Behind the strange and bucolic cover of a Roman legion guard on a wall dominating the English countryside by the illustrator Paul Raymond Gregory , a regular collaborator with his works captured on the band 's covers and collectible lithographs , hides one of the best albums of the modern history of Saxon and very worthy of appearing alongside the best of its classic history and it is that with this Carpe Diem, Saxon have given the bell in the Metal scene at the beginning of this 2022.
In my opinion, the masterful formula of this album lies in the simplicity and forcefulness of the riffs and Saxon's own feeling in the composition of classic and British Heavy Metal, if I sometimes see small touches of Progressive that give this album a lot of maturity. and very importantly, it doesn't have a hint of Power Metal, which has predominated to a greater or lesser extent for many years on Saxon records since the departure of Graham Oliver after the recording of the magnificent Dogs Of War (1995).
As a common factor in these two bands and their latest albums , the producer is Andy Sneap , who has been producing and mixing Saxon albums for several years and currently , in addition to producing Firepower together with Tom Allom , is the Directo guitar player on Saxon tours . Judas Priest with Tipton and Faulkner.
The title of Latin Carpe Diem (live the moment), from the English Seize The Day (seize the day), arises after the experience of Biff Byford having to undergo emergency surgery towards the end of 2019 for the placement of three coronary valves and the subsequent chaotic junction with the Covid -19 pandemic.
On 11/2/21 saxon released this song as the first single/promotional video and already made it clear to everyone that they were going to screw it up in 2022.
The album starts with "Carpe Diem (Seize The Day )" and its epic drums to the sound of a horn.... Glockler drum roll with Byford scream and fast Saxon whirlwind, easy and thunderous riff, great rhythmic bases of Glockler & Carter and the Quinn/Scarrat duo hammering away without respite!!! and the second theme "Age Of Steam" enters, a very Heavy theme at the beginning, with a fast and uncomplicated riff, when the guitar solo takes center stage it becomes more melodic only to resume the initial force and speed and thus we arrive at " Pilgrimage"...and I get dusty, great majestic mid-tempo with a hybrid aura between The Eagle Has Landed (1983) and Crusader (1984) but much more mature and evolved is one of my favorite songs, this song was the last single / video clip released the day before the album was released.
"Dambusters", "Remember The Fallen" (their second Single/video clip released on 1/12/22) and "Super Nova" make up the fast and throat-cutting part of the album, on the cd it is perceived as the fast and forceful central part of the album. album , on the vinyl "Dambusters" and "Remember" they close the A side of the album to the fullest to start the B side attacking with Super Nova at full speed keeping a quieter part during the guitar solo, but fast as fuck.
With "Lady in Gray" the speed gives way to a heavier riff and all of it unfolds more melodic and heavy with its epic prog moment that gives way to the solo and resumes its natural march, this is followed by the powerful "All For One" that makes me jump two feet in the air when I recognize the slightly accelerated chords of the riff and the initial battery of Power And The Glory (1983), a fast and powerful song that I find very guitar-oriented, one of the fast songs is one of my favorites, "Black Is The Night" follows a bit the tonic of "Lady In Gray" with a powerful and heavy riff but more melodic as a whole and they already close the album with a bang with the very fast "Living On The Limit".
With a plethoric and truly spectacular Biff Byford throughout the entire album and collaboration with the voices of his son Seb Byford, singer and guitarist of Naked Six, a Nigel Glockler that I see in this work as it has been years since I felt him this forceful and the raw strength and simplicity in the instrumentation and composition of Quinn, Scarrat and Carter, make Carpe Diem the masterpiece of a legendary and underrated band that has always been at the foot of the canyon loyal to their fans and to Metal.
For a few years they have been getting more recognition , although they will no longer get the place they truly deserve in their 45 years of Heavy Metal , which is to be in the forefront alongside the biggest and most historic bands of the genre and while some of them have lost their principles in favor of millionaire commercial careers or they put out mediocre albums lacking in ideas and feeling, from their comfortable status.
Saxon has released and is releasing albums like this Carpe Diem which is already his 23rd studio album and can be counted among the most interesting of his entire career, and still with the strength of knowing that they are recording a second part of the album of versions " Inspirations" and some new songs, all just before the start of the "Seize The Day World Tour 2022" tour... and it is really as artists that it is the desire and enthusiasm for music that keeps them so active.
Saxon, the Heavy Metal locomotive returns with a roar to light up the night!!!
NEVER SURRENDER!!!!
JAVIER BARBA VALLEJO.
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