After seeing them live last week, it’s finally time to sit down and go over the 24^th album from the long-running legends of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Saxon – Hell, Fire And Damnation

Released January 19, 2024 via Silver Lining Music

For Saxon it has been business as usual throughout the 2000’s, as they have landed album after album of consistent material. Some might wonder when the group will call it a day, but nothing indicates that day will be anytime soon.

There was one major departure from Saxon’s line-up before recording, but the rest of the band remained as it had for a long time. Biff Byford helms the group from the vocal spot. Doug Scarratt is on guitar, Nibbs Carter on bass and Nigel Glockler is on drums. All have been with the band for a great deal of time, with Byford being an original member, Glockler and Carter on board since the ’80’s, and Scarratt having come on in 1995.

One original member did leave the band – guitarist Paul Quinn retired in 2023 after having been with Saxon since 1975. He did contribute to two songs on this album, keeping a streak of appearances going from the band’s start. Quinn was replaced by Brian Tatler, the long-running bandleader of Diamond Head. Tatler was first brought on to be a touring guitarist but later become a permanent member of Saxon.

This album was produced by Andy Sneap. Sneap has been producing for Saxon since 2011 and has been at the forefront of heavy metal production for quite some time now. It’s been a busy year for Sneap as he’s also a member of Judas Priest, who have lit the metal world on fire with their latest release.

Today’s album has 10 songs at a 42:20 runtime. The first track is an intro so I’ll set it aside and discuss the other 9.

Hell, Fire and Damnation

The title track gets things going after an intro. This is a pretty epic depiction of the eternal struggle between good and evil, Heaven and Hell. The song runs mid-paced and quite heavy to paint the battle in sound. Saxon don’t really pick sides here – rather they illustrate the ongoing war. And there is a bit of something extra in this title track, something Saxon often do. Grade: A

Madame Guillotine

It’s on to a song that pretty well gives away its theme in the title. The topic at hand is the French Revolution and the fate of Marie Antoinette and many others at the hands of the vengeful populace. The song keeps it simple and direct, letting the instrument of beheading take the lead over the instruments in the band. Nicely done song with a sly and funny chorus. Grade: A

Fire And Steel

This one goes quick and hard. It is not just figuratively about “heavy metal,” it is literally about making heavy metal. Well, sort of – steel is not actually classified as a heavy metal in the scientific sense. But steel is heavy so let’s just go with it. Grade: B

There’s Something In Roswell

Over the course of nearly 50 years and 24 albums, Saxon have covered a lot of topics, ranging from the JFK assassination, to an out of service steam train, to an airliner crashing. Now Biff and company take a peek under the blanket of a huge conspiracy, the aliens of Roswell, New Mexico.

We don’t get anything concrete about the truth of Roswell here, but Saxon do believe something is up. It’s set to another nice mid-paced stroll through government secrets. Grade: B+

Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice

This song covers a lot of ground and I’m not entirely sure what’s going on here. Kubla Khan was a poem by Samuel Coleridge set in China’s Yuan Dynasty, which is referenced in the song. The Merchant of Venice was a Shakespeare play with no bearing on the Yuan Dynasty, that I know of. But here are presented the two concepts. It’s a nice, fast song with a bit of an adventure feel to it. Grade: B

Pirates Of The Airwaves

This is a fantastic track that goes back to the history of pirate radio in the 1960’s. That’s all before my time but apparently there were some rogue stations out there that got away from payola and other shady record label practices and simply played the music people wanted to hear. It even mentions a radio station out of St. Louis despite being an England-centric song, or at least I assume the song is referencing that station. Very cool stuff to hear, we’re so far removed from “pirate radio” that many people would have no clue what it was. Grade: A-

1066

Pretty simple concept here – Saxon are returning to the days of their namesake, when the Saxons were defeated by William the Conqueror in 1066. Maybe it makes Saxon the band feel less old to look back on something almost a thousand years ago, I don’t know. Pretty cool song. Grade: B

Witches Of Salem

One more history lesson from this album, the topic is evident in the title. The Salem Witch Trials were a horrific display of inhumanity but has also been fodder for heavy metal and horror stories forever now. Another fine Saxon song that also made the setlist on the current tour. Grade: B+

Super Charger

We wrap the album up with a old-school heavy metal tale of engines, racing and speeding. Pretty standard fare for sure but that’s probably why most people listen to Saxon in the first place, we want the meat and potatoes of metal without all the bells and whistles, and Saxon deliver just that. Grade: B

Hell, Fire And Damnation was another in a long line of Saxon albums that pleased fans and gained notice as the band performs beyond the confines of their age. The album charted at 19 in the UK and landed top 10 positions in Austria, Germany, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Saxon would tour Europe alongside Uriah Heep, opening for Judas Priest. Saxon and Uriah Heep would then bring the tour to the US, a show I saw this past Friday. A recap of that show is coming Wednesday.

As for this album? It’s another in a very long line of solid and consistent Saxon releases. The band had a run of aiming for commercial airplay through the late ’80’s, then began righting the ship through the ’90’s. Their modern run of consistent ass-kicking might begin with 1999’s Metalhead, or might even go back to an earlier 1990’s album. Whatever the case, Saxon continue to deliver quality music each time they press the record button in the studio.

Album Grade: B+

This was another, uh, solid ball of rock from Saxon that did not disappoint. The band shows zero signs of slowing down, on record or on stage. Nothing is slowing down this beast of Britain as it heads forward into metal immortality.

For an explanation of my grading system, head here.

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