Saxon is ageless. Saxon is inevitable. Saxon will be releasing albums when all of you are but musty tomb mold. This is the way of things and has been since 1978. In fact, Saxon’s been rocking and rolling so long, even Black Sabbath thinks their minds are gone. The elder statesmen of the NWoBHM movement, these crusty Brits just keep churning out the goods, and here comes their 24th album, Hell, Fire and Damnation. This release comes after founding guitarist Paul Quinn departed following 2022s very good Carpe Diem, and he’s replaced by legendary Diamond Head axe man Brian Tattler. How’s that for filling big shoes bigly? With their massive NWoBHM pedigree thus reinforced, we get another burly dose of Saxon’s classic rock-centric anthemic metal with few frills or fluffery, just as it should be and likely always will be. But how will Hell, Fire and Damnation stack up in a catalog loaded with such timeless classics as Wheels of Steel, Denim and Leather and Unleash the Beast? This is ever the complicated question requiring complex maths and grueling number crunching.
After a cheeseball overly dramatic intro,1 you are thrust into the title track and it’s 120% Grade A classic Saxon in every way with an extra layer of epicness over the top. The beefy, crunchy riffs are just the right amount of heavy and Biff Byford’s ageless vocals are as welcome as a warm Spring breeze. The chorus is simple but effective, grandiose and sticky. Brian Tattler teams very well with Doug Scarratt and dual guitar antics ensue. It’s songs like this that showcase the elegant simplicity of what Saxon do and just how entertaining and enduring their style is. As good as the title track is, “Madame Guillotine” is better. It’s one of the best Saxon cuts of the last 10 years and I can’t stop spinning it. It rides a simple, hooky riff line as Biff tells gruesome tales of the French Revolution and the chorus is gold. Simple but so catchy and endearing as only 80s metal can be. This thing will be stuck in my head until it’s eventually removed and replaced by the prosthetic version I custom-ordered with laser eyes and titanium teeth. “Fire and Steel” keeps the good times rolling with an amped-up, extra-heavy barrage of British steel that references Judas Priest’s immortal “Rapid Fire” in pacing and energy. It feels vibrant and potent, full of youthful energy and it will reside on the Grand Gyming Playlist of I-ruhn.
After this really strong start, Hell, Fire and Damnation stays remarkably consistent. “There’s Something in Rosewell” and “Kubla Khan and the Merchant of Venice” rock hard and take names, and “1066” and closer “Super Charger” feel like they should have been on Unleash the Beast (this is a high compliment). Only “Witches of Salem” underwhelms, feeling a bit tepid, though it’s still classic Saxon to the bone. At a tight, trim, 42 minutes, the album motors along with vim and vigor, and the songs never overstay their welcome. The production gives the guitars just the right amount of grit and heft and Biff is given plenty of space to do his thing.
Speaking of Mr. Byford, he just celebrated his 73 birthday but you would never know it from his performance here. The man sounds pretty much the same as he did on those legendary early albums except for a slight roughening of his voice which actually makes him sound MOAR badass. He’s one of metal’s legendary vocalists though he rarely gets the credit he deserves. He’s supported greatly by Tattler and Scarrett who make quite the effective tandem. Tattler has been at this nearly as long as the Saxon boys and he’s a great replacement for Paul Quinn. There is a collection of cool, crunchy riffs scattered over the songs and this thing reeks of 80s metal in all the best ways. The fact that 2024 Saxon is considerably heavier than the 80s version never ceases to amuse and entertain me and whatever these gents and Satan are drinking should be sent to Iron Maiden.
I was and still am very taken with Carpe Diem and didn’t expect Saxon to be able to top it, and in truth, Hell Fire falls just a bit short of accomplishing that feat, but it comes close. This has everything you want from a modern Saxon album and if this is what the band can do in their 46th year, I can’t wait to hear what’s coming in their 50th. These unstoppable curmudgeons did it again, so no 3.0 Tree for them! Hail the Undying Lords of NWoBHM.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: NA | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Silver Lining Music
Websites: saxon747.com | facebook.com/saxonofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 19th, 2024
