\n
![\"TMD\"](\"https:\/\/themetalden.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/saxon-300x231.jpg\")
\n
![\"TMD\"](\"http:\/\/i66.photobucket.com\/albums\/h259\/rsid999\/tmdcom.jpg\")
\n
\nThe almighty SAXON will release “Sacrifice”, on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 through UDR. Taking a sharper, re-invigorated approach to the production, on this, their 20th album, Saxon have produced 10 of their strongest, heaviest and most inspired songs for many-a-year, and a more than worthy successor to their last album \u201cA Call To Arms\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cLess tricks, more power!\u201d roars frontman and founding father Biff Byford, \u201cmy brief to the band was to be raw, be real and not be afraid to look back at the old classic material for inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n
The album was recorded at LS Studios in Yorkshire and was produced by Byford with Andy Sneap mixing and engineering by Jacky Lehmann. It fairly bristles with muscular metallic intent, Paul Quinn\u2019s and Doug Scarratt\u2019s guitar work the best it\u2019s ever been, while Biff\u2019s vocals sound fresher and livelier. The songwriting too harks back to a classic era in Saxon\u2019s history, with the likes of \u2018Warriors Of The Road\u2019, \u2018Wheels Of Terror\u2019 and \u2018Stand Up And Fight\u2019 evoking the halcyon days of yore with a contemporary twist, the classic Saxon sound absorbing the snarl, ferocity and attitude of contemporary bands (and fans) such as Megadeth, as evidenced by the crunching title cut \u2018Sacrifice\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s certainly been done from a more early \u201880s thrashier perspective,\u201d explains Biff, \u201cand it\u2019s not just guitars bashing away willy-nilly, they\u2019ve got a fresh drive, purpose and perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides the new material, Saxon will also be adding some unique recordings of revisited classic to certain formats of the release, also produced by Byford and mastered by Andy Sneap, including an orchestrated version of \u2018Crusader\u2019 and an acoustic version of \u2018Frozen Rainbow\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the songs to the production, I wanted to focus on the raw aspects which made us great in the first place,\u201d concludes Biff, \u201cAnd living in that rawness, combined with some great classic Saxon-songwriting, has in my opinion made Saxon fresher than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confirmed track listing:<\/p>\n
01. Procession
\n02. Sacrifice
\n03. Made In Belfast
\n04. Warriors Of The Road
\n05. Guardians Of The Tomb
\n06. Stand Up And Fight
\n07. Walking The Steel
\n08. Night Of The Wolf
\n09. Wheels Of Terror
\n10. Standing In A Queue<\/p>\n
Bonus Disc:<\/p>\n
01. Crusader (Orchestrated version)
\n02. Just Let Me Rock (Re-recorded version)
\n03. Requiem (Acoustic version)
\n04. Frozen Rainbow (Acoustic version)
\n05. Forever Free (Re-recorded version)<\/p>\n
Formats:<\/p>\n
\u2022 a limited edition deluxe digibook (including a bonus disc featuring the revisited classic tracks)
\nUDR 0150 CD
\n
\nSource: The Gauntlet
\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 a standard jewel case CD
\nUDR 0152 CD<\/p>\n
\u2022 a vinyl LP picture disc
\nUDR 0153 LP<\/p>\n
\u2022 a Direct to Consumer (D2C) fan package (available exclusively for online order from online retailers)
\nUDR 0156 D2C<\/p>\n