The band sets off again right at the start of 1998, hitting American stages before returning to Brazil for the local edition of Monsters Of Rock, alongside Slayer and Megadeth. Nigel Glockler grits his teeth and sees out the grueling new tour, temporarily replaced by Fritz Randow due to a nagging muscle problem in his neck and shoulders.

Meanwhile, Donnington: The Live Tracks had been released, a semi-official live album legally put out by the Angel Air label to document the band's by-now historic performance at Castle Donington during Monsters Of Rock on August 16, 1980. At the heart of the internal controversies that led to Oliver's departure, the album would be reissued by Polydor three years later under the new title Live At Donnington 1980.

From the explosive "Motorcycle Man" to the band's earliest songs, "Still Fit To Boogie" and "Stallions Of The Highway", the energy Saxon unleash on the English stage is devastating, though sadly marred by poor audio quality.

The band effectively disowns the record, focusing instead on the follow-up Bbc Sessions/ Live At Reading Festival '86, released by Emi and split into two parts. The first documents a performance from February 1980 on the Friday Rock Show, the famous radio program broadcast on Bbc Radio 1. Compared to the Monsters Of Rock live recording, the setlist for the show hosted by Tony Wilson is far more electrifying, featuring a blistering version of "20,000 Ft." and a tightly wound "Dallas 1 PM" from Studio B15 in May 1982. The second part of the album is recorded on the Reading Festival stage (1986), opened by the epic "Power And The Glory" before offering two blazing versions of the band's biggest hits, from "Wheels Of Steel" to "Strong Arm Of The Law".

The Battle of the Metal Heads

Recorded once again in Germany, with sound engineer Charlie Bauerfeind, Saxon's new album is titled Metalhead and is released by the independent German label SPV at the end of 1999. It's the band's first work with new drummer Fritz Randow, who stepped in for Glockler due to his muscle problems. More than two years on from Unleash The Beast, Byford and co.'s new album leans into harder, heavier sounds, starting with the dark thrash rhythm of the title track.

The new material is gripping, punctuated by the regal razor-sharp cuts of "Are We Travellers In Time" and enriched by Arabic-tinged acoustic flourishes in the tightly wound "Conquistador". There's no shortage of more melodic moments either, this time free of any commercial missteps, such as "What Goes Around", while the furious "All Guns Blazing" satisfies the most demanding listeners with renewed instrumental vigor. The album indeed sounds like a gift for the hardest-core fans, crafted by a band back to working the old-fashioned way, between a militarized monster riff ("Piss Off") and the most irresistible boogie ("Watching You"). There's even room for a true gem, almost unexpected, set into the epic finale of "Sea Of Life", amid slowed-down vocals and slashing guitars.

Metalhead achieves solid success in Germany – reaching number forty on the Offizielle Top 100 chart – leading the band to perform for the first time at the specialist heavy metal festivals Wacken and Bloodstock Open Air. Energized by their renewed success, Saxon release their new album Killing Ground at the end of 2001, unfortunately hampered in US distribution due to financial troubles at the local partner of Germany's SPV. It's a shame, because the band lands another hit, starting with the title track, which sounds as if it had emerged straight from the Crusader sessions. The album includes a surprising cover of "The Court Of The Crimson King," naturally filtered through the band's trademark sound, but perfectly arranged and carried by Byford's voice.

While "Coming Home" returns to more hard rock territory – owing more than a little to Rainbow – tracks like "Hell Freezes Over" dig up an Ac/Dc-style approach to get the carefree head-bangers moving. The album has its more forgettable moments too, such as the near-thrash "Dragon's Lair" and "Deeds Of Glory," while "Shadows On The Wall" alternates choral melodies with epic instrumentation. A heart-pounding finale comes with the cunning "Rock Is Our Life," which carries a strong whiff of power-metal.

Killing Ground is ultimately a more-than-honest record, allowing Saxon to continue their path of rebirth after the obvious struggles of the '80s.

Reborn thanks to their recent studio albums and constant live activity, Saxon face a serious threat to their survival when founding former members Graham Oliver and Steven Dawson register the band's own name as a trademark in the late '90s. The two had in fact agreed to legally force Byford to give up the band's name, triggering an immediate response from the singer, who turns to the heads of the Trade Mark Registry to invalidate the request. Byford's lawyers argue that Oliver and Dawson obtained the trademark registration "in bad faith," without any agreement from the other band members. The case ends up before London's High Court, which rules in Biff's favor, forcing Oliver and Dawson to revert to the original name Oliver/Dawson Saxon. The group can thus carry on working in peace, with new drummer Jörg Michael (ex-Stratovarius) replacing Fritz Randow, who departed in 2004.

Saxon thus return to the Gems 24 Studio in Boston, Lincolnshire, to record their new album with Charlie Bauerfeind once again, Lionheart, paying tribute to the life and deeds of Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart. The album wastes no time taking no prisoners from the start, launching off at full speed with "Witchfinder General," driven at blistering tempo by new recruit Jörg Michael's double bass drumming. While the following "Man And Machine" falls into the trap of an overly pronounced melodic framework, the title track is instead a new epic moment steeped in power-metal, elevated by Byford's vocal flourishes and the martial rhythm section underpinning the two guitars' constant interplay. It's the purest Saxon style, moving effortlessly from the bittersweet "Beyond The Grave" to the breakneck "To Live By The Sword," which again showcases the newcomer's monstrous drumming.

The album glides pleasantly through the hypnotic "Searching For Atlantis" before closing out Richard I's epic tale with the typically heavy rhythm of "Flying On The Edge." Despite his excellent work on Lionheart, Jörg Michael is replaced in 2005 by the returning Nigel Glockler, who rejoins the band for the promotional tour of the new record. Another live album is then released, The Eagle Has Landed – Part III, featuring various recordings from European shows, including the Wacken festival, London, Paris and Hamburg.

State of Grace

In 2007 Saxon are featured on an episode of the new British show Get Your Act Together, airing on Channel 4 with the aim of breathing new life into forgotten bands. The first six episodes are hosted by music promoter Harvey Goldsmith, well known to the general public for helping organize major rock shows such as those for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Live Aid. Goldsmith invites Saxon to record the anti-gun single "If I Was You," a mix of heavy rhythms and more typically hard rock riffs resulting in a catchy, Bon Jovi-esque track. The song enjoys surprising success, reaching number one on the Rock Charts in ten countries, the band's biggest commercial hit in almost fifteen years.

The combination of the TV appearance and the chart-smashing single allows the band to be reborn in the UK, boosting sales of the new album The Inner Sanctum, which in spring even reaches number four on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart. Once again produced with Charlie Bauerfeind, the record opens with the trio "State Of Grace," "Need For Speed" and "Let Me Feel Your Power," steering the Saxon sound toward a new era, closer to the contemporary feel of melodic thrash. "Old" Glockler seems not to have lost a step during his years away, powerfully driving the tight, muscular rhythm section. With new keyboardist Matthias Ulmer on board, the band tries to modernize the Saxon sound following the success of the single "If I Was You," naturally included on the album to help drive sales. "Red Star Falling" is the new atmospheric, hypnotic ballad echoing the glories of "Dallas 1 PM" and "Broken Heroes," while tracks like "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" and "Going Nowhere Fast" aim for a vintage effect, offering simple, direct hard rock in the vein of Ac/Dc and Led Zeppelin. The energy unleashed is contagious, fueled by the steady riff of "Ashes To Ashes" and finally let loose through the new historical epic quality of the Eastern-tinged "Atila The Hun." With The Inner Sanctum, Saxon prove themselves to be alive and well, on the dawn of their third decade of career.

The new album's success leads to a world tour starting in summer 2007, which includes a major performance at the Download Festival at Donington Park. Among the various dates, Into The Labyrinth takes shape, released in January 2009 in an attempt to repeat the commercial success. Saxon hit the mark again, reaching number six at home and managing to sell over a thousand copies in the United States in a single week. The album is essentially a welcome return to the glories of the NWOBHM, built around key tracks like "Battalions Of Steel" and "Valley Of The Kings." "Live To Rock" and "Slow Lane Blues," meanwhile, draw on the most classic hallmarks of hyper-charged hard rock, while "Demon Sweeney Todd" echoes an unusually goth-dark flavor.

Saxon soften the sound on "Voice," driven by an arrangement bordering on grunge, before unleashing the new Sabbath-esque riff of "Protect Yourselves." "Hellcat" accelerates furiously into speed-metal, opening the way to the fantasy-world anthem "Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)." A final gem is the acoustic version of "Coming Home," inlaid with bottleneck guitar over Byford's bluesy vocals.

Into The Labyrinth thus matches the critical and commercial success of the previous The Inner Sanctum, sending the band back out on tour around the world once again, including a UK tour with friends Motörhead. At the end of 2009, the documentary "Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie" is released, followed by a triumphant performance at the Download Festival, where the entire Wheels Of Steel album is played in full to mark its thirtieth anniversary.

At the start of 2011, Saxon work tirelessly between Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire and Brighton Electric Studios, with new producer Toby Jepson, singer and guitarist of the Scottish band Gun. Biff Byford announces to the trade press that the next album will be a return to the band's origins, to a "working-class" sound, inviting fans to come to the recording studio to get directly involved as backing vocalists. The sessions are so intense that Saxon decide to pull out of a performance at the Australian Soundwave festival, completely absorbed in what will become the first album on their own label, Militia Guard Music.

Call To Arms is released in June 2011 and effectively marks a great return to the band's sonic roots, abruptly halting the modernization process begun with their previous two records. It opens with the urgent thrash rhythm of "Hammer Of The Gods," immediately marked by a renewed tightness in the arrangements. The vintage effect doesn't disappoint more contemporary listeners on "Back In 79," sung together with the band's own fans, reviving the glories of Denim And Leather. Byford and co. truly return to a hard, pure sound, as on the fast-paced "Surviving Against The Odds" or the razor-sharp riff of "Chasing The Bullet." The album slows down for the atmospheric epic quality of "Mists Of Avalon," enriched by the keyboards of special guest Don Airey (Deep Purple, Rainbow), before turning to ballad form on the poignant title track about the love between a soldier and his distant partner. Quoting the Zeppelin-esque "Kashmir," "When Doomsday Comes" powerfully nods to the Innocence Is No Excuse sessions, while "Ballad Of The Working Man" is pure NWOBHM updated for the new decade of the 2000s.

Warriors of the Road

Call To Arms achieves excellent commercial success, reaching number six on the UK's rock and metal albums chart. A new world tour helps promote the record, with Saxon supporting Judas Priest at the Hammersmith Apollo in London in May 2012. Around the same time, the album Heavy Metal Thunder – Live: Eagles Over Wacken is released on CD and DVD, collecting several of the band's performances at the now-unmissable German festival.

In 2013 the new album Sacrifice is released, produced with guitarist Andy Sneap (Sabbat, Hell) and billed as the natural successor to Call To Arms. Introduced by the short tribal march "Procession", the record is built around the title track, an extreme yet solidly structured song, closer to German metal than to the old guard of British metal. And indeed Sacrifice sounds quite different from Call To Arms, more ferocious and geared toward speed. "Warriors Of The Road", for instance, is pure assault speed-metal, while "Guardians Of The Tomb" rides a craggy rhythm, embellished by an epic-flavoured chorus. Nothing particularly original, but Saxon play with honesty and go straight to the point, backed by excellent production work. Spiced up with Irish-tinged guitars, "Made In Belfast" pumps out of the speakers with the conviction only a seasoned band can muster.

The album is, however, less convincing than its predecessor: while "Stand Up And Fight" sounds particularly predictable, "Walking The Steel" falls into the by-now-tired call of the hard rock riff. Better is the martial drive of "Night Of The Wolf", interrupted by an acoustic folk interlude before the central solo.

Sacrifice earns its keep with the storming finale of "Wheels Of Terror", and the rhythm of "Standing In A Queue" is at least enjoyable, though it owes too much to Ac/Dc.

Sacrifice fares well, with the UK once again rewarding a band that has essentially been reborn in recent years. Saxon head out on tour, and at the end of 2014 announce a new album, again produced with Andy Sneap. Battering Ram is described as an album halfway between heavy metal and rock'n'roll, previewed by the video for the title track, in the by-now unmistakable Saxon sound. Inevitably threatened by the passing of time, the English band proves determined to cling with all its might to the hearts of its fanbase, even showing a fierce desire to break new sonic ground, as in the dark folklore of "The Devil's Footprint". The same darkness wraps around the funeral march "Queen Of Hearts", before the old-style adrenaline rush of "Destroyer" and the excellent guitar work on the thunderous "Hard And Fast".

Glockler's double bass drum spins beautifully on "Stand Your Ground", a track with a faintly electronic flavour, while "To the End" is once again hampered by a too-Zeppelin-esque approach. But the closing "Kingdom Of The Cross" is a wonderfully original experimental ballad, led by the soft voice of David Bower (Hell), narrating a Byford lyric about the First World War.

In 2017 Saxon embark on an American tour with UFO, while still working with Sneap on a new album for the Silver Lining Music label. Conceived with the deities of Greek mythology in mind, Thunderbolt is another honest record, less violent than Battering Ram, but just as solid as the riff of its title track. Byford and co. are by now running on autopilot, churning out albums that are never dull and always satisfying for fans of British-style heavy metal. The following "The Secret Of Flight" is certainly one of the most interesting tracks, an epic crescendo with a great vocal performance. Also notable is the dark march "Nosferatu (The Vampire's Waltz)", enriched by Corvin Bahn's organ, while "They Played Rock And Roll" is a musical tribute to Motörhead following the tragic passing of Lemmy Kilmister.

Johan Hegg's (Amon Amarth) semi-growl accompanies Byford on the roaring "Predator", leaving "Roadie's Song" to cool things down at the close with fairly conventional hard rock. After climbing the UK charts once again, Saxon launch another European tour alongside Diamond Head, Rock Goddess and Magnum, followed by a run supporting Judas Priest on the Firepower World Tour.

The End?

In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Saxon retreat to the historic country house known as Brockfield Hall, in North Yorkshire. After their most recent albums of original material, Byford and co. simply want to have fun paying tribute to the artists closest to their hearts, those who had the greatest influence on the band's origins. Released in March 2021, Inspirations is the first album made up entirely of covers, starting with "Paint It Black" (Rolling Stones), given a (naturally) heavy metal makeover. Saxon's chosen tracklist couldn't do without Led Zeppelin – their version of "Immigrant Song" is decidedly faithful – while less predictable is the presence of a sped-up version of "Paperback Writer" (The Beatles). From "Evil Woman" (Crow) in a clearly Sabbath-esque version to the acid-toned "Stone Free" (Jimi Hendrix), the album is pure divertissement, a sincere attempt to open the drawer of musical memories. Remarkably, the album succeeds where the last few had failed, reaching number one on the UK Rock & Metal Albums chart in spring 2021.

Recorded between 2019 and 2020, the new album Carpe Diem is released in early 2022, again produced by the now-trusted Andy Sneap. In interviews ahead of its release, Biff Byford radiates calm: at this point Saxon are under no pressure whatsoever, and can afford to record albums only when they genuinely feel like it.

From the cover art onward – featuring two legionaries scanning the depths of Hadrian's Wall – the album marks yet another return to Saxon's classic sound, which proves more vintage than ever on the opening "Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)", between monolithic riffs and melodic openings. On "Age Of Steam" the listener is hit by a furious rhythm, while the midtempo ballad "The Pilgrimage" charms with its liturgical introduction.

As with several of the band's recent albums, this isn't about gems of originality, but about songs performed flawlessly by a band that feels like an old uncle who never stops caring about you. "Dambusters" and "All For One" are two rousing numbers that are far from predictable, highlighting vocal abilities still intact after more than forty years of career. On "Remember The Fallen" it's worth appreciating the striking melodic line addressing the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the almost gothic pace of "Lady In Gray".

Towards the end, tracks like "Living On The Limit" come across as a kind of new artistic manifesto: Saxon have absolutely no intention of giving up, and will always show up for the heavy metal faithful.

As the Seize The Day Tour kicks off, Carpe Diem achieves perhaps unexpected success, reaching number seventeen on the UK's overall albums chart. An incredible result after recent years in which Saxon had only topped the specialist rock & metal charts. In spring 2023 a new covers album arrives, titled More Inspirations, featuring artists not previously honoured. From the towering bass of "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" (The Animals) to the explosive version of "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" (Cream), the album is an enjoyable listen, but only for true fans of the English band.

The release of More Inspirations is followed by shocking news: among the founding members of Saxon, Paul Quinn decides to bid farewell to the live scene, exhausted by the band's constant world tours. Chosen to replace him on stage is Brian Tatler (Diamond Head), who also takes an active part in the recording sessions for the new album Hell, Fire And Damnation, released in January 2024.

Preceded by the title track, with a steamroller rhythm driving its melodic chorus in the band's classic sonic approach, the record doesn't disappoint, once again. From the dark Iron Maiden-style riff of "Madame Guillotine" to the thrash speed of "Fire And Steel" – one of only two tracks featuring Paul Quinn – the album fully satisfies metalheads' tastes. "There's Something In Roswell" practically turns back the clock by decades with the most archetypal heavy metal gallop, while "Pirates Of The Airwaves" pays homage to raw hard rock. It's true that tracks like "Witches Of Salem" come across as decidedly mannered, but it's a forgivable flaw, because Saxon keep delivering moments of real impact.

Heading toward fifty years of career, the English band still fights on like an old lion of heavy metal.

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