Mid price reissue of the seminal NWOBHM band's 1999 offering, a combination of '90s metal & the classic style that made them famous. 10 tracks.
CD Reviews
What is everyone complaining about??
C. Fogus | Spokane, WA United States | 10/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"this CD kicks from start to finish. all i can suggest to the naysayers is give this disc another chance. to saxon fans: do NOT believe 'one listen' reviews! this a terribly underrated release that deserves more credit and recognition.
i bought this CD upon first release and thought it was 'just OK'. i shelved it for 2+ years then popped it in again after listening to Killing Ground. to this day i can't understand why i thought this CD was mediocre! you must give this Saxon release at least 2-3 listens; to get accustomed to its sound.
i really enjoy this 1999 underrated gem and think you will too."
The eagle has landed again...
Bete Noire | Vancouver, Canada | 02/17/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This time around reduced to two original members,Saxon have managed to truly recapture the magic of their early albums.Rawness and their traditional grooves,some electronic treatments,all lent a helping hand to this excellent new album."
Rockin' again!
S. McCall | High Point, NC United States | 10/23/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a fan since the mid '80s; looking forward to seeing them live again. Finally got to see them the first time in '98 & they just STOMPED!! Had waited to see them & Priest my whole life & saw Priest 3 months prior to Saxon; the band played well, but Ripper ain't Halford & Saxon just STOMPED!! I don't like this album as well as many of their others. I must admit that like a previous reviewer, I really couldn't find anything that really got to me on the first listen expect "Sea of Light" which is classic Saxon. It is strong sounding & well produced, but I like several of their others much better, particularly "Crusader". But they still have a lot of juice in them & you've gotta admire their persistence. The world can't ignore a band this good forever. Keep the faith & continue to tell other metalheads about Saxon. I'm always surprised at how many metal fans have never even heard them! But as always, once they do they're hooked & want to hear more. "We'll be rockin' together, rockin' again!""
Stronger on melodies than riffs
Celephais70 | 06/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've read the criticisms below of this album and the complaints seem to be largely things like "lacklustre riffs" "no real hooks". In a way I can see why people may think that. The riffs although often complex sometimes sound like generic "chugga chugga" type stuff with few riffs sticking in your head. But actually if you listen to the verse and chorus parts of songs this album has some very good melodic moments. Although heavy metal is built largely around riffs, it's not the be all and end all of a song. Conquistador and What Goes Around are good examples of songs that don't have outstanding riffs, but fine melodies.(and no, melody does not equal "wussiness"!)
I actually like this album a lot. Apart from the melodic touches, the vocal harmonies are pretty cool, the band are in fine form instrumentally, and it's heavy and well recorded.
And All Guns Blazing is a fantastic song to crank up loud when life gets you down!
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1