It would cool to be able to say Saxon’s 1979 debut album rages like the sword-waving maniac that adorns Saxon’s album sleeve, but I’d be exaggerating. Even on their first album, the Yorkshire rockers already sounded like old guys. There’s a long-in-the-tooth quality to many of Saxon’s songs which is both a good and bad thing. The album is bookended by the excellent prog-flavoured epics Frozen Rainbow and Militia Guard but is also padded out with stodgy brickie boogie like Big Teaser. But there are three tracks where the band sounds more like the marauder on the sleeve. Judgement Day and Backs To The Wall have a mix of muscle, melody and raging vocals from Biff Byford that sounds more like the real Saxon we all know and love. And biker classic Stallions Of The Highway is phenomenal: the revved-up guitars and a driving rhythm section laying down the template for the band’s future direction and the raw metal attack that would typify the soon-to-be-named New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Saxon would deliver on the promise of this mighty tune and their next albums would have a huge impact. By comparison, the debut is more old-fashioned than New Wave but it’s still a varied and exciting listen that captures a talented band at the point the dam began to burst.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Brickie glam?
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It was either that or hod-carrying glam! Although in Biff’s case it could have been miner glam.
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I’m really confused! Your slang is interesting. Lol!
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You know how it goes, you had the genuinely androgynous glam stars like Bowie and T-Rex and then you had Slade and The Sweet. Different kind of thing. I call it Brickie Glam cause they all look like bricklayers in drag.
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Donuts hosers back bacon 2-4…that’s my slang.
Off to the LC.
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I know that one! That’s where Aaron racks up all his air-miles isn’t it?
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Aaron is quite a big fan of the goods for sale at the LC.
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haha the LC is a happy place. Their wares lead to drunk reviews.
But as I posted not long back, I can no longer get Airmiles towards my free CDs. I’m saving up for a camera lens now.
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Hey, you’ve not done a drunk review for a while actually!
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Haha how do YOU know? Maybe I just stopped announcing it. Maybe I’m in my cups ALL THE TIME!
Actually, that could explain a lot…
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That could explain a lot! Hahah maybe the LC could sponsor KMA?
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I’d be all for that. I’d be so into that words wouldn’t even describe it. They make a MINT, their oodles of dollars would be AWESOME! You hear that, LCBO? I’m a super-slut for all of your piles of sponsorship money. Get me ripped and watch me WRITE!!
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Actually truth to tell, I haven’t had more than a couple of drinks in a night in weeks. Probably the Big Rude Jake show was the most, and that was spread out over four hours.
But SHHHHH!! Don’t tell the LCBO! I wants their monieeeees, the precioussssss!!
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Even though it might be a sign of an alcohol problem, I’d like to think that Aaron is always in the cups when reviewing! It’s just more awesomer that way.
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Well then I won’t spoil your illusions with the truth.
Wait… I think I just did… dammit.
Honestly, I joke but I can’t do more than two glasses of wine these days. We usually do Friday night (end of the week) and I often fall asleep before the end of the second glass. I’m a real hot date!
So… one of these nights I’ll do another Drunk Review, but there’ll need to be a specific set of circumstances: 1) Saturday night is best, 2) a good night’s sleep on both Thursday and Friday nights in preparation, 3) nowhere to be on the Sunday, 4) the willingness of my lovely wife to tolerate my idiot ass (which is pretty much daily anyway) sleeping in on the Sunday. I think we can make this happen. The stars will align!
Now taking requests for my next Drunk Review.
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Wow. I didn’t realise the drunk reviews were such a big undertaking.
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Yeah, at this stage in our lives, the stars pretty much have to align…
First, I am old. So if I’m really gonna tie one on, I need to rest up in advance, otherwise the drink would just put me to sleep.
Second, being the only one here all day, I am de facto responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the entire house. It’s not expected, but I do it anyway. Cleaning, cooking, reconstruction after the kid hurricanes, any DIY home repair projects, all the stuff we’ve been meaning to do but haven’t yet… Not to mention I have a 3-yr-old underfoot the entire time. So, at the end of a day, I’m pretty tired. At the end of a week, more so.
Third, I have to consider the kids and my lovely wife. Daddy passed out until 11am isn’t going to help a 5 and 3 year old when they get up anytime after 06:00 on their own! And my lovely wife has to know she’s getting up early with them if I’m going off the night before. And she does that 2-hour commute every day all week, and her job is fairly stressful in between, so she likes to sleep on weekends too.
I make it sound like I’m getting all the ducks in a row so I can go on a three day bender. What I really mean is anything more than two glasses of wine, in an evening.
For all that, one would wonder why it’s worth it, and it’s true! I do think that. Besides, looking back, often times my drunk reviews are more coherent and insightful than all these sober ones. Still, I am a dutiful soldier, and I like to have a glass now and again, so we’ll see! We’re over to friends’ Saturday night and there’ll be wine there for sure – they’re in a bad patch big-time and need companionship – so when we get home and put the kids to bed, who knows? Maybe I’ll keep going!
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This looks like a nice remastered edition. I like swords too.
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It’s a sweet edition. Lots of bonus tracks. Live stuff, demos, BBC Sessions.
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I think for me, I need a more solid album, or compilation perhaps, to begin a collection.
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I definitely wouldn’t recommend starting here but once you start you will want this one. There’s a good 3CD comp that’s pretty cheap. Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law are solid albums to start with too.
There’s been quite a few of those multiple album sets with Saxon now so you could get a good chunk of their back cat quite cheaply. You might miss out on the bonus tracks that the standalone copies have though.
I’ve stuck a song up if you want a listen and I may be doing more Saxon reviews soon. Toying with doing a series!
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I was hoping you would say this is a series to come!
I think I’d like one comprehensive compilation to start, and then pick away at the remastered back catalogue. I find that to be an enjoyable way to get into bands.
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Awesome! I’ve been thinking who I could maybe do. I’ve got all the studio albums and quite a few live ones too so it could work. (And I could always buy more as it goes along if I’m enjoying myself)
This 3CD comp looks pretty hard to beat for the money.
http://www.amazon.ca/Very-Best-Saxon/dp/B000L22WSU/ref=sr_1_12?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1412881853&sr=1-12&keywords=saxon
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That does look very good!
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Actually, I’m reading some people saying the tracks on it aren’t as listed so maybe proceed with caution on that one! I’ve never owned it, just thought it looked comprehensive. Apparently looks can be decieving!
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OK thanks for the tip.
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Still looks pretty good for $5 though!
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Hell yeah! But I’m going to check st Encore Records downtown. I know they have/had a large Saxon section.
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Oh man I was just in Encore a couple of weeks ago, I coulda looked for you.
Of course, if they don’t have it, you might get it in Taranna on the 18th!
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Yeah dude Tarranna! Saxon might happen there!
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SAXON! I think I have a tape of one of their albums here. I haven’t dug into my cassette bin in a while, I oughta!
I think I’m with Mike on this one – comp first, then albums. But I know what you’re saying about the slippery slope. So Id have to proceed with caution. Or no caution at all, that’s always fun. Mileage may very.
Series! SERIES!! SEEEEERRRRIIIIEEEEEESSS!!!!!
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I think you had Denim & Leather? A fine album (Maybe I’ll get to it soon!)
I’m sure we’ve all talked about this before but I tend not to bother with comps much myself. I try to just pick a decent album to start off with. I’ve probably got into more bands via live albums that via comps.
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Damn, you have a better memory than I do. That sounds right! I’ll check to confirm.
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My intro to Saxon was Eagle Has Landed in 1982 or so! That was a pretty good live album for there I went into Power And Glory,Crusader and TBone bought Innocence Is No Excuse and I kinda excused myself from the Saxon roundtable so to speak but hey good overhaul Scot on this one. Keep em coming!
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Eagle Has Landed was my intro too. Been listening to Innocence Is No Excuse a lot recently. I’m going to have fun going through all these. Even their worst albums have some brilliant tracks. “Saxon Roundtable” is great. Might have to use that…
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For sure you can use Saxon Roundtable!
Hahaha….
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My intro to Saxon was pretty much just HMO!
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Ditto.
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But not really!
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Series sounds good – I have a feeling this is going to cost me, haha.
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I’ve been listening to this a lot recently, and just watched the Heavy Metal Thunder documentary this morning. Great stuff, good band.
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That’s a good documentary. I’ve watched it a few times now. How do you rate this one against the next few albums?
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Its a cliche but the trio of the 2nd-4th albums are my favourites. The debut is a bit like Rocka Rolla, where I like it and its a good record, but the next stuff is better.
Also like Rocka Rolla, the Progginess. (And even songs about Winter/Frozen).
The b-side is pretty much top notch Saxon, any of that is as good as anything off Power And The Glory or Crusader (save for each’s title track, which are both awesome).
I’ve got tickets to see these guys in December, I’m well excited. As soon as I have money, I’m definitely exploring the new albums like Labyrinth and Lionheart 🙂
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Yeah I agree the next batch are better. There are great albums later on too. I love Innocence is No Excuse, Dogs of War and the recent batch are all brilliant. I’m hoping I might discover some new faves working through all the albums though.
The Rocka Rolla comparison is spot on! I think this is a better album though. Weirdly, this is probably my most listened to Saxon album even though I wouldn’t say it’s their best. I think I just like the variety.
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Saxon best album is “Metal Head”
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Interesting! They’re one of those bands it seems. Everyone has different favourites. I’m not that familiar with that period. I really love Dogs of War so I’m looking forward to hearing the albums that came after.
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