Saxon

[Eddie's Uncle]

Can you blame them for seeking mainstream success like some other old bands, they/Biff always wanted that. at.

Can you blame them for seeking mainstream success like some other old bands, they/Biff always wanted that.

There is of course no law or such, so it is simply a question of ones personal Metal ethics. I dont know how old you are or where you are from, but I grew up with Metal over 35 years ago with the ethics that Metal is counterculture, not giving a shit about sales. If you want to earn big bucks, start a pop band or alternative rock or whatever. I still see it that way. And with that background, yes, I can blame them. There is only one sin, and thats kissing the ass of the mainstream.
Of course, this is just my personal opinion. No one has to share it. Bands are free to do as they see fit. Thats alright. But is also alright when I say I fuck that.

And to try a style that's not too different from their trademark sound. IINE is one of their best albums as a whole piece, which is good.

It is not a bad album, true. Just a questionable one.

Releasing albums so often can do that.

Yes. Thats why I dont mind at all when bands only release new albums once in a blue moon. Often, less is more. In the past 29 years, Evoken only released 6 albums. All of them are masterpieces. Saxon released 13. How many of them are truely great?
Okay Manowar released only 4 and all of them sucked So it is not always valid. But in most cases, it is.

 

[DJ James]

I really do appreciate the insight from an older metalhead, @Eddie's Uncle . Way I've seen it for a number of years now, no band that ever made it big was 100 hundred honest, truly, to themselves and to the music. There was some constraint somewhere along the way that they had to work around or work with. And it's a number of things: length of the vinyl record, length of a cassette, length of a CD, radio exposure, studio time, deadlines, contractual obligations... Any INFINITE number of obstacles these bands had to work with. I think getting airplay in the 80's was something of a fun challenge at times for these bands. It's like, how far can we push this song into the mainstream while still remaining true to ourselves? Iron Maiden had Wasted Years, Judas Priest had Turbo Lover, Saxon had their excellent cover or Ride Like the Wind, I think in a lot of ways bands that made it big have never TRULY been true to what they wanted to do with their music. And I don't fault them for it.

There's a large number of bands that stray too far into the mainstream and doing stuff just for airplay and streams and attention, and most of those bands I don't listen to, but I really do like what Saxon did in their "hair" days.

 

[malfeitor]

Every album that Saxon made in the 21st century is at least decent. And that's totaly fine with me. I never expect masterpieces from peope who got famous in the 70s or in the 80s. Latest Saxon LPs are satisfying, and even if they won't go down in history as one of the most important metal albums of all time, I see nothing wrong with that. Whenever Saxon releases an album, I can expect it to give me some good time. I know that the album is going to be fine (at least), and I know that it's gonna be traditional. It works in cases such as Saxon. And I don't need anything more, honestly. I consider some of those records superior to the classic Saxon albums, IMO this band got better in the mid 90s. They've never been the best studio act around, but they're an incredible live band.

When it comes to their hunger for success... I really don't care. It's 2025, not 1988. We're talking about things that took place decades ago. Their actions resulted in some very mediorce, sometimes just bad songs, but there are positive aspects too: for example Ride Like the Wind. Not to mention that an album such as Unleash the Beast would have never been made if they hadn't experimented with 80s pop earlier.

 

[Eddie's Uncle]

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When it comes to their hunger for success... I really don't care. It's 2025, not 1988.

I didnt say I loathe Saxon for it to this day. I just said that this particular album deserved to flop. Not bc of quality, but bc of attitude.

Metal fans of today have no pride in their scene anymore. It was once a refuge from all the hyper commercial plastic of the charts. It wasnt always good, but it had a meaning. Those days are over. Ever since the early 2000s fans were more like "I don't care if it is sellout".
The result speaks for itself. Wacken is one huge gathering of tourists and has Schlager and Rap acts now. Nightwish are sponsored by McDonalds. Pop crap like Lord of the Lost is considered Metal and plays at ESC.
Well, I don't care much. There is a lot underground stuff going on, far from all this pop stuff. But if you wonder why the scene in general has become boring, shallow and sterile, it really is no surprise.
In fact there two Metal scenes currently. Mainstream and underground. Unfortunately the latter is shrinking. But I am getting too far off topic now.

We're talking about things that took place decades ago. Their actions resulted in some very mediorce, sometimes just bad songs, but there are positive aspects too: for example Ride Like the Wind. Not to mention that an album such as Unleash the Beast would have never been made if they hadn't experimented with 80s pop earlier.

Ride like the Wind is a cover, dude. And it bears almost no difference to the original.