SAXON - Hell, Fire and Damnation
Silver Lining Music
Just for the record the words "hell, fire and damnation" best describe the honeymoon with my first wife. But anyways aside from a needed divorce many years ago here we have the I don't know anymore number album from SAXON. Seriously I'm not going to look it up. I remember their first album came out in 1979.
But anyways I got into SAXON in their early days when they were NWOBHM. My favorite album by em is still 1981's Denim & Leather. I'd say you were still in your dad's balls back then but no it has to be your grand dad's balls and he was probably listening to new wave crap back then. But yeah the band's early 80's output is classic fuckin metal.
Be that as it may for the last twenty years SAXON has been on a roll putting out powerful albums via some outstanding production values. In recent years they put out a full length, sandwiched between two covers albums, titled Carpe Diem which I thought was OK. Listening to this new one you can hear similarities to their last release but it's more laid back.
Personally, after giving this plenty of listens, I think SAXON are seeing the limits of where they can go. Of course introducing their new guitarist, Brian Tatler ( taking over after the retirement of founding member Paul Quinn) gives em strength out the wazoo. It's still musically Biff Byford showing the world he can still sing with some familiar lyrical themes put to classic metal song structures.
Hello and welcome to the past twenty years (or more) of this band's cookie cutter career. Now don't get me wrong over the past two decades SAXON has put out some killer albums but this ain't one of em. The fast power songs are boring. Actually I like the slower melodic "Madame Guillotine" which has an amazing guitar solo. Another favorite from this album is "Fire and Steel" which is a fast paced rocker with, once again, showing off some sizzling guitar soloing.
In the end SAXON are still on average auto-pilot but with great guitar soloing. It just doesn't work for me then again any old fan with a hint of integrity should agree. Where's the anthems? Where's the songs that put your fists in the air? Hell where's the songs about being proud to be into metal? Sorry they're not here and so am I.
LISTEN HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1taLuc_qnO0&list=PLxJJcP5YX06eoEAtbMk4R75Nt-FWwSHgc&index=2
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