Saxon (album)

Saxon is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in 1979.

For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation).

Saxon
Studio album by
Saxon
Released21 May 1979[1]
RecordedJanuary–March 1979
StudioLivingston Recording Studios, Barnet, London, UK
GenreHeavy metal
Length28:54
LabelCarrere
ProducerJohn Verity
Saxon chronology
Saxon
(1979)		 Wheels of Steel
(1980)
Singles from Saxon
  1. "Big Teaser"
    Released: June 1979
  2. "Backs to the Wall"
    Released: November 1979

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal5/10[3]

Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic gave the album three stars out of five, and, in his mixed review, described it as "the quiet before the storm", in terms of the band's subsequent success, and the rising New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Rivadavia also criticized the band's then-lack of experience in the studio as well as their record label, Carrere, for not knowing "how to capture a heavy metal sound on tape", meaning that the album "only hints at Saxon's true personality, power, and songwriting potential". He also said that the progressive rock sounding "Rainbow Theme"/"Frozen Rainbow" and glam rock sounding "Big Teaser" and "Still Fit to Boogie", "suggested some lingering doubts as to musical direction", but that, overall, "the LP helped to put Saxon on the map".[2] Canadian journalist Martin Popoff judged the album "meekly recorded and timid in execution", harkening back to "too many '70s styles, ones that barely fit together" with merely hints of the "more uncompromising forms of metal" Saxon would produce in later years.[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Biff Byford, Paul Quinn, Graham Oliver, Steve Dawson and Pete Gill

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Rainbow Theme"3:07
2."Frozen Rainbow"2:29
3."Big Teaser"3:55
4."Judgement Day"5:31
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Stallions of the Highway"2:52
6."Backs to the Wall"3:09
7."Still Fit to Boogie"2:53
8."Militia Guard"4:50
2009 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
9."Big Teaser" (Son of a Bitch demo, 1978)3:50
10."Stallions of the Highway" (Son of a Bitch demo, 1978)3:03
11."Backs to the Wall" (Son of a Bitch demo, 1978)3:12
12."Rainbow Theme" (Son of a Bitch demo, 1978)4:38
13."Frozen Rainbow" (Son of a Bitch demo, 1978)2:32
14."Backs to the Wall" (BBC session)3:17
15."Stallions of the Highway" (BBC session)2:47
16."Motorcycle Man" (BBC session)3:48
17."Still Fit to Boogie" (BBC session)2:46
18."747 (Strangers in the Night)" (BBC session)5:02
19."Judgement Day" (live, b-side "Suzie Hold On")5:40
20."Still Fit to Boogie" (live)2:38
21."Backs to the Wall" (live)3:25
22."Stallions of the Highway" (live)3:41
  • Bonus tracks 14–18, Recorded 1980-01-23, Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show, transmitted 15 February 1980.
  • Bonus tracks 20-22 recorded live at Donington, 1980.

Personnel
Saxon
Production

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[4] 34

References
  1. "Saxon".
  2. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Saxon Saxon". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  3. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 241. ISBN 978-1894959025.
  4. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
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