Neil Turbin (Deathriders, Ex Anthrax) for The Metal Voice caught up with Biff Byford from the legendary NWOBHM band SAXON in Los Angeles as they began their North American tour as special guests to MOTORHEAD. Biff Byford talks about, the bands early thrashing sound, the recording process of their 21st album “Battering Ram” which will be released on October 16 2015 on UDR music. As well as Biff Byford’s autobiography.
When asked about Saxon’s early metal thrashing sound
“Motorhead and ourselves were probably the thrasiest of the bands of the 80’s. Maiden were punk, and I think Running Free got quite a punk element to it . We were eager and excitable and that’s where the music came out.”
When asked about the recording process of the new album Battering Ram
“We are very selective with the songs we write, everyone has to be committed 100% and we try to make it sound as vibrant and fresh as possible that is the secret. We record very quickly we don’t mess around.”
On the mythological lyrics on the new track the Devils footprint
“It’s a legend in England, people woke up one morning in a village and hoof prints up the walls, across the field, across the river, it’s a interesting story, I had my eyes on that legend for quite a while.”
On asked if they will include much of the new album on their current set list opening for Motorhead
“No we won’t because we are going to come back to America and do a Battering Ram tour. We are playing the song Battering Ram, we’re playing Sacrifice cause that album is still out there, we mix it up. Every show with Saxon is totally different nothing really choreographed, everything is quiet spontaneous.”
When asked about his youth working in textile mills with his father
“My dad got his arm ripped off and in the same factory I worked in which was pretty brutal. If you don’t have anything tragic in your family life, somewhere, then you are very lucky person. It’s just life, what life throws you, never surrender, get back up, start again.”
Legendary British heavy metal quintet SAXON has announced their 21st studio album “Battering Ram” which is set to be released on October 16th and that it is now available for pre-order! The band has released also the Official Video for the title track. Read the band’s message below:
We are extremely happy to announce that our new studio album “Battering Ram” is being released on the 16th of October and that it is now available for pre-order!
The title track “Battering Ram” is also available as a digital single release and if you decide to pre-order the album on iTunes, you will automatically be able to download and stream it straight away. Great times!
We are officially premiering the video worldwide today [watch below]. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome and we hope that you enjoy watching it!
Thank you all for your support \m/ Saxon
With Sacrifice they filled your heads with heavy metal thunder, and now SAXON want nothing more than to crush them with their very own, hand-crafted, not-safe-for-children brand new album, Battering Ram. Not. A. Problem.
With Biff Byford singing as well as he ever has, Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt making full use of the term ‘shredding’ with their guitars and the lock-steady rhythm of Nibbs Carter’s bass and Nigel Glockler’s drums, the future and the past crash together in an ear-scintillatingly engaging, raucous, melodic-yet-classically heavy ten songs collection which will instantly be hailed as a Saxon classic. The title track, with its delectable twin guitar assault heralding the album’s commencement, gives the listener an instant crack around the chops, whilst traditionalists will be delighted to hear such a perfect marriage of old, classic Saxon with the newer, fresher invective in such riff-fronted fare as “Destroyer” and “Stand Your Ground”, but there are still moments of space and exploration which fans will love.
“This one’s a natural progression from Sacrifice,” says Byford, “There’s a bit less rock’n’roll and a bit more ‘heavy’ on it. We wanted to keep focused on a style rather than moving around too much.”
Produced by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Testament, Exodus Accept) at his Backstage Recording Studios in rural Derbyshire, Saxon were able to hone in and whittle down any excess, finding the sonic space and balance to let Battering Ram’s riffs and melodies get the necessary space to scream front and center, Sneap bringing a crispness to the sound which evokes memories of the early ‘80s without for one moment sounding dated.
“Yes, Andy has been in charge of everything with this album, I keep on overview of it all, but he’s done a great job and we’re both pleased with the results. We have a great partnership.”
Lyrically, Battering Ram covers a variety of social situations, like the screaming fans who rage at the gig barriers (“Battering Ram”) or engaging in some good old fashioned myth (“The Devil’s Footprint” – a 200 year old tale of people waking up in winter snowfall to see unexplained hoof prints which they followed, looking for an answer in vain).
“When I’m writing lyrics I like to switch back and forth between complex things, reality and rock’n’roll,” says Byford, “I thought the whole folklore behind “The Devil’s Footprint” made it great material for a metal song, being that it’s both historic and mythical.
“With “Queen of Hearts” I wanted to write something around Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland, and it’s about the chess game that happens in the story. I wanted it to have prog-feeling in the way of its ambiance and mood. Then you have songs like “Destroyer” and “Hard and Fast” which are ‘80s inspired songs with that modern slant on it. I’m a big fan of Marvel comics, and I wanted to write a song around the character Destroyer, and with “Hard and Fast” it’s as the title suggests, about driving fast! I do like to tie the lyric into the song, so if it’s going to be a song about driving fast, well, it has to be a fast, hard song!”
There is also the album’s closing cut, haunting, gripping, melancholic tale of the First World War, “The Kingdom of The Cross”, where a poem unfurls the feelings and horrors which comprised this most brutal of global conflicts. “This year is the centenary of the end of the First World War. Nigel had a piece of music which he played on a synthesizer for a couple of years that I really liked. We had an actor (and singer), David Bower from the band Hell, read the poem and I sang the choruses. I didn’t want it to be typical Saxon, so it is just keyboards, bass, me and Dave.”
Wonderfully uncompromising, with Battering Ram Saxon have once again established their rightly-venerated credentials as Kings and vanguards of heavy metal music.
Track Listing:
Battering Ram
The Devil’s Footprint
Queen Of Hearts
Destroyer
Hard and Fast
Eye of The Storm
Stand Your Ground
Top Of The World
To The End
Kingdom Of The Cross
Los Angeles, California’s ARMORED SAINT will join back up with the legendary Saxon for some additional shows in the US this fall to continue touring in support of their highly acclaimed seventh studio album Win Hands Down. The disc is all things ARMORED, a vintage crush of classic power propelled by a cathartic blast of life in the year 2015.
The group will also only be performing one, very special headlining date in the US this year and it’s in Las Vegas at Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar and Grill on July 11th, so don’t miss out if you are in the area. Either see below or head over to facebook.com/thearmoredsaint for all tour dates and additional information.
Joey Vera states: “We had such a great time playing these dates with Saxon last May, and now they’ve asked us to join them again in September? We’re In! It’s an honor sharing the stage with Saxon and we’re super glad we get to bring this great package to other parts of the country. See you all soon.“
Vocalist John Bush added: “What can we say? The first six shows with Saxon were so good, we added more! We’re playing cities in the midwest that we haven’t played in years: Cleveland, Detroit, D.C. among others. Plus, San Diego! It’s been awhile, thanks for your patience! The guys in Saxon are extremely cool. We look forward to kicking ass throughout America with them. Let’s do this. Win Hands Down!!!“
Watch the group’s latest music video for “Win Hands Down” and order your copy of the album at metalblade.com/armoredsaint. Also, the brand new official webstore is online now. Visit indiemerch.com/armoredsaint for exclusive t-shirts and merch. More items are coming soon!
ARMORED SAINT is front man John Bush and bassist Joey Vera, guitarist Phil Sandoval and his brother, drummer Gonzo Sandoval and guitarist Jeff Duncan – five masters of metal that combine to forge one of the genre’s most criminally-unsung forces. Win Hands Down debuted at #71 on the Billboard Top 200 current albums chart during its week of release. The album also reached #33 on the German Top 100 albums charts, and #32 on the Canadian Hard Music Charts.
ARMORED SAINT Tour w/ Saxon
07/11 Las Vegas, NV Count’s Vamp’d Supporting SAXON
08/20 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
09/10 Atlanta, GA Centerstage
09/12 Stafford, CT Palace Theater
09/13 Portland, ME Asylum
09/15 Washington, DC Howard
09/16 Westland, MI Token Lounge
09/17 Pittsburgh, PA Altar Bar
09/18 Cleveland, OH Agora Ballroom
09/20 St Charles, IL Arcada Theater
Drummer Nigel Glockler of British metal legends SAXON has announced via his official Facebook page that some of his equipment is either missing or stolen. Read Nigel‘s statement below:
“It seems I am the latest victim of equipment to be stolen or gone missing.
I’ve just been informed that 99% of my cymbals, sticks, pedals did not make it back after out last show at The House of Blues in LA last month. As well a limited edition Canopus snare drum that was a wedding gift from my wife is also missing. Our crew assures me it was packed up ready to be be collected, so sometime between them packing & the shipping company collecting they disappeared.
The cymbals were done especially for me, featuring the Saxon logo and font – so those will be easily recognisable – as you can see from the photo. As well my sticks feature the logo & my signature.
I would be most appreciative if people can keep an eye out & let me know if they spot them.
Gutted & furious does not even come close to how I am feeling!!”
British NWOBHM legends SAXON have announced via their official Facebook page that they will be appearing as special guests of JUDAS PRIEST on selected dates in the USA:
“Saxon 35th anniversary Special Guest Tour!!
Judas Priest / Saxon Tour
Due to their 35th anniversary tour Saxon will be Special Guest of Judas Priest at select shows in 2015.
See two legends of New Wave of British Heavy Metal in one concert!
Don’t miss it!!”
The Dates:
17 May, Cincinnati, OH
– Horseshoe Cincinnati-The Shoe
19 May, St Charles, MO
– Family Arena
20 May, Council Bluffs, IA
– Harrah’s Casino-Stir Cove
SAXON drummer Nigel Glockler has made the happy announcement via his official Facebook page that he has made a full recovery from the brain aneurysm he suffered in December last year. You can read Nigel‘s words below:
“I am pleased to say that the neurosurgeons have informed me that I have made a full 100% recovery and there is zero damage at all from the ruptured aneurysm, mainly due to the part of the brain it was located in.
This means that I am okay to get back to work, but I am told to ease back into it. To that end I have started to work on getting my stamina back up and I look forward to being back full time very soon.
Thank you all again for the support and well wishes!
Nige”
Great news Nigel! Best wishes from all the team at Metal Shock Finland!
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British NWOBHM legends SAXON have announced via their official
