I was an early adopter to Saxon, having bought their quirky debut album (1979) not long after it came out, followed by Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law, and Denim and Leather. And that was it for me. Didn't even follow the band out of high school. It was only within the last 7 years that I completed their early 80s classic run with a purchase of Power & The Glory (LP). What they did after that, I really don't know. I've certainly read a lot. It's apparent that Saxon made a go at "capturing" the US market, to no avail (as to be expected). And at some point in the mid 90s, got back on their (iron) horse and went about making music in their former early 80s NWOBHM style, but updated to modern heavy standards.
From my perspective, one of the issues that plagues Saxon is their image and moniker. If one didn't know better (and I didn't at first either), you'd think Saxon to be a band similar to Manilla Road, capturing the ethos of Medieval times, and creating mysterious semi-progressive heavy metal. Nope. Saxon are a biker band, through and through. A creative one, yes, but they're very much in your face metal.
If Unleash the Beast (1997) is an example of what I can expect to hear going forward, then I'm in store for at least 11 more great albums! Band leader and lead singer Byff Byford is now 70 years old, and by all accounts, he hasn't lost a step. And right next him is his trusty aide and guitarist Paul Quinn, of which the same can be said. Right from the get of the title track, you'll know that Saxon are back from the grave, and packing heat! Every track here is classic NWOBHM music: Melodic, yet heavy riffing, with high quality guitar solos. Byford sounds like Byford, his distinctive higher pitched voice soaring peacefully (he's no screecher) over the racket underneath. Unleash the Beast is yet another pleasant surprise. Obviously I need to hang out more in the CD bins to see if I can find more of this!
Ownership: CD: 2007 SPV (Germany). Recent acquisition as part of the large thrift shop find. As for the CD repress, the hype sticker is hilarious: "Bonus Tracks, Unseen Photos, Liner Notes, Original Artwork, New Booklet!" OK, the last two are probably fair. Bonus tracks? Yes, there are two 3 minute live cuts. Liner notes? A very small paragraph written by Byford. Unseen photos? There's only one photo! lol. No matter - it's the music that kills it here. I'm always curious if they released albums like this real time on LP. Nope. Not even in Germany or Sweden. Must have been tough for LP only fans back then. That matter was rectified in 2008. Interestingly enough, this is the only Saxon album I own - or have ever owned - on CD.
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