Now nearly fifty years into their career, Saxon need no introduction. One of the stalwarts of British heavy metal, Hell, Fire and Damnation is their twenty-fourth album. Despite a slight departure when there was an attempt to change their sound during the 1990s, Saxon are one of the most unswervingly reliable bands in the history of the genre. Hell, Fire and Damnation sees a continuation of the run of form the band have been on for quite some time now, producing such astounding albums as Into The Labyrinth, Battering Ram and 2022’s Carpe Diem in the process.
A short prologue, The Prophecy, opens proceedings, and as the track builds with growling demons in the background, there is a fantastically dramatic spoken word section from national treasure Brian Blessed, his voice booming in his inimitable fashion. From the beginning of time / The powers of good and evil have been battling for our souls / A war stretching into eternity / Fought between heaven and hell / Light versus dark. The title track (and first single from the album) follows immediately and Saxon waste no time in unleashing monstrous riffs, stentorian drums and Biff Byford’s trademark wail. Pounding like a wrecking ball, it is a powerhouse opening to the album which, like many other tracks on Hell, Fire and Damnation, has sections which play with tempo and timbre yet is never less than convincing. Biff – who turned seventy-three the day before the writing of this review – is the epitome of confidence and authority. His voice seems largely unaffected by time and his use of snarl, melody and grit is just as infectious as it always has been. The Antichrist and Nazarene / Fight the endless war / Angels, demons raging back and forth / Demonic verses holy script / The never-ending fight / Will the darkness conquer 'gainst the light?
Saxon have experienced some line-up changes over the years and Hell, Fire and Damnation sees the introduction of Diamond Head’s Brian Tatler following the recent retirement of founding member Paul Quinn. Tatler’s new guitar partnership with Doug Scarratt must be one of the smoothest handovers in the band’s history and they are the ideal foil for one another. Both are energetic and passionate throughout, equally comfortable and proficient during both the more melodic tracks and the faster, heavier moments.
Biff Byford is no stranger to incorporating history, mystery or folklore within his lyrics and on Hell, Fire and Damnation, he crosses centuries (Madame Guillotine and Witches of Salem), explores Xanadu (Kubla Khan and the Merchant of Venice) and even finds time to investigate supposed alien landing sites. Documenting the infamous incident in New Mexico in 1947, There’s Something in Roswell draws on the mystery and conjecture surrounding the event with effective pacing, thoughtful variation in the guitar solos, and deliberately questioning lyrics. Over the years the questions remained / Conspiracies fanning the flames / What to believe someone must know / Just tell the truth, you gotta let go / Too many clues hidden in sight / We're never going to stop or give up the fight.
Saxon may not have produced anything unexpected on Hell, Fire and Damnation but the fact that they have chosen to keep making new music should be commended. Had they stopped producing albums fifteen or more years ago and simply continued touring, their legacy would have already been assured and no one would have blamed them. However, like Motörhead, Saxon have continued to produce some of their most consistent music in their later years and it is to every heavy metal fan’s advantage that those albums were released. Every song on the album radiates Saxon’s class, conviction in their own abilities and their devotion to their chosen genre. On Pirates of the Airwaves - which once more starts with the distinct tones of Brian Blessed, this time proclaiming, Saxon’s alive!! - they pay tribute to the birth of the NWOBHM namedropping Radio Luxembourg and Radio Caroline (amongst others) along the way; musically, it would sit happily on any of those early albums. The performances of every member of the band defy their years but drummer Nigel Glocker (who not long ago required life-saving surgery following a brain aneurysm) might just have stolen the show. His drumming, at the age of seventy, is nothing short of staggering and his industry on Pirates of the Airwaves is as good as anything he has ever previously produced.
Elsewhere, 1066 has an Iron Maiden type gallop which is handled extremely competently by bassist Nibbs Carter and in a tribute to the industrial heritage of the steel city of Sheffield, Fire and Steel rattles along, strident and urgent evoking feelings of straightforward, no nonsense, 1980s heavy metal. Closing track Super Charger more than lives up to its name and after one guitar is joined by the rest of the band twenty seconds in, it does not linger for a moment as Biff injects his vocals with the necessary rancour. Stick it into overdrive / Ram the pedal down / Get the needle to the red / Listen to the sound / Engine screaming gun it more / Get it to the max / Speed it to the finish line / Leader of the pack.
Still in demand at festivals, playing live as well as they ever have and with no plans to stop, Saxon have produced another album rammed with their infinite enthusiasm, distinct energy and irresistible sound, distilled over almost five decades. Listeners who have not found Saxon to their liking before will find little on Hell, Fire and Damnation to alter their perceptions; however, for those who have adored the band for the last five, ten, twenty or forty years, it is another welcome slice of heavy metal thunder.
Written: 16th January 2024
Hell, Fire and Damnation is released on 19th January 2024
Watch the videos for Hell, Fire and Damnation and There's Something In Roswell below.
Comments