BLACK SABBATH (UK) - Dehumanizer (LP, I.R.S., 1992)

RATING: ****

After spending the best part of a decade at the helm of the Black Sabbath's ship pretty much by his own, I guess it's perfectly understandable that Tony Iommi felt tempted by a offer to rejoin old buddy Geezer Butler and much-famous singer Ronnie James Dio for the purposes of a new album. Though Iommi always made clear his overall musical contentment with the Tony Martin fronted version of the band, record sales never got any close of being really inspiring, and the increasing difficulties to book enough shows for a proper tour (not a single one happened in the USA to promote "Tyr", you see) sounded like no good news to anyone involved with the Sabbath enterprise. Not only a reunion with Butler and Dio seemed artistically interesting, but it also looked commercially viable, and I suppose it didn't took much of an effort to convince Iommi to discharge Tony Martin and Neil Murray from their duties and assemble a new line-up, with Cozy Powell retaining his place behind the drum kit at first.

Contrary to what most people perhaps would expect, it took them over a year and a lot of hard work to make things happen. After got injured while riding a horse on a break from rehearsals, Powell had to be replaced by Vinnie Appice, effectively reuniting the line-up responsible by "The Mob Rules" way back in 1981. There was a growing level of creative tension between Iommi and Dio, with songs being demoed and re-written almost on a weekly basis. The whole process got close to a nightmare after a while, and nearly a mllion dollars were spent on the recording of "Dehumanizer", something that alarmed those writing the paychecks to a great extent. After such a long time in the making, the expectations were understandably high, and the new Sabbath record needed to be quite a strong one to worth all the effort. Turns out it was, fortunately.

I'm not at all afraid to say "Dehumanizer" is probably the best Sabbath record since "The Mob Rules", and much of it must be credited to a more careful, focused approach to songwriting. As soon as the thunderous drumming in the beginning of "Computer God" bursts out of the speakers, the listener is made sure that something heavy is under way, and this supremely well-crafted number moves from ominous to forceful seamlessly, being actually impossible to say it took many months to finish it! Next comes the morbid "After All (The Dead)", and it's already beyond question by this point that this incarnation of the band is unwilling to take any prisoners. Make Sabbath great again, they said, and they actually meant it.

I would like to point out how important this record is in Ronnie James Dio's chronology. He seemed to be trying to write a truly metal-to-the-soul album at least since the mid-80s, as the magic conjured on "Holy Diver" and "The Last in Line" seemed remarkably elusive on later releases (though there was never any true stinker on sight, mind you), and I guess he found on his return to Sabbath the perfect chance to do so. Not to mention his (perhaps unconscious) determination to prove the world he still owned the most technically-gifted voice for Sabbath - not that Tony Martin threatened to relinquish the throne, you know, but he did quite a good job on studio and got very close to become the definitive Sabbath-sans-Ozzy singer in the vision of many fans. Such scenario helps to explain his very strict work ethic on writing, and results on perhaps the grittiest, most aggressive performance from his entire discography. His singing on tunes like "TV Crimes" and "Computer God" is nothing less than memorable, and his lyrics move away from pocketbook-fantasy themes to more sinister, misanthropic territories, being a bit silly on a few cuts perhaps, but working magnificently on others - I for one love every single word on "TV Crimes", and his raspy singing only enhances the scornful, mordacious message against television preachers and monetized religion.

Tony Iommi riffs are back as well, and almost every single tune in here have at least one or two memorable guitar themes to its credit - I mean, how cool the simple-but-catchy main riff of "Time Machine" is? Can anyone dismiss the guitar work on "Master of Insanity" and the aforementioned "After All (The Dead)" without a great deal of previous, unjustified disdain? And even when it gets slightly too derivative for its own good, as on "Buried Alive" (the main riff is a rehashing of "Zero the Hero", you know), it still works to good enough effect, mostly due to a newfound sense of confidence and bite. Being under pressure had a good effect on the axeman, you know. And having good old Geezer Butler back is a pleasure to the ears, as his bass is loud and clear on the mix, and his basslines are as thunderous as a running herd of buffalo, believe me. Vinnie Appice handle the drumsticks with the usual dexterity and never misses a beat too, so you can rest assure all performances are well up to scratch on this one.

There are a few less impressive songs of display, that's a fact: I never really fell in love with "Letters from Earth", for instance (though I'm aware many late-era fans of Sabbath hold this one on great regard), and "Sins of the Father" is a mostly confuse composition that really should have stayed on the oven for a little longer, if you ask me. "Too Late" may also have grown a bit tired as the years passed, but most of the other tunes still rock like a monster and there's more than enough goods in the package to keep it highly interesting to this day. It's a bit of an anomaly on Sabbath's discography, admitedly, as it is perhaps the most brutal record they ever done - and, though their most successful release in years, it did not garner the attention it deserved, since it came out in a time the hype towards Seattle and the grunge scene was at its greatest. It was all unfortunate if you ask me, and this particular reunion would not last for long, as the band's insistence to open the stage for no less than Ozzy Osbourne on his 1992 "farewell" tour turned out to be way more than Dio's pride would be willing to take. The singer jumped ship later that year, and Sabbath's future became uncertain once again - but at least we have this furious, intense record as a legacy. Don't pay too much attention to the naysayers and add it to your collection at the earliest opportunity.

Ronnie James Dio (V), Tony Iommi (G), Geezer Butler (B), Vinnie Appice (D).

01. Computer God 6:10
02. After All (The Dead) 5:37
03. TV Crimes 3:58
04. Letters from Earth 4:12
05. Master of Insanity 5:54
06. Time Machine 4:10
07. Sins of the Father 4:43
08. Too Late 6:54
09. I 5:10
10. Buried Alive 4:47

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

SAXON (UK) - Innocence is No Excuse (LP, EMI, 1985)

RATING: ***

Though a commercially successful album that sold a healthy number of units at the time of its release, "Crusader" was something of a failure on artistic grounds, easily the least relevant release from Saxon's repertoire up to that point. The metamorphose was more and more evident with every record, their street-level reputation of former years patently being replaced by a more calculated, less dangerous - and therefore less appealing - outlook. While still unable to make it real big (something that NWOBHM rivals Def Leppard and Iron Maiden, on entirely disparate terms, both managed to achieve on an earlier stage), Saxon were also slowly falling out of favor with many fans, who used to love them to death and were getting more and more confused (not to say frustrated) by their heroes' questionable moves. It wasn't a case of do or die just yet, mind you: the strong backing from EMI was more than welcome, and there was far enough time to salvage the situation, provided the lads could assume a more assertive attitude and make up their minds on what to do next, once and for all. For good or bad, what they did about it was "Innocence is No Excuse", a record with good intentions to the brim, but that ultimately failed to put Saxon's career back on track - and oh yeah, it also bears a pretty awful front cover!

The five lads from Barnsley could still be dreaming with mainstream success, but were sure far from naive or inexperienced, and I guess they took the lukewarm reception to "Crusader" as a warning of some kind. Well, some of them at least, as it transpires that some of the members had indulged so deeply into, ermm, the rock and roll lifestyle that Biff Byford and Steve Dawson had to take to themselves the lion's share of songwriting in order to have the album done on schedule. It may have been an extra burden for the two, but it was also a wise move, as the more focused approach is more than evident throughout this LP. Actually, I'm not afraid to say most of the compositions are bloody good, and some may even be amongst the very best these guys ever wrote!

Listen to "Broken Heroes", for instance: it's an excellent piece of emotional songwriting, with an almost solemn (but not remotely contrived) atmosphere and simple, but heartfelt lyrics about all the young men who died on war. Truly outstanding. "Rockin' Again" may be far from usual as an opening number with its mid-paced riffing and somewhat melancholic vibe, but the vocal lines are so damn brilliant and the slightly inventive lyrics (about being on a rock show, you know, but looking at it from a far more thoughful point of view than usual) so engaging that you will be singing along before noticing it, believe me. "Back on the Streets" is perhaps a bit too radio-friendly to its own good, but it's still a tight and confident composition all round, and "Rock & Roll Gypsy" is no less than memorable, with truly excellent guitar work and showcasing one of the finest singing performances I ever heard from Biff, either before or ever since (and I mean it). These tunes all kick ass, as simple as that, and any review flatly dismissing such meritous songs would never have enough on itself to be taken seriously.

Yeah, I can almost hear you saying: if it does have such stand-out tracks, then how in hell did the album divide fans so bitterly? Well, I reckon it has a lot to do with production values this time around. Mind you, I'm not implying that Simon Hanhart is the guy to blame - quite the other way round actually, as I'd say he did quite a competent job on giving this LP a sleek, rock-oriented-radio sound, which I guess was exactly what the band's managers and label had in mind. Everyone involved with Saxon wanted to crack America coast to coast, and that's why "Innocence is No Excuse" is filled with harmonized vocals, keyboard layers, watered-down guitar tones, reverberating snare drums and all that: because that's what the guys taking care of the business side of things though was required to make it big in the USA. Turns out it wasn't - and it not only failed to take America by storm, but also stroke the wrong chord with their increasingly disillusioned fans, who couldn't bring themselves to really enjoy the overly-produced versions of tunes like "Call of the Wild", "Give it Everything You've Got", "Raise Some Hell" and "Devil Rides Out" - tracks that, if truth be told, would probably fare better on a more stripped-down approach. All right, "Gonna Shout" and "Everybody Up" were beyond salvation, no matter how back-to-basics a hypothetical production could have been, but I sincerely think the backlash would be way less harsh under different circumstances.

Many years have passed now, and the heavy metal fraternity have clearly formed a more appreciative consensus of opinion around "Innocence is No Excuse" since its original release, which I think it's fair enough. It's sure not a record you should cancel all your meetings for, but it's a mostly pleasant listen and many songs may really grow on you if given time. But in terms of giving Saxon a career boost, it was surely a misfire - and quite a dramatic one, as it signalled the end of the line for a large number of early fans, who could no longer recognize their former heroes and abandoned the band in droves from this point onwards. Not a good sign, and all the more worrying when you consider that sales in the USA, though mostly very respectable, never threatened to sky-rocket like those paying for the ride seemed to expect. For the very last time, Saxon tried to please everyone, and once again failed on that - and with all that was going on, you can say the evolving scenario forced them into the choice they long avoided to make. Next comes utter confusion, and then major sellout - a heart-rending thing to behold really, so I'll give you all time to take a breath before we move further into Saxon's fall from grace.

Biff Byford (V), Paul Quinn (G), Graham Oliver (G), Steve Dawson (B), Nigel Glockler (D).

01. Rockin' Again 5:12
02. Call of the Wild 4:03
03. Back on the Streets 3:59
04. Devil Rides Out 4:23
05. Rock 'n' Roll Gypsy 4:13
06. Broken Heroes 5:27
07. Gonna Shout 3:58
08. Everybody Up 3:28
09. Raise Some Hell 3:40
10. Give it Everything You've Got 3:27

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

SAXON (UK) - Crusader (LP, EMI, 1984)

RATING: **

After a consistent run of strong releases with Carrere, Saxon made considerable (and understandable) waves when they announced their agreement to join EMI's roster back in 1984. It was quite a move at the time, and you don't have to look further than Iron Maiden (one of the most successful acts EMI ever got under their wing) to realise the label really meant business with this association. With the quintet already signalling their intention to conquer the USA market on previous record "Power & the Glory", it was clearly a case of shared interests between band and record company, and "Crusader", the first LP generated by such collaboration, is a unmistakeable demonstration on what both sides had in mind.

If I had to describe this album with a single word, my choice would be "calculated". I wouldn't go as far as to say it is completely devoid of spontaneity, you know: it's more like, after a handful of studio releases knocked out at very short notice, Saxon kinda enjoyed the time to think they had while doing "Power & the Glory" and decided to fully consider everything that should be done before commiting any songs to tape. There's precisely nothing wrong with such approach, just to make things clear - but, for a band that earned almost all of their reputation by being unassuming, rough-and-ready metal for the working class, it's way more profound a change that it may seem to be at first. And oh yeah, I heard all the tales about how they never really planed to record Sweet's "Set Me Free", how "Crusader" (the tune) came to them almost by chance etc, but I simply don't give these too much credit, sorry about that. Saxon were far from green in the business, and they knew what they wanted to achieve: a polished, radio-friendly, nearly innofensive version of the band, while still retaining enough of their usual charm to keep old fans satisfied. And that's exactly what you get when "Crusader" (the record) gets a spin in your stereo system.

Let's take the title track as an example. It kicks off the album in a very strong fashion, with a truly epic vibe that works admirably well right from the start and straight until the end. A remarkable song, really, and it's no surprise that it is a fan favorite to this day. It reinforces the heroic conotations of "Power and the Glory", also an opener and also a title-track for their previous album - all in a time when bands as different as Iron Maiden and Manowar were inciting the listener's imagination with similar imagery and themes. I mean, it's not like Saxon were just carbon-copying the competition, but I guess they were paying serious attention to everything what was going on around them and eager to add any elements they felt would be an improvement to their formula. The group would stick with some of these changes (such as the warrior-themed songs and illustrations) during the remainder of their career, while others, well, nearly killed Saxon in the long run.

I hope you really enjoy opening number "Crusader", you know, because it's the only moment of genuine musical grandeur around here. Most of the other tracks are serviceable, but pretty faceless and clichéd hard/heavy exercises like "Rock City", "A Little Bit of What You Fancy", "Bad Boys (Like to Rock 'n' Roll)" and "Just Let Me Rock", all featuring some brain-dead lyrics about (you guessed it) the sheer joy of living the rock and roll lifestyle to the full, whatever the hell it's supposed to mean. Oh well, I sure enjoy the occasional party as much as anybody else, but there are a few other topics one can sing about, you know, and I'm afraid that spending half an album on such a frivolous subject is a bit too pedestrian for comfort. And what's up with all that banter from Biff Byford during songs? It's so damn over-the-top that it seems like he's trying to be the English version of Dee Snider - BTW, I won't be remotely surprised if Twisted Sister received royalties for "Just Let Me Rock", as it wouldn't be at all out of place on the "Stay Hungry" LP!

Picked up as the first single, "Sailing to America" had to endure a lot of ridicule throughout the years, but I actually think it's one of the best songs from the entire record, though the not-remotely-subtle title is quite a giveaway on what they had in mind while writing it. The song blends high doses of melody with some definitely epic leanings and, though not a tune I would have chosen for a first single as EMI did, I feel it is a perfectly adequate exercise on broader waters, almost a breath of fresh air in terms of songwriting - compared to their newfound obsession with all things "rock", at least. On the other hand, "Do it All for You" is feather-weight balladry with lyrics as shallow as the name suggests, perhaps the most alarming sign of bad times to come, and "Run for Your Lives" closes proceedings on quite a confusing manner, going from tension-building guitar harmonies to a not-very-impressive chorus - and then some football hooligans just come out of nowhere, trying to pass as a native-american chanting of some sort. Yeah, I didn't get it either.

Though far from disastrous (it actually sold very well, and the accompanying tour was a resounding success), "Crusader" was met with a mixed response, many once-faithful fans starting to veer away from the increasingly commercial direction the band was taking. Artistically speaking, it simply falls flat when submitted to more rigorous scrutiny - and I'm far from happy to admit it, as it was one of the very first LPs I heard from Saxon and it brings back some nice memories every time I give it a spin. As I said on an earlier review, I don't blame them for giving it a try, but it shouldn't have been that hard to realise it wasn't working - and perhaps even Saxon themselves sensed it somehow, as they perceivably tried to raise the bar musically when writing the following album "Innocence is No Excuse". But now they had a serious (and potentially unsolvable) dilemma to fathom: should they just stop trying to please everyone and set their sights on conquering the charts once and for all, at the risk of further alienating their loyal fanbase and damaging their credibility, perhaps for all time? More than 30 years into the future, we all know what happened next, but let's save some of the deliberation for the next instalments, right?

Biff Byford (V), Paul Quinn (G), Graham Oliver (G), Steve Dawson (B), Nigel Glockler (D).

01. The Crusader Prelude 1:05
02. Crusader 6:33
03. A Little Bit of What You Fancy 3:50
04. Sailing to America 5:03
05. Set Me Free 3:13
06. Just Let Me Rock 4:11
07. Bad Boys (Like to Rock 'n' Roll) 3:24
08. Do it All for You 4:42
09. Rock City 3:16
10. Run for Your Lives 3:53

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

SAXON (UK) - Power & the Glory (LP, Carrere, 1983)

RATING: ***

I have absolutely no problem to admit that describing a successful album like "Power & the Glory" as the beginning of the decline for Saxon would sound contradictory, maybe even stupid. It was their best-selling album to date, the European tour was a huge success, and the band were shifting a increasingly relevant number of units in the USA - the most strategic market to conquer in terms of achieving world domination, and it sure was at the grasp of their hands. Therefore, and to put it kinda bluntly, labeling this LP as a failure would be no less than ridiculous. It's actually a pretty good record that had quite an impact back in the day and stood well enough the test of time, being a very astute purchase for metal fans up to this day.

But an album is more than the package you buy at the record store, you know. Each one has a context, carrying the glories and burdens of the past while also signaling the avenues to be taken in the future, if there are any. And "Power & the Glory" is sure no exception: in Saxon's chronology, it marks the very beginning of the metamorphose. Gone would be the street-level spirit and gritty bite of early releases, in favour of more calculated (and, later, downright commercially-inclined) attempts to break into mainstream territory. Not immediately, of course. It was still only in the details, it would take a while to really take shape, it was even enjoyable on many occasions - but it was already there, and you can spot it if you look close enough.

First of all, the production. The band recorded the album in Atlanta, USA, under the guidance of Jeff Glixman, a professional known for his work with Kansas, Magnum and Gary Moore to name a few. It's pretty obvious that the idea behind this was to move away from the in-your-face delivery of previous releases, bringing to the table a cleaner, more polished (and more marketable) sound. It mostly worked out as planned, and it adequately fits to the more broad palette employed by the band this time around (more on that later), but it takes away a perceivable amount of the quintet's energy and, dare to say, personality. Saxon have always been a band from the streets, formed by guys you could meet by chance at your local pub, and they sound a bit more distant in "Power & the Glory" - not only due to the slightly exaggerated use of reverb in the final mix, but mostly on a symbolic level, you know. The blokes were starting to sound no longer like a gang, but more like rockstars, and it was just wrong for Saxon, as they would find out as time moved on. But I don't blame them for trying, really: I mean, how could have they known?

The album kicks off quite nicely with the title-track, an anthemic tune with great instrumentation and a memorable, catchy chorus that would be a staple to the band's setlists for years to come. "This Town Rocks", "Redline" and "Warrior" are also great, a bit less fiery than the band's early classics perhaps, but still filled with good ideas and commendable levels of energy and enthusiasm. These songs add a different sense of sophistication to Saxon's trademark sound, but never depriving the band from their characteristic bite, so I guess most of their faithful fans enjoyed the breath of fresh air. The final number, "The Eagle Has Landed", was tested on the live environment for a while before being commited to tape - it even made it into a session for BBC's "Friday Rock Show" in 1982, and I guess that the name of their previous live LP wasn't that much of a coincidence, you know. As a consequence, I guess few people were taken aback by this slow, prog-inclined epic composition about landing on the Moon. I like it a hell of a lot, mind you, and it still feels to me like a much-welcome musical adventure, one of the highlights of this LP.

"Nightmare" is not a bad song at all, you know - it's actually a very respectable attempt to write and record a single without getting too fluffy in the process. But I must say that the many soft guitar intrusions and the harmonized backing vocals whispering "where were you?" were stretched beyond safe levels here, the track as a whole being rendered a bit too tiresome as a result. The same can be said about "Midas Touch", a tune that starts with epic promises but unfortunately dies out in some repetitive guitar melodies and a nondescript, easy-to-forget chorus. And "Watching the Sky" is an album filler if there ever was one, I'm afraid, rehashing old formulas without getting anywhere in the process.

All things considered, "Power & the Glory" is an effective and enjoyable record, and it sure maintained the run of victorious releases from Saxon to a huge extent. And an extra salute must go to bassist Steve "Dobby" Dawson and drummer Nigel Glockler, both responsible for truly inspired performances throughout. Saxon were riding the crest of a wave at this point, and it's only natural that they wanted even more - something that seemed all the more tangible once they parted ways with their french indie-label Carrere and signed the dotted line for the mighty EMI in 1984. Things would never be the same, for good and bad, and "Power & the Glory" is a fitting document of such ongoing changes. Consider this to be a very strong 3-star rating, almost a 4-star if you like.

Biff Byford (V), Paul Quinn (G), Graham Oliver (G), Steve Dawson (B), Nigel Glockler (D).

01. Power and the Glory 5:57
02. Redline 3:38
03. Warrior 3:47
04. Nightmare 4:25
05. This Town Rocks 3:58
06. Watching the Sky 3:43
07. Midas Touch 4:13
08. The Eagle Has Landed 6:56

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

BLACK SABBATH (UK) - Tyr (LP, I.R.S., 1990)

RATING: **

As I'm sure you already gathered by reading the previous reviews (if you ever read it, that is), the second half of the 80s was a long period of soul-searching for Black Sabbath. Carrying the torch pretty much by his own, Tony Iommi just put on his bravest face and went from poorly-received albums to not-really-successful promoting tours, one straight after another and with very little time to ponder on anything that was going on. Being well aware that Sabbath were fighting a losing battle in the USA (where no one bothered to buy their LPs and shows were constantly cancelled due to poor ticket sales), Mr. Iommi set his sights on markets yet unexplored, with a very successful jaunt to Russia during the "Headless Cross" tour being just what the band needed to boost morale. Some people still wanted new music from Sabbath after all - and, faithful to their work ethic during those troubled times, the axeman and his cohorts (now augmented by much-travelled bassist Neil Murray, whose associations are too many to mention really) duly entered studio once more to craft what we now know as "Tyr", one of the less typical records on the entire Sabbath canon, if truth be told.

Though not exactly a concept album, fact is that the whole package tries to conjure a sense of thematic unity around Norse mythology, going as far as using some runes on the front cover - though the symbol drawn as an 'y' would actually be a modern 'x', and I'm positive they didn't wanted to name the record "Txr" after all! It transpires that the whole idea evolved around the lyrics written by Tony Martin, who tried to distance the band from the quasi-satanic imagery of previous records in favour of something a bit less predictable and/or tongue-in-cheek. I guess it was a moderate success on that matter, though you're going to have a hard time trying to find a more subtle meaning on verses like "When the winds of Valhalla run cold / Be sure that the blood will start to flow", I'm afraid.

But perhaps the most radical departure comes on the music department, actually. I tend to think that Tony Iommi, though not at all unhappy with his status as the world's very first metal riffmaster, would just feel weary of such persona from time to time. Nothing objectionable of course, and even a positive sign of artistic yearning many would never want to give him credit for. I would say that "Tyr" was another one of those instances; I mean, he just kept most of the riffs for himself this time around, opting for power chords, ethereal melodies and/or E-string stroking on nearly all of the songs here featured. It's not a bad thing perforce, and it even works quite well on some tracks (more on that in a minute), but Sabbath just need prominent riffs to be the Black Sabbath we love, this being almost a second line of storytelling in the band's formula along with the vocal tracks. When it's nearly gone, an unique feature of the Sabbath brand disappears as well - and it shouldn't come as a surprise that "Tyr", far from a disaster it is, sounds like nearly an anomaly in the band's discography, being closer to heavy/power territory than anything else (I kid you not).

I happen to like opening number "Anno Domini" quite a lot - though it starts with a guitar picking uncanningly similar to "Children of the Sea", its grandiose vibe (enhanced by prominent keyboards and some multilayered vocal choirs) sounds far from predictable or contrived, not to mention it also showcases some of the finest riffing from the entire record. Surely a winner. "The Sabbath Stones" is also a strong number, with a slow, grinding built-up to a pretty cool chorus, and a faster final section highlighted by a fiery solo. If this one was on a Ronnie James Dio record it would be regarded by some as a classic, no doubt about that! "The Lawmaker" is also respectable, fast and engaging enough to make the grade, but "Jerusalem" (decent song construction, but the rather pointless oh-oh-ohs during the chorus are kinda annoying) and "Heaven in Black" are serviceable at best, and "Feels Good to Me" is a yawn-inducing ballad completely at odds with the rest of the material, and it should never have made its way into the final product if you ask me. The arc formed by "The Battle of Tyr", "Odin's Court" and "Valhalla" is also something of a letdown, as it pretty much fails to tell a proper story and never attains the sense of unity one would expect from such an exercise. It's not that bad, admitedly, but it's nothing to write home about either.

On many later interviews, Tony Iommi would tell of his regret about disbanding this particular incarnation of Sabbath, expressing his view that the band had a good thing going and would eventually have regained most of their former status if given enough time. It seems to be an honest opinion (and who would not have enjoyed playing alongside Cozy Powell and Neil Murray for as long as possible?), as he would even regroup this exact set of musicians for the ill-fated "Forbidden" album in 1995. Still, I think good old Tony is wrong on this one: though mostly a respectable album, "Tyr" was nowhere near a return to top form, and it also marks the first time the band ever failed to book any shows to promote a record in the USA, which is hardly a sign of greater things to come. Trying to rekindle Sabbath's fire by bringing old stalwarts back home was something of a predictable move by this juncture, and when Geezer Butler and Ronnie James Dio both signalled their interest in rejoining the band, I guess there wasn't much room for second thoughts in Tony Iommi's mind. As for this LP, it's a good one to have around the house if you are a dedicated metal fan, but it's hardly a world beater, and those less concerned about Sabbath's history should not be ashamed to invest their hard-earned cash on something else.

Tony Martin (V), Tony Iommi (G), Neil Murray (B), Cozy Powell (D), Geoff Nicholls (K).

01. Anno Domini 6:12
02. The Lawmaker 3:53
03. Jerusalem 3:59
04. The Sabbath Stones 6:46
05. The Battle of Tyr 1:08
06. Odin's Court 2:42
07. Valhalla 4:41
08. Feels Good to Me 5:44
09. Heaven in Black 4:05

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

SAXON (UK) - The Eagle Has Landed (LP, Carrere, 1982)

RATING: ***

I'm sure no one involved with the production of "The Eagle Has Landed" intended it to be any sort of end point or new beginning for Saxon, you know. Quite the opposite, actually: I think it's pretty clear that the whole point was trying to go from strenght to strenght, keeping the band in the public eye with an explosive live album (and shifting a sizeable number of units in the process) while taking a much-needed break from the grind of touring and gathering forces for the challenges to come. And it would also be a nice way to introduce new stalwart Nigel Glockler, who stepped in at very short notice when Pete Gill resigned from the drum kit following a hand injury - nothing too serious for his health, fortunately, as he would lend his drumsticks to Motörhead not a long while later.

Everything very plausible and full of good (or at least understandable) intentions, I guess we all agree - and the resulting LP was considerably successful on many aspects, as it did sell very well and is still regarded as a classic by most fans and critics. Still, the first official live register from Saxon turned out to be something of a finish line for the lads, as the magic of their 1980-1982 input would never be fully recaptured from that point onwards - and it's curious to verify that, though encapsuling most of the elements that made their golden era so memorable, "The Eagle Has Landed" also shows the first (albeit incipient) signs of gradual decline to come.

Saxon was a huge live atraction back in 1982, to such an extent that they had no less than Ozzy Osbourne as an opening act in a sold-out European tour (yeah, kids, I tell you no lies). With this information in mind, no one will be surprised to learn they had a lot of live favourites to choose from, all raptuously received by audiences all over the world. To shoehorn all those soon-to-be-classics in a single LP would never be an easy task (and the band itself seemed to know it, as they wanted it to be a double package, a suggestion turned out by Carrere), but I'm afraid they still made the wrong choices on a few cuts here. I mean, where are "Denim and Leather", "And the Bands Played On", "Dallas 1 PM" or "Stallions of the Highway" - all staples to their setlist at the time and arguably way more significant songs to Saxon's history than, say, "Never Surrender" or "Machine Gun"? It's not a major fault in here, admitedly, but it renders the LP less representative than it should and takes away a good chunk of the record's context and impact.

I know I may sound a bit too grumpy here, but I also have an issue with the sound production. It's all perfectly loud and clear of course, and there's nothing indisputably wrong with the recording and/or mixing, but the crowd noises are all wrong IMHO, too loud in between songs and way too distant in the singalongs - if you want me to hear the audience on "Wheels of Steel", for instance, just crank it a bit louder, will ya? And some of the band's punch is kinda lost too, with tracks like "Heavy Metal Thunder" and "20,000 Ft" sounding messy and wavering where they should be powerful and convincing. I mean, I'm damn sure it's way less a problem than it seems to be when put on written words, but it annoys me a little, and I guess I just had to take it off my chest, you know.

Most of the songs here featured are immensely enjoyable of course, with "Princess of the Night" and "747 (Strangers in the Night)" being particular highlights. And it would take a huge deal of incompetence for songs like "Motorcycle Man", "Fire in the Sky" and "Strong Arm of the Law" to misfire in a live recording - so you can rest assured all works mostly to great effect, as these five lads from Barnsley are all but unfit to boogie upon a stage. But I still think that "The Eagle Has Landed" just didn't fulfill all of its promises, being a very decent and serviceable set of live renditions, but not much else - and let's face it, a live opus from a band eager to conquer the world just have to be more than that (think Iron Maiden, Deep Purple or UFO and perhaps you'll catch my drift). Though miles away from any sort of disaster, "The Eagle Has Landed" is something of a wasted opportunity to make metal history, and falls short of being a truly memorable record. A must for fans, mostly for its historical relevance, but you shouldn't feel like running straight to the record store in case you still don't own a copy.

Biff Byford (V), Paul Quinn (G), Graham Oliver (G), Steve Dawson (B), Nigel Glockler (D).

01. Motorcycle Man 4:22
02. 747 (Strangers in the Night) 4:38
03. Princess of the Night 4:20
04. Strong Arm of the Law 4:39
05. Heavy Metal Thunder 4:09
06. 20,000 Ft 3:26
07. Wheels of Steel 8:52
08. Never Surrender 3:54
09. Fire in the Sky 2:41
10. Machine Gun 3:52

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!

SAXON (UK) - Denim and Leather (LP, Carrere, 1981)

RATING: *****

Back in 1981, the aftershocks of the NWOBHM explosion were quickly moving beyond UK and becoming a continental phenomenon - and Saxon were, without any room for a doubt, one of the forerunners of such a movement. You good reader must remember that it was a time before "The Number of the Beast" started to cement Iron Maiden's worldwide reputation, and at least a couple years before "Pyromania" rocketed Def Leppard into mainstream charts. Therefore, it's totally fair to say that Byford, Quinn, Dawson, Oliver and Gill were as strong contenders as they could possibly be at this point, head to head with the best-selling young metal acts of the period. After playing relentlessly all over the world, Saxon knew it was time to give their fervent fanbase a new LP to call their own, and they duly delivered with "Denim and Leather" - an album that closed their triptych of classics with near-universal acclaim, a mostly very strong and cohesive record that showcases nearly all the atributes that made the group such a household name back in the day.

It was one of those moments when everything falls into place, you know. The unpolished (yet careful) production by Nigel Thomas, the no-frills approach to composition, the street-level attitude and lyrics... And they even had more than a few weeks to do it, you know! Though never close of being a punk-infused band, Saxon looked and sounded like guys from the streets with real-world aspirations, and it surely stroke the right chord with the growing metal fanbase of those times - and one should always keep in mind that the whole NWOBHM was most of all a working-class phenomenon, maybe even more so than the safety pins and spit parties of the punk rock ethos (well, at least before the spandex trousers and fluffy haircuts and harmonizing keyboards and all that). These five guys had the sound, the looks, the energy - they had pretty much everything that was required to make it big. And back in 1981, they were getting very big, believe me.

This LP opens with perhaps the most memorable composition from the band's repertoire, "Princess of the Night". The built-up at the start of the song (the main riff, the instantly recognizable vocals, the simple drum roll and then the explosion of the chorus) is one of the most exhilarating moments from the entire NWOBHM, not to say British Metal as a whole - and all with good reason, you know. The lyrics about a retired steam locomotive are far from usual, but still work to huge effect, and if the final solo from Graham Oliver is not enough to set your pulse racing, then sorry my friend, but I'm afraid you're already dead! It kicks ass like a monster, and the fact that most of the other tunes here feature do not pale that much in front of such a killer opener speaks volumes about just how worthy of attention this record is.

Most songs are not that fast, actually, keeping their feet away from the pedal and exploring mid-tempo avenues most of the time - though sounding way more intense than most of their competition, readers take note. "Never Surrender" shows some early, fleeting signs of self-parody perhaps, but its main riff were cloned so many times by so many bands that it would be unfair to draw any criticism on Saxon by inspiring the crowd, you know! Songs like "Midnight Rider" and "Rough and Ready" are also pretty cool, and even when the band rides to more accessible highways (such as in "Out of Control") they do it with such a sense of conviction that you can't help but having loads of fun listening to it. Even more impressive is "And the Bands Played On", a song carried along by a guitar lead that works like a riff and that conjures the feeling of being in a rock festival (Donnington's Monsters of Rock in 1980, that is) like few ditties done before or ever since. Brilliant, brilliant stuff. Maybe only "Play it Loud" didn't manage to stand that well to the test of time, but still it's far from a failure, and hardly diminish the overall feeling of pure metal enjoyment.

Being a record that opens in such breathtaking fashion, it would be suitable to close proceedings with a similar amount of power, you know. "Fire in the Sky" is a scorcher, one of the fastest songs ever penned by Saxon at the time, and its proto-speed-metal approach surely made a difference for hundreds of even faster bands to come. And the title-track is perhaps one of the most efficient metal anthems ever written, shifting its attention from the sheer power of heavy music and blah-blah-blah towards the fans themselves, who truly made the dam begin to burst and all that. It's a song about communion, and it pays a nice tribute to the band's following while painting a pretty interesting (and mostly accurate) portrait of the whole NWOBHM sub-culture. Sterling stuff, and still one of my favorite album closings to this day.

It's nearly impossible to say just how different things would have been if Saxon had managed to stretch their claim to world domination for a longer period - I mean, bands like Maiden and Leppard paved their way to super-stardom not by lack of competition, but most of all due to their own merits. Still, "Denim and Leather" is the last truly classic LP from a band at the height of their powers, being a mandatory listen to everyone with at least a passing interest not only on NWOBHM, but heavy music in general. Many bad decisions would hamper their progress in subsequent years, to a point that Saxon got close to become a laughing stock for the metal community - and, though sure they recovered their strenght and kept a mostly very pleasant run of releases in later years, their thunder would never sound as loud as on their early 80s heyday. But oh well, all things are due to pass anyway, and I'm very glad that Biff Byford and Paul Quinn (the remaining members from the classic line-up) are not just churning out old favorites on stage for a living, you know (not that it would be at all a shame to do so, mind you). If you don't have this one, make no questions and go get it straight away. Now!

Biff Byford (V), Paul Quinn (G), Graham Oliver (G), Steve Dawson (B), Pete Gill (D).

01. Princess of the Night 4:01
02. Never Surrender 3:15
03. Out of Control 4:07
04. Rough and Ready 4:51
05. Play it Loud 4:11
06. And the Bands Played On 2:48
07. Midnight Rider 5:45
08. Fire in the Sky 3:37
09. Denim and Leather 5:25

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me at drequon@gmail.com and let me know!