Saxon - Call to Arms (2011)

2011-06-08T13:07:44Z

Saxon - Call to Arms (2011)


1. "Hammer of the Gods" 4:23
2. "Back In '79" 3:28
3. "Surviving Against The Odds" 5:02	play
4. "Mists of Avalon" 5:02
5. "Call To Arms" 4:29
6. "Chasing the Bullet" 4:14
7. "Afterburner" 3:06
8. "When Doomsday Comes" (Hybrid Theory soundtrack) 4:29
9. "No Rest for the Wicked" 3:09		play
10. "Ballad of the Working Man" 3:48
11. "Call To Arms" (Orchestral version) 4:28

Biff Byford - lead vocals
Paul Quinn - guitar
Doug Scarratt - guitar
Nibbs Carter - bass
Nigel Glockler – drums
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Don Airey – keyboards

For much of the 2000s, a revitalized Saxon catered to accepting European power metal audiences with a traditionally rooted but thoroughly modern-sounding heavy metal production; but there's something different about the veteran band's first effort of the 2010s and 19th studio album overall, 2011's Call to Arms. Simply put, it appears that the members of Saxon have intentionally revised their recent recording habits and largely stripped down their sound; perhaps doing without an extra guitar track or four which would have beefed up the mix, and scaling down the remaining instrumentation accordingly, including Biff Byford's surprisingly in-your-face vocals. As a result, the songs (with an exception or two) hark to the band's seminal New Wave of British Heavy Metal years: they are refreshingly raw and direct ("Surviving Against the Odds," "Chasing the Bullet," "Ballad of the Working Man"), recklessly urgent in a proto- but not post-thrash kind of way ("Hammer of the Gods," "Afterburner"), and, yes, even a little corny at times ("Back in ‘79"), but all of it qualifies as compelling vintage nostalgia, nonetheless. Even the more sophisticated exceptions hinted at earlier, such as the synth-laden title track (Rainbow and Deep Purple legend Don Airey guests) and dramatic mid-paced offerings like "Mists of Avalon" and the "Kashmir"-quoting "When Doomsday Comes" stubbornly retain their ‘80s hallmarks, feel, and spirit, never advancing beyond 1985's divisive Innocence Is No Excuse album in Saxon's evolutionary arc. To be clear, though, overall, the album's closest aesthetic cousin would have to be 1981's Denim & Leather. And perhaps it's in a bid to drive this point home that deluxe editions of Call to Arms feature a bonus disc containing the band's 1980 performance at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival, which leaves little doubt of Saxon's deliberate back-to-basics strategy on this release (see also the distressed cover art for evidence). As such, it's a strategy that the band's longest-serving faithful will likely embrace, though perhaps not their new millennium converts, but you can't ever please everyone now, can you? ---Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic Review

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Saxon ‎– Sacrifice (2013)

2019-02-01T16:25:21Z

Saxon ‎– Sacrifice (2013)


1-1 	Procession 	1:45
1-2 	Sacrifice 	3:58
1-3 	Made In Belfast 	4:34
1-4 	Warriors Of The Road	3:34
1-5 	Guardians Of The Tomb	4:47
1-6 	Stand Up And Fight 	4:02
1-7 	Walking The Steel 	4:24
1-8 	Night Of The Wolf 	4:20
1-9 	Wheels Of Terror 	4:23
1-10 	Standing In A Queue 	3:36
Bonus Disc
2-1 	Crusader (Orchestrated Version) 	6:43
2-2 	Just Let Me Rock (Re-Recorded Version) 	3:41
2-3 	Requiem (Acoustic Version) 	3:32
2-4 	Frozen Rainbow (Acoustic Version) 	4:04
2-5 	Forever Free (Re-Recorded Version) 	4:46

Bass – Nibbs Carter
Drums – Nigel Glockler
Guitar – Doug Scarratt, Paul Quinn
Vocals – Biff Byford 
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Backing Vocals – Toby Jepson, Jackie Lehmann

Perhaps more than any other British band of their generation, Saxon embody the guts and determination it takes to survive in the dog-eat-dog world of the music biz. While Def Leppard sold out to America and Iron Maiden – through no small measure of grit and graft – had the momentum to carry them through the toughest of times, Saxon’s story has been the most touching tale of triumph and tragedy. From the far-off days of the NWOBHM to the brave, new and uncertain world of the 21st century, Yorkshire’s finest have soared, crashed, burned and risen again.

Their 20th studio album sees them on top form: lean, mean and continuing the stellar run that currently finds them more popular than ever. If anything, they yet again somehow sound re-invigorated. Inspired by a desire to be “raw, real and not be afraid to look back at the old classic material for inspiration”, Sacrifice is Saxon on steroids: all guns blazing, pedal to the metal, wheels on fire.

Powered by some punchy, power-laden production courtesy of frontman Biff Byford and the mixing skills of sound supremo Andy Sneap, it’s a fat-free, in-your-face affirmation of what great British metal is all about. With its scything riffs and metallic sheen, the title track makes for a hard-hitting introduction, a typically catchy tale of the God-appeasing excesses of Mesoamerican priesthoods. The weighty grind of Made In Belfast continues the historical theme while reigniting Biff’s endearing passion for iconic engineering feats of yesteryear, in this case the Titanic.

The band’s longstanding love of trains, planes and automobiles – and bikes, obviously – continues with the need-for-speed blast of Warriors Of The Road, a high-octane outing in the mould of Stallions Of The Highway and Motorcycle Man. There’s more mythistory and yet another catchy chorus in the taut yet tuneful Guardians Of The Tomb, there’s an ode to overcoming adversity in the spirited Stand Up And Fight, and even some post 9⁄11 musings in Walking The Steel, born of Biff’s ongoing fascination with a country that never truly took Saxon to its heart.

The razor-sharp Night Of The Wolf and chugging Wheels Of Terror – the spiritual successor to wartime vignettes such as Machine Gun and Fire In The Sky – keep the banner raised as the album’s second half draws to a close. The final track, Standing In A Queue, could only ever have been written by Saxon. Who else could transform a song about that most English of non-activities into the brand of fist-pumping, ‘coming home’ anthem that’s been a rock touchstone since, well, forever? Who else could make the mundane sound so damn metal?

Graced with outstanding guitar work, one of the best rhythm sections in the business and a vocalist who’s simply never sounded better, Sacrifice sees Saxon’s past, present and future smashed together in a blazing, blistering rollercoaster ride. Still eating lightning and shitting thunder, Saxon are heavy, Saxon are metal and Saxon are back again. ---Greg Moffitt, loudersound.com

Biff Byford chyba zaprzedał duszę Rogatemu, a w cyrografie zapisano, że Saxon będzie jak wino: im starszy, tym lepszy. Ikona brytyjskiego metalu nie zwalnia tempa i nie spuszcza z tonu. „Sacrifice” to bez dwóch zdań jeden z diamentów w ich bogatej dyskografii.

Zaczyna się ten jubileuszowy (bo dwudziesty studyjny) materiał dosyć zaskakującym wstępem, wyjętym wprost ze ścieżki dźwiękowej do jakiegoś filmu. Dźwięki plemiennych bębnów nagle przerywa przeszywający riff tytułowego kawałka, wybranego zresztą na pierwszy singiel (polecam też prosty, ale fajny i pomysłowy klip). Trafny to wybór, bo kawałek jest zarówno nośny, jak i mocarny. Klasyczny Saxon!

Kapela zdefiniowała swój styl ponad trzy dekady temu i konsekwentnie trzyma się go dziś. Jasne: zmieniły się technologie nagrywania oraz sprzęt i Saxon nie próbuje udawać, że mamy złote czasy NWOBH. Płyta brzmi świeżo oraz potężnie, ale zarazem zachowuje wszystko to za co lubimy grupę.

Aby uniknąć monotonii, Saxon wplótł w niektóre kawałki różne ozdobniki. A to mamy celtyckie instrumenty w „Made In Belfast”, a to akustyczne wstawki w „Guardians of The Tomb” i „Night of The Wolf”... Są jak przyprawy, które dodają smaku potrawie. Na nic jednak by się nie zdały, gdyby danie główne było do niczego. Tu mamy na szczęście do czynienia z wykwintnym specjałem...

Dla wielu zespołów z długim scenicznym stażem nowe płyty często są tylko pretekstem do wyruszenia w trasę koncertową, podczas której artyści sięgają po 1-2 nowe kawałki, a setlistę zapełniają dobrze znanymi i po stokroć odgrywanymi na żywo kawałkami. W przypadku „Sacrifice” Saxon powinien po te nowości sięgać bez krępacji. Są wręcz stworzone do interakcji z publicznością...

Ten album po prostu nie ma słabych punktów, za to wiele porywających kompozycji (po kolejnych przesłuchaniach łapię się na tym, że mógłbym wpisać w tym miejscu całą dziesiątkę). Dlatego z czystym sumieniem stawiam maksymalną ocenę i umieszczam „Sacrifice” w gronie poważnych kandydatów do prywatnego Top 5 za 2013 rok... ---Robert Dłucik, rockarea.eu

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Rock, Metal

Saxon - Call to Arms (2011)

Saxon ‎– Sacrifice (2013)