From the start, Album opinions, Denim and Leather

[macc189]

What a fantastic album! first heard it when I was about 15 and was completely blown away, there was something about the guitar sound on that album that was slightly different to the previous ones but it really worked. Favourite tunes on this are basically all of them but stand out track has gotta be Midnight Rider, what a killer riff!

 

[Paxoman]

There certainly was something a bit different to the guitar sound on this album, this is where Saxon tried to appeal to the American market! I know many people love this album, but for me it is no more then average. And certainly not in the same league as 'Wheels of Steel' and 'Strong Arm'.

Some might say this is where it all started going wrong for Saxon (and I might just be one of those people!), with the new sound and the more commercial sounding songs. Songs like 'And the bands played on', 'Never Surrender', and 'Princess of the night', would have fitted onto the previous two albums, but the rest of them wouldn't. And I can't say I ever got into them. Songs like 'Midnight Rider' and 'Out of control' are OK, but to me are just not Saxon.

I expect lots of people to disagree with me, but each to their own!

 

[WILKS]

Saxon were on a roll and it had to start going wrong somewhere.After WOS andSAOTL it was going to be real hard to keep up the high standard.It is a fuckin great album that has stood the test time and remains a cassic but like Pax says a couple of tacks don't hit the mark.Every track is a killer except Out Of Controll and Play It Loud they sound like they wanna break the USA too much.Best track for me is the tittle track.

 

[nightwar]

It's good to read that everyone is being honest about this album.
To me, this is the best album Saxon have ever made!
I understand opinion's regarding that it was when the band began to try and tap into the USA market, but I really feel that most of the songs on this album are pure class!
I think the difference of opinion is due to the production. 'Denim & Leather' has not got the 'Metal' sound previous albums have.
This may be my favourite Saxon album, but it is also their most 'polite' album. And, by this, I do not mean 'commercial'. 'Destiny' wins that by a sad mile!
Personally, I love 'Out Of Control'. I can really relate to it.
I can understand that it is not the Metal fan's favourite Saxon album, but if I wanted to get a mate into the band, I would give them D&L to listen to!

 

[heavycelli]

Its an acceptable album..with some good tracks on it.. the guitar (recording) sound is different from the previous once wheels of steel and Strong arm of the Law..in my opinion a prefer the sound of that two albums much more then on Denim and Leather.. In fact Denim and Leather-track is not my favourite-track on it.. Princess of the night is fantastic..but I prefer the recordings of hat song on the live 1 and 2 album and the HMT album.. Never surrender is my favourite on this one.. but the live version on eagle1 is more my taste ( I dont know what that is..?). Out of control I like too... Rough and ready not... Play it loud not...Bands play on good one.. Midnight rider is good, I hope one day Saxon will re-record this song like on HMT, with that solo played in the way the guitarists play these days and of course better recording.. Fire in the sky good but prefer the live-part on eagle has landed volume 1. Ok everyone has got his taste that is only good... Im glad that Saxon-fans are honest Fans, they say what they have to say nice to hear what other metalheads say about all these albums and tracks..

 

[Patte]

I don't know about the album compared to others but there are three classics on it - 'Princess of the night', 'And the bands played on' and 'Denim & Leather'. (Especially 'Princess'). 'Princess' and 'Denim' (I love the start of 'Denim' live, there is a real kick to it) are both given every concert. This makes the album strong in my opinion.

 

[RicknRoll]

I have a tendecy to agree with Pax and Wilks on this one, not a strong album for the band has some tracks that stand out but over all not a strong effort. Not like WOS or SAOTL, I like the title track.

 

[mmurnau]

I reckon this is a potentially great album that gets crippled with naff production. Princess of the Night is one of my favourite songs ever (from any band, in any genre) but the version on here just lacks punch. A lot of the other songs suffer in roughly the same way.

Now the production is hardly the band's fault, and there's 3 classics on here (everybody already knows what they are) with several other songs I'd be more than happy to have included in the live setlist. But this album doesn't permanently get the same kind of heavy rotation in my CD player that many of the other Saxon albums get.