Following my post on Boxing Day about an upcoming live album by Saracen – further details have been announced by Escape Music including set list and release date.
Titled Crusader, after the band’s classic song from their 1981 debut album Heroes, Saints and Fools, the release date is 20th March 2026.
That’s just over two months from the date of this post.
Escape’s web site is noted as being recorded live in 2025 however the blurb refers to the 2024 Tower of Fire festival, at which Saracen performed, being recorded.
Not clear if it’s that performance or one from last year. Find out when it arrives.
I did speculate a bit in the previous post as to the potential set list and that as it’s titled Crusader it’s include that track and others from Heroes, Saints and Fools such as Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the title track and Ready to Fly.
My mystical foresight being correct. Here is the track listing:
Crusader
Rock Of Ages
Horsemen Of The Apocalypse
Ready To Fly
Heroes, Saints & Fools
Follow The Piper
We Have Arrived
No More Lonely Nights
Swords Of Damascus
Swords of Damascus is an old song which appeared for the first time on 2014’s Redemption album. It’s a bonus track on the CD version of Crusader.
Here’s a video of Saracen performing Swords of Damascus at Chesterfield in 2022. I was there. It was superb.
As to available formats – a limited edition of three hundred individually numbered “smokey” coloured vinyl and regular CD which has the bonus track not included on the vinyl.
Crusader can be ordered now from Escape Music:
https://www.escape-music.com/
Needless to say my order is in. Review to follow on receipt in March.
Quite a nice couple of days for New Wave of British Heavy Metal related happenings what with the announcement of the upcoming new album from More due out on 6th March.
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