New Wave of British Heavy Metal veterans Saxon come at us with More Inspirations. Their second album of covers in short order just a couple of years since Inspirations in 2021.
Whilst I’ve not particularly taken to Saxon – which goes back to the original NWOBHM days when after seeing them many times I was of the opinion they were a little too cheesy – their success over the decades cannot be disputed.
I did buy (and very much like) their current studio album – Carpe Diem – and also Biff Byford’s solo album School of Hard Knocks. Very good efforts. Thus I figured I’d grab More Inspirations despite not being too much in to covers albums.
What we have here on More Inspirations is Saxon ripping through their take on ten songs such as the Animals’ We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place, Alex Harvey’s Faith Healer, Kiss’ Detroit Rock City, Nazareth’s Razamanaz, Rainbow’s Man on the Silver Mountain and Uriah Heep’s Gypsy to name six of them.
Faith Healer is a bit on the tame side and in fairness probably not suiting a heavy metal band’s style as the original isn’t heavy. Razamanaz is quite punchy and Gypsy has a bit of life to it with the original having one of the heaviest riffs in rock history.
Have a listen to Saxon’s version:
Biff’s vocals sound strained at times – which is understandable for a bloke in in his early seventies who has been belting out the big vocal moves for around half a century or so.
Paul Quin and Doug Scarratt are a fine pair of guitarists. Nibbs Carter solid on bass and the force of nature that is Nigel Glockler is a superb rock drummer meaning the songs are well performed.
However to me it all comes across a little of phoning it in and going through the motions.
I’ll buy Saxon’s next studio album as Carpe Diem is so good, though I doubt I’ll be spinning More Inspirations again for a good while.
>> SAXON MORE INSPIRATIONS ON AMAZON <<
There are new albums due in the next couple of months or so from Trespass, Tygers of Pan Tang and Raven so plenty of good old NWOBHM to look forward to.