Search - Saxon :: Wheels of Steel / Strong

STRAIGHT FORWARD HEAVY METAL!!

Michael Courtney | 12/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the band that put straight , raw metal in your face and best part is they know how to play. These are two of the best cd's put out by saxon along with the eagle has landed live.So if your tiered of d tuned garbage, go back to the old school of classic metal and buy this cd."

Two of their defining moments

Celephais70 | 06/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think most people will agree that this is the "classic" Saxon sound. They were finding their feet on their debut "Saxon" but with their second album Wheels Of Steel they really managed to hone their sound into something timeless. The following album Denim And Leather was excellent as well, and they capped off their winning streak with the high energy The Eagle Has Landed Live Album.



However in response to a reviewer below who said that everything after 1984s Crusader album was garbage, I don't really agree. From 1985s Innocence Is No Excuse up to and including 1992s Forever Free they have a bit more polished sound, generally less exciting songs but overall the albums from that period have about a 50/50 split between good songs and weaker songs. To me though they've staged a real comeback satarting with 1995s Dogs Of War. The songs are harder although they still have hooks and melodies without encroaching into their late 1980s pop metal phase.



Personally I like most phases Saxon, including their more "pop metal" phase, but I understand that not everyone may feel that way. If you prefer rawer, more headbanging rock then this Wheels Of Steel/ Strong Arm Of The Law double pack is probably your best introduction to Saxon. I could also recommend anything from 1995 onwards too if you like the basic Saxon sound;



Dogs Of War -1995 (although still a bit of the pop-metal evident)

Unleash The Beast-1997 (with darker themes)

Metalhead-1999

Killing Ground-2001

Lionheart-2004"

Good deal for a great underrated metal band

Scott Hedegard | Fayetteville, AR USA | 07/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like their counterparts UFO, Britain's Saxon gained a healthy cult audience in the US but never quite broke big, ala Judas Priest or Iron Maiden, although they should have, as this double disc testifies.

Like other bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Saxon featured a duel guitar lineup, with ripping leads courtesy of Paul Quinn and Biff Byford's classic voice, not to mention lyrical variety uncommon to most metal bands.

"Wheels Of Steel" is classic metal, harder than early '70's metal with the exception of Sabbath, and a harbinger of the Bay area thrash that was soon to come.

"Strong Arm of The Law" shows off some blues roots (Hungry Years, title track, a nifty chord progression in "Taking Your Chances" and prototypical thrash metal in "Hell And Back Again" and "20,000 Feet."

That this outfit is still around is a credit to their craft and makes one wonder why they didn't bust the US wide open. It's our loss."