New Saxon record already...

[ElectricWiz]

Man, Saxon is just cranking 'em out these days, and to good result too. I've been a fan since the 80s, and really feel that they are one of the NWOBHM bands that continues to put out fantastic releases. I knew they were recording, but I had no idea the release was so soon. Well, January anyway. Cool. As for the world tour, still crossing my fingers for American dates. I bought a ticket for the Lionheart tour, but they cancelled the American dates. Ah well...







SAXON: 'Into The Labyrinth' Artwork Revealed - Oct. 17, 2008 British metal legends SAXON will release their new download single, "Live To Rock", followed by the arrival at the stores of their current studio album, "Into The Labyrinth", as well as major tours to support both releases.

"Live To Rock" is available as an Internet download starting today (October 17), and SAXON will present the track live for the first time during the tour which will take Biff Byford and company alongside MOTÖRHEAD and DANKO JONES through England and Germany in November/December 2008. SAXON's new studio album, "Into The Labyrinth", will be out on January 12, 2009 (Germany: January 9; USA: January 13). February 2009 will see the band embark on another major world tour, only one month after the album release.

"Into The Labyrinth" was recorded at the Twilight Hall in Krefeld, Germany, under the direction of Charlie Bauerfeind. SAXON laid down 13 new songs at BLIND GUARDIAN's studio, starting with monumental opener "Battalions Of Steel" through "Demon Sweeney Todd" and "Valley Of The Kings", which both cover historic events, to the final slide guitar blues track "Coming Home" (fans are already familiar with the electric version of this track from SAXON's "Killing Ground" album).

"The new material was written in England and at my house in France," Byford explains. "Stylistically, I would describe the album as an even balance between 'Lionheart' and 'The Inner Sanctum', a mix of powerful, in-your-face rock songs and pure heavy metal tracks. We're very happy with the production and proud of 'Into The Labyrinth'."

Aestheticom's Bill Schacht, who has previously directed music videos for DIO, KING DIAMOND, AMON AMARTH, FATAL SMILE, LIBERTY X/REV RUN, ZAKK WYLDE and SISTER SIN, among others, recently completed filming footage for the "Live To Rock" clip.

"Into The Labyrinth" track listing:

Limited-Edition Digipack (only available in Europe):

01. Battalions Of Steel
02. Live To Rock
03. Demon Sweeney Todd
04. The Letter
05. Valley Of The Kings
06. Slow Lane Blues
07. Crime Of Passion
08. Premonition in D Minor
09. Voice
10. Protect Yourselves
11. Hellcat
12. Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)
13. Coming Home (Bottleneck Version)

Bonus DVD:

* Parzival movie with Biff acting as King Arthur
* Tour Documentary
* "Live To Rock" video clip
* Audio Interview with Biff Byford

Running time: approximately 70 minutes

Jewel Case Version:

01. Battalions Of Steel
02. Live To Rock
03. Demon Sweeney Todd
04. The Letter
05. Valley Of The Kings
06. Slow Lane Blues
07. Crime Of Passion
08. Premonition in D Minor
09. Voice
10. Protect Yourselves
11. Hellcat
12. Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)
13. Coming Home (Bottleneck Version)

2-LP Gatefold:

Side 1:

01. Battalions Of Steel
02. Live To Rock
03. Demon Sweeney Todd

Side 2:

01. The Letter
02. Valley Of The Kings
03. Slow Lane Blues
04. Crime Of Passion

Side 3:

01. Premonition in D Minor
02. Voice
03. Protect Yourselves

Side 4:

01. Hellcat
02. Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)
03. Coming Home (Bottleneck Version)

 

[Wyvern]

ASTOUNDING!

Thanks a lot for the info, Saxon is one of those bands I still buy blindly, and this one looks mean

 

[Assault_Attack]

I bought a ticket for the Lionheart tour, but they cancelled the American dates. Ah well.

Yeah, Me too! Santa Clara @ The Avalon. I could not believe they were playing in my back yard. My dad worked in the same building as the Avalon 40 years ago. I lived around the corner for 30 years! But in the end it fell apart.

Look forward to the new cd as they have been on a roll the last few years.

 

[ElectricWiz]

Yeah, Me too! Santa Clara @ The Avalon. I could not believe they were playing in my back yard. My dad worked in the same building as the Avalon 40 years ago. I lived around the corner for 30 years! But in the end it fell apart.

Look forward to the new cd as they have been on a roll the last few years.

Haha, I had tickets for the same show. I lived in Palo Alto at the time, though I'm in SF now. Funny. There was a contest on too - the first 500 people, or some such number, to buy tickets were to be entered for a chance to meeting the band! I was really bummed that show didn't happen. And I have a feeling I was the first one to buy tickets, unless you were...

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Got the ep this morning before work off of iTunes.

 

[Felixrox]

GREAT NEWS-is it January yet???
I gotta agree with above comment, you can just buy the latest album because they've been on an absolute tear with their last several albums.
Hope this one sounds just as great as the past 2 for sure, as they are up there in my favorites dept.
Now if only they can avoid any other personal tragedies maybe we get a US tour in 2009.

 

[ElectricWiz]

GREAT NEWS-is it January yet???
I gotta agree with above comment, you can just buy the latest album because they've been on an absolute tear with their last several albums.
Hope this one sounds just as great as the past 2 for sure, as they are up there in my favorites dept.
Now if only they can avoid any other personal tragedies maybe we get a US tour in 2009.

Yes, they started hitting the gas quite a few years back now, but everything since Metalhead has been an essential album in any Saxon, or even metal, collection. Those being:

Metalhead
Killing Grround
Heavy Metal Thunder (a rare remake album that actually works)
Lionheart
The Innter Sanctum

...and I'm going to assume the new one too! They were basically seen as selling out in the late 80s, but the truth is that only Innocence Is No Excuse passes as a bad record. I even like Destiny. They are one of the most consistent bands in the history of metal, and though I have deep appreciation and love for those early classices (everything up through Power and the Glory), I think their new stuff rivals it for "best period" of the band. A rare thing that, a band making it's best records at the end of its career!

 

[Wyvern]

Metalhead
Killing Grround
Heavy Metal Thunder (a rare remake album that actually works)
Lionheart
The Innter Sanctum

Actually I didn't like much "Metalhead" and "Heavy Metal Thunder" has some re-recorded songs that doesn't work that much. The rest specially "Killing Ground" are great albums and thus I expect a lot from ITL. Also I want to mention "Unleash The Beast" which is a killer album from start to bottom.

 

[METAL GOD]

Will have to check out SAXON again...seen em wayyy back in 1983 open for IRON MAIDEN & FASTWAY in Spokane, WA.

 

[Abryl]

GREAT NEWS!! Can't wait to hear this I wish they would tour this way again

 

[METALDUDE]

Oh man!!! I didn't know about this one!! That WAS quick!!!

Gonna go hunting for this one!!!

Thanks for posting!!