After a three year hiatus, Saxon comes roaring back with their latest
offering, Lionheart. 2001's Killing Ground was a mixed bag for
me; some good songs, but it also contained too much filler for my liking. The
three year break allowed the band the recharge and put together a fantastic
album. Stylistically, Lionheart fits very nicely someplace between Unleash
the Beast and Metalhead. Unlike most metal bands that fade or go
soft with age, Saxon seems to get better, and have certainly gone a bit
heavier in recent years. After being one of the main players in the NWOBHM force
of the late 70's and early 80's, Saxon is still kicking ass into the
new century. That's pretty impressive if you ask me, yet somehow Saxon
is still overlooked by far too many folks out there.
Right from the start, I knew this album would not disappoint. Witchfinder
General gets the album going on a heavy note. Driven by heavy riffing and
double bass drumming, this track ranks among the heaviest the band has done
to date. Biff adds some ear piercing wails to this song, showing that his voice
is still in prime condition. Man and Machine follows up this track, and
it is more of a melodic metal anthem that Saxon does so well. The guitar
tone is heavy, much like what we heard on Metalhead. A brief instrumental
segues into the title track, Lionheart. This is a mid paced anthem, including
some tempo changes to almost give the song an epic feeling. The guitar tone
isn't quite as heavy on this track, leading the final result to sound like something
from Unleash the Beast or even Dogs of War. Also featuring strong
riffing and some climatic shrieks from Biff, the title track is one of the album's
highlights.
The first few tracks are a great sample of what the entire album has to offer.
We have a couple of tracks that lean more toward pure power metal, something
the band explored in depth on Metalhead. The aforementioned Witchfinder
General and To Live By The Sword (placed very effectively as the
seventh track to give the album a kick) will appeal to your desire for speed.
Biff really pulls off these high pitched shrieks very well on this album to
give the songs a big exclamation point where needed. As for the remainder of
the album, it features top notch metal anthems that we have come to expect from
this band over its long history. As I said before, I did lose interest with
a handful of songs on Killing Ground. I can honestly say that Lionheart
pleases me from start to finish. Consistency is one quality that this album
is not lacking. I got quite a chuckle out of the humorously titled English
Man O War. As you might guess, this song is all about the winds of war,
the roar of firing cannons, and fighting until the battle is won. However, Biff
sings with emotion and guts, while the guitar work backing him up is just as
solid and catchy. You really can't go wrong with any of the material on this
album. Biff sounds great as usual, and the guitars have the heavy tone that
has become part of the band's sound ever since the release of Metalhead.
The overall package sounds great, with a tight rhythm section and crystal clear
production guiding the way.
If you've ever owned and enjoyed a Saxon album, you'll enjoy this one
as well. Simply put, if you like well done metal anthems with the occasional
nod to power metal sprinkled in, this album will be a great investment. Consistency
and quality are the two important qualities of a great album that stands the
test of time. One of the master bands of heavy metal have added another gem
to their catalogue.