Unleash The Beast, Saxon’s thirteenth studio album and the first to feature the band’s current line-up, finds the band dialling up the kind of heaviness previously hinted at on older tracks like Altar Of The Gods, Battle Cry and Dogs Of War.
As usual for Saxon, this 1997 album’s big classic is the title-track: a brilliant thrasher with a chorus hewn from pure gold. But the harder edge comes at the expense of the band’s usual chemistry and charisma. The serious mood fits songs like the dark, grooving Cut Out The Disease and the moody, slow-burner The Preacher. But songs like Ministry Of Fools and The Thin Red Line fall strangely flat when they should be uplifting. The driving Terminal Velocity, uncannily catchy Circle Of Light and vigorously rowdy All Hell’s Breaking Loose inject much-needed sparks of excitement but can’t quite lift the album into the classic zone.
Its po-faced proficiency makes it one to appreciate rather than love but Saxon’s consistency and focus impresses and this was a crucial album for them. As well as unleashing the beast, they ushered in a new era, finding a style and purpose that would restore their credibility and serve them well for years to come. The story of modern Saxon starts here.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
That sounds promising. Glad to hear it wasn’t too bad. I might check it out.
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Glad you took this that way. It is a solid album… a lot of folk really love it so definitely worth a listen.
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At least Saxon can add a couple of bonus live tracks to entice the purchaser as well. Saxon is getting some decent coverage here in Blogsville from opposite ends of the pond in the last few days!
Props to them on having this lineup since 97…thats saying something!
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Well, this is the current lineup on this one but there is a spot of rotating drummer syndrome for the next few albums before they settle back down!
And the bonus tracks are on Eagle II so not that enticing I’m afraid.
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Ah gotcha..still though at least they are still trying..
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I’ve only ever listened to this once and can’t say it struck me enough to revisit. I guess the issue is that it’s stuck in the place where they hadn’t quite hit their stride again… ? But yeah, the run they’ve been on since this is fairly impressive.
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Also, I’ll revisit this one.
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I think they were getting the right idea with this one but they not quite pulling it off just yet.
Still a good effort for the year though… Wasn’t a great time for trad metal.
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That’s a good point… when this was released I wasn’t aware of Saxon at all. I was too busy listening to alternative rock and shaking my head at ZZ Top and Van Halen like a dafty.
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When you should have been banging your head to them!
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I really like the change in tempos throughout the song. Starts thrash, goes melodic in the middle and ends power metal. I might have to get this.
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You mentioned this was a credibility-restoring record – had they recorded any complete misses before album #13?
I can’t recall reading a negative Saxon review!
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No outright misses but I’ve given a few albums quite low scores… and I’m kinder to them than most! Destiny, Rock The Nations and Forever Free rank pretty low.
I tend to find even their worst albums have brilliant songs but, in the wider metal culture their attempts to make it in the US made them terminally uncool for many years. Decent albums could’t shift the wider perception of them as being clueless and behind the times, but that started to shift at this point.
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Not enough songs about transport and Biff’s landing gear then?
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Not quite, but I think All Hell Breaks Loose is about the time Biff’s spandex trousers split.
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Mwah-ha-ha!
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Saxon’s ‘Strong Arm Of the Law ..” was my first step into your list. Like the title cut. I will continue my journey.
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Good place to start!
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I’m like a kid in a candy store. I’m bouncing around in all sorts of genres and enjoying them all. Something to fit my moods or create a mood. Appreciate your great list.
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You’re very welcome! First time I’ve attempted anything like that so hope it works out good for you.
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Just rediscovered my T-shirt from the Killing Ground tour, my Johnny-come-lately introduction to Saxon. By my count only one more Saxon offering stands between me and the HMO album review for which I have so long pined. How many years have I waited? No matter, I see the light at the end of the tunnel now and it appears to have a crimson tinge…
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Yep, just one more before that. Actually the next two are ones that I’ve neglected over the years so I’ve been looking forward to revisiting them.
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