Welsh Phantom
Ancient Mariner
Mind you, there are several "The Eagle has Landed" live albums these days, not just the original one
Saxon
- Thread starter Yax
- Start date
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
SAXON To Perform Entire 'Wheels Of Steel' Album On 2025 European Tour
British heavy metal legends SAXON have announced the extensive "Hell, Fire And Steel" 2025 European tour. The band states: "The tour will see us perform our classic album 'Wheels Of Steel' in its entirety on what will be its 45th anniversary, plus all the hits, fan favorites and songs from our...
blabbermouth.net
Saxon will play the entire Wheels Of Steel album next year.
TheMercenary
Ancient Mariner
The new video is here.
TheMercenary
Ancient Mariner
Another column about Saxon and their new video, "Fire And Steel".
www.loudersound.com
Saxon pay tribute to Sheffield with new video for Fire And Steel
"They invented stainless steel there"
InfiniteDreamer544
Educated Fool
How do you all feel about recycled riffs? Many bands are guilty of this, using common riffs or chords. But what about when you are copying yourself? Is it okay to rip yourself off so blatantly? I noticed these two Saxon songs from their two most recent albums and had to lol a bit:
Personally, I prefer Living on the Limit.
Personally, I prefer Living on the Limit.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
SAXON To Perform Entire 'Wheels Of Steel' Album On 2025 European Tour
British heavy metal legends SAXON have announced the extensive "Hell, Fire And Steel" 2025 European tour. The band states: "The tour will see us perform our classic album 'Wheels Of Steel' in its entirety on what will be its 45th anniversary, plus all the hits, fan favorites and songs from our...
Saxon will play the entire Wheels Of Steel album next year.
Supported in the UK by Dirkschneider playing Balls to the Wall in its entirety. That is a show I am seriously considering going to.
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
I relistened to every Saxon album this summer. I was quite surprised by most of their work actually. It's weird, they have particular moments from the mid to late 2000s where they get close to peaking, but they could never pull it together to put out one GREAT album during this span. I think Into the Labyrinth was Saxon at their most interesting and unique sonically: A stalwart NWOBHM act embracing the newer stylings of EU power metal and upping the tempos a bit - it's good stuff. Their "glam" (barely) phase from the mid to late 80's was also very pleasant to listen to.
As a heavy metal enjoyer, I have a refined palette at 27 years old. I really like glam metal and AOR. Motörhead and NWOBHM dominate a lot of what I listen to, and I love thrash and old school death metal. If it sounds like sonic sleaze, I'm probably all over it. That all said, these rankings might shock some of you, and I hope it persuades some of you to check out some of these albums.
Here's a ranking for Rank-heads out there:
As a heavy metal enjoyer, I have a refined palette at 27 years old. I really like glam metal and AOR. Motörhead and NWOBHM dominate a lot of what I listen to, and I love thrash and old school death metal. If it sounds like sonic sleaze, I'm probably all over it. That all said, these rankings might shock some of you, and I hope it persuades some of you to check out some of these albums.
Here's a ranking for Rank-heads out there:
- Innocence is No Excuse (1985)
- Power and the Glory (1983)
- Destiny (1988)
- Wheels of Steel (1980)
- Forever Free (1992)
- Sacrifice (2013)
- Solid Ball of Rock (1990)
- Strong Arm of the Law (1980)
- Denim and Leather (1981)
- Into the Labyrinth (2009)
- Lionheart (2004)
- Saxon (1979)
- Hell, Fire and Damnation (2024)
- Rock the Nations (1986)
- Unleash the Beast (1997)
- The Inner Sanctum (2007)
- Killing Ground (2001)
- Call to Arms (2011)
- Thunderbolt (2018)
- Dogs of War (1995)
- Metalhead (1999)
- Carpe Diem (2022)
- Battering Ram (2015)
- Crusader (1984)
The Dissident
Ancient Mariner
One of the things I appreciate most about Saxon is they really have an era for everyone
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
I never thought about a connection to Turbo. Def Leppard were really innovators. They could’ve stuck to a more true British metal sound similar to what Priest and Saxon were doing at the time, but they went straight for the jugular of the American market. They knew what the world wanted to hear and Pyromania came at an absolute perfect time. Regardless of what you think of the album, it was an objective success. Saxon and Priest were no doubt paying attention.
Judas Priest had already broken through into the mainstream American consciousness with Screaming For Vengeance and British Steel, so there wasn’t a major urgency to try to find that success again until their popularity started to wane as tastes started to shift in the mid to late 80s. Saxon never had that breakthrough into the US market. They were massively popular in their neck of the woods obviously. Innocence is No Excuse was a real earnest attempt at trying to breakthrough and there was a lot of thought put into the album. I think it should’ve been a lot bigger than it was.
InfiniteDreamer544
Educated Fool
It is fascinating how so many people’s Saxon rankings can differ so wildly. But at the same time it is not surprising since they have so many eras and so much good music.
You have the old school folks who tend to put the classic trilogy at the top. Then you have the folks who love the more recent era. There are also those who really appreciate the mid to late 80s glam type era, which seems to get more love as time goes on.
My (most recent) ranking is somewhere in the middle. My first Saxon album was Crusader, and then I got the Solid Book of Rock CD box set, which had a major influence on my Saxon taste. I’ve slowly worked towards completing my collection, but still don’t own the self titled debut.
I find a lot of the more recent stuff sounds a bit basic and repetitive to me, but still good in it’s own way.
1. Unleash the Beast (1997)
2. Crusader (1984)
3. Dogs of War (1995)
4. Lionheart (2004)
5. Solid Ball of Rock (1991)
6. Power and the Glory (1983)
7. Killing Ground (2001)
8. Thunderbolt (2018)
9. Sacrifice (2013)
10. Strong Arm of the Law (1980)
11. Wheels of Steel (1980)
12. Rock the Nations (1986)
13. Forever Free (1992)
14. Metalhead (1999)
15. Destiny (1988)
16. Denim and Leather (1981)
17. Innocence is No Excuse (1985)
18. The Inner Sanctum (2007)
19. Call to Arms (2011)
20. Battering Ram (2015)
21. Into the Labyrinth (2009)
22. Hell Fire and Damnation (2024)
23. Carpe Diem (2022)
24. Saxon (1979)
You have the old school folks who tend to put the classic trilogy at the top. Then you have the folks who love the more recent era. There are also those who really appreciate the mid to late 80s glam type era, which seems to get more love as time goes on.
My (most recent) ranking is somewhere in the middle. My first Saxon album was Crusader, and then I got the Solid Book of Rock CD box set, which had a major influence on my Saxon taste. I’ve slowly worked towards completing my collection, but still don’t own the self titled debut.
I find a lot of the more recent stuff sounds a bit basic and repetitive to me, but still good in it’s own way.
1. Unleash the Beast (1997)
2. Crusader (1984)
3. Dogs of War (1995)
4. Lionheart (2004)
5. Solid Ball of Rock (1991)
6. Power and the Glory (1983)
7. Killing Ground (2001)
8. Thunderbolt (2018)
9. Sacrifice (2013)
10. Strong Arm of the Law (1980)
11. Wheels of Steel (1980)
12. Rock the Nations (1986)
13. Forever Free (1992)
14. Metalhead (1999)
15. Destiny (1988)
16. Denim and Leather (1981)
17. Innocence is No Excuse (1985)
18. The Inner Sanctum (2007)
19. Call to Arms (2011)
20. Battering Ram (2015)
21. Into the Labyrinth (2009)
22. Hell Fire and Damnation (2024)
23. Carpe Diem (2022)
24. Saxon (1979)
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
Yes, a lot of newer fans start with the classic trilogy too. It’s quite a good trilogy, Wheels of Steel I believe was the best they sounded during that time. Strong Arm and Denim and Leather play like one album to me, they sound very similar.
It’s almost shocking how well the “glam” stuff Saxon did has aged. A lot of bands like Saxon from that time went too poppy in an attempt to capture mainstream success but Saxon really hit a good balance between staying fairly heavy and putting bigger melodies into their songs. A couple years ago when I listened to Destiny I hated it, I thought it was boring and uninspired. Upon relisten I was really struck by the AOR elements and excellent song writing. Destiny also is probably Biffs best sounding vocals!
Rock the Nations is more metal than a lot of people think, although it is a step down (quality wise) from Innocence. The second side of Rock the Nations also drags a little bit but there’s gems throughout the album like Waiting For the Night, Runnin Hot, and We Came Here to Rock (awesome riff).
I am with you on that. If you played a couple of songs each from Battering Ram, Thunderbolt and Carpe Diem all back to back I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you their names or what albums they were from. With a lot of Saxons albums from the 2000s and onwards, I think they would’ve been better off releasing albums at a slower pace with higher quality material or just releasing EPs or singles with a few songs. Randomly they’ll have an awesome song buried in each of their recent releases. Lady in Gray off Carpe Diem is excellent, and I don’t see it talked about much.
Also the hype for the newest album was real, that album is really, really good.
Very interesting and unique rankings. We see Strong Arm of the Law and Solid Ball of Rock very similarly. Unleash the Beast at 1 isn’t very surprising, that one drew a lot of fans back into Saxon it seems. There’s a light speed metal edge to that album too in a lot of the riffing. Good songs on there like Bloodletter and Circle of Light (great guitar on Circle of Light).
Also do you have Saxon in last because you have not heard it? It’s worth checking out if you like the classic trilogy. It has a little more of a pub band feel, but there’s standouts like Backs to the Wall and Stallions of the Highway. My favorite off there is Militia Guard, which is surprisingly mature and very well written.
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InfiniteDreamer544
Educated Fool
It is definitely a good trilogy! I didn’t actually listen to the trilogy thoroughly until buying the albums. I had listened to The Eagle Has Landed live album with the bonus tracks and I tend to prefer those versions of most songs. For me, I felt like Wheels and Strong Arm blended together well.
Absolutely! Even though some may call the material in this era weak, it certainly is not. I actually prefer the more melodic stuff in this era, like Rock N Roll Gypsy, Broken Heroes, Northern Lady, I Can’t Wait Anymore (ESPECIALLY the 12” mix). Although I still enjoy stuff like Battle Cry. I always mistakenly refer to Rock the Nations (album) as Battlr Cry, I don’t know why.
Good point about Destiny having Biff’s best vocals. Without a doubt some of his most “beautiful” singing!
Agreed! A couple really awesome songs per album, like Top of the World, The Secret of Flight, The Pilgrimage.
Hell Fire and Damnation is getting better with repeated listens. That album is a grower for me.
I have listened to it a fair amount of times, but it’s the “pub band feel” that you mention that brings it down for me. They haven’t found their stride quite yet. My favorites from that album are Frozen Rainbow and Judgement Day. I find those songs show the seeds of their melodic side very well.
InfiniteDreamer544
Educated Fool
I resonate with your statement. I am similar in age to you (31 years old), and listen to (what I think is) a good variety of stuff (classic rock, traditional metal, rap, synthwave, reggae, soul/funk). I’d like to think that gives me a slightly different view on discographies like Saxon’s. I generally like more melodic stuff, which a lot of my favorite Saxon albums have.
I think younger listeners tend to have more unique and left field rankings, such as yours.