INTERVIEW: Saxon brings ‘Hell, Fire and Damnation’ to metal fans
Image courtesy of Saxon / Provided by New Ocean Media with permission.
British metal legends Saxon, fronted by powerful vocalist Biff Byford, are making good on a promise to their fans that 2024 will be packed with sonic goodness. Today, Jan. 19, they release their new album, Hell, Fire and Damnation, featuring 10 songs, including “The Prophecy,” “Madame Guillotine,” “Fire and Steel” and “Witches of Salem.” They are also touring the United Kingdom later this year with Judas Priest and Uriah Heep, followed by an American tour with Uriah Heep in April and May.
On the new album, music lovers should expect some of that undeniable Saxon uniqueness, meaning heavy guitar riffs, strong vocals that are infectious and lyrics that run the gamut, from the Salem witch trials to extraterrestrials landing in Roswell, New Mexico. There’s something for everyone on the new recording.
Saxon has been going strong for nearly 50 years. The band started in the mid-1970s in Barnsley, UK, according to their official biography, and today’s lineup features Byford (vocals), Brian Tatler (guitars), Doug Scarratt (guitars), Nibbs Carter (bass) and Nigel Glockler (drums). Original member Paul Quinn recently announced his retirement from touring. Some of their hits throughout the years include “Denim and Leather,” “Wheels of Steel,” “747 (Strangers in the Night),” “Strong Arm of the Law” and “Dallas 1PM.”
Byford and company are staying busy, and metal fans are raising their devil horns once again. In a recent interview, the vocalist opened up about recording Hell, Fire and Damnation and what the plans are for the upcoming tours. Here’s what he had to say …
On how long the album has been in the works …
“Not that long ago actually. I didn’t really have the title until July, so yeah it came together very quickly the album. We have this tour happening next year in March with Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in the UK and in Europe, and we start the American tour in April, the first part. So we needed an album really to start the ball rolling.”
On whether Saxon will play new songs on the upcoming tours …
“We’ll definitely be playing the first five songs. … It should be great. I think the profile of the band has grown quite a lot in America with the tours we did and the albums we’ve been releasing, so yeah we’re looking forward to it. It should be great really. It should be great.”
On whether he prefers working in the studio or playing live gigs …
“I like them both. Working in the studio there’s a lot of work and passion involved in it. It’s good to work in the studio and make the songs sound really great, working all the vocals and melodies and guitar riffs and things. We like playing them live. The whole adrenaline thing about making an album and then playing the songs live, that’s really what it’s all about. That’s where we get our juice, if you know what I mean. … Some albums come pretty easily, and other albums are really hard. It’s never easy to write a great rock song, I don’t think, one that a lot of people are going to like, but with this album, I think we’ve achieved it quite well. The album sounds great, and I think people will like it. … We played all the songs live in a room before we recorded them, so we made sure that everything that’s on the album we can play live and sound brilliant. It’s great. They’re all great musicians. They’re all great riff writers. It all comes onto my table, and then I have to sort it all out and make it into songs. But I suppose that’s the great part of writing anything really.”
On whether he does anything different to make his voice sound strong …
“My voice is pretty good. It sounds like it sounds. I get up in the morning, and it sounds OK. I’m happy with that. I don’t really do much to it really, you know.”
On the inspiration behind the new track “The Prophecy” …
“It’s very ‘80s, isn’t it. I pictured it back in the ‘80s like ‘Number of the Beast,’ [Iron] Maiden and ‘Thriller,’ Michael Jackson. I just love all that theatrical stuff on the album, but yeah I thought we’d bring back a bit of the ‘80s. I think it sounds pretty retro actually.”
On the history one can find in Saxon’s songs, including the new tune “Witches of Salem” …
“I’m a bit of a do-it-yourself historian. I like the history of it. Iron Maiden do the same sort of thing. … People seem to like it, even if they don’t really know what I’m singing about. They can get into it. All the stories are there. You can go on the internet and Google or Wikipedia to find out what I’m singing about. It’s all pretty interesting stuff really.”
On why the UK has produced so many legendary metal bands …
“I have no idea. It must be in the water. I don’t know. It’s a bit like America with rock ‘n’ roll, like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis and all that. It seemed at the time that every American town had its own rock ‘n’ roll band, so I don’t know. It’s just something that happened in the ‘70s, probably in the ‘60s as well, that a lot of music from the UK became massive. So I don’t know why.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Saxon’s new album, Hell, Fire and Damnation, is now available. They tour the United States with Uriah Heep in April and May. Click here for more information and tickets.
