Legendary NWOBHM band SAXON deliver their 20th studio album entitled Sacrifice in 2013. This reviewer can fondly recall witnessing this group perform live for the first time nearly thirty years ago when they toured America with IRON MAIDEN and FASTWAY on 1983’s epic The World Piece tour. At the time being only twelve years old, Biff and co.’s The Power and The Glory simply blew my little mind with its tough as nails, balls to the walls approach.
All these years later, this metal music machine has not slowed up one bit. Sacrifice is produced by vocalist Biff Byford and Andy Sneap and the production is overall superb. The band kicks it off with the creepy ‘tribal’ opener “Procession” and then launch into the killer album title track “Sacrifice”. It carries some fantastic riffs by guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt, definitely some of the most potent they have ever recorded. It will surely impress even the most critical metal warrior.
Other standout tracks are “Warriors Of The Road”, “Stand Up And Fight”, and “Wheels of Terror”. The listener, whether they are an old fan of SAXON or not, will truly enjoy the meaty choruses and great rhythm section of Nibbs Carter on bass and Nigel Glockler on drums. All in all, while I don’t rate Sacrifice as their very best, this is a solid collection of well-crafted songs that will stand the test of time.
ROCKET REVIEW:
[starreview tpl=16]
SAXON – “Sacrifice” (CD)
(EMI Music Distribution/UDR/2013)
1. Procession
2. Sacrifice
3. Made In Belfast
4. Warriors Of The Road
5. Guardians Of The Tomb
6. Stand Up And Fight
7. Walking The Steel
8. Night Of The Wolf
9. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue
http://www.saxon747.com/
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