Artist: Saxon
Title: “The Eagle Has Landed III”
Label: SPV Records
Release Date: 7/27/2006
Style: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5
Saxon was one of front line leaders when The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal began and since their formation in 1976 have been holding the banner high as they can in delivering consistent levels of quality with their Metal. With the third chapter in their “Eagle Has Landed” ready for consumption they have shown that they don’t follow the standards as much as set them. This CD is packed with classic material both old and new and was recorded over a span of shows that were held during 2004-2005. It was recorded at numerous locations as well and gives the listener music from Stockholm, Berlin, Nurnberg, Fulda, Wacken Open Air, Paris, London, and Kiel. Despite their influences on the genre, Saxon was always a band that found larger acceptance in Europe than it ever managed to generate in the States. Collections like this one allow that fan base to catch up a little more and see what they are missing, because when it comes down to it the members of Saxon bring Old School Metal to the table like no others. Their sound is a mix of timeless classic and it has held true for decades.
The lineup of Saxon has changed a number of times but for the live recordings on this release we find the band as follows: Biff Byford (vocals), Paul Quinn (guitar), Doug Scarratt (guitar), and Nibbs Carter (bass). The drums were done by two different players with Jorg Michael (from Stratovarius) doing the music recorded in 2004 while Nigel Glockler handled the recordings from 2005. Only Byford and Quinn remain as original members since the formation while Glockler had been a member in the past but had left. He would return and take the place of Michael, who would return to a reformed Stratovarius. Having always been more of a legacy, and casual fan of this group I enjoyed the presentation of their older classics such as “Wheels Of Steel” and “Never Surrender” a bit more than some of the other selections. I can also raise the horns high to the songs from their latest studio effort “Lionheart”, which received a strong representation here as well. This was an album that found the band jumping back into the fray harder and heavier than one expects after so long a career. This is a worthy piece of Metal for the collection because it shows the younger generation of fans that they still got it, and deliver it the way it is meant to be. One can seldom go wrong with a double CD live set, so there is clearly something here for everyone.
Track Listing:
1. This Town Rocks
2. Backs To The Wall
3. Redline
4. Stand Up And Be Counted
5. Never Surrender
6. Frozen Rainbow
7. Suzie Hold On
8. Play It Loud
9. Warrior
10. See The Lights Shining
11. To Hell And Back Again
12. Stallions Of The Highway
13. Wheels Of Steel
14. And the Bands Played On
15. Crusader
16. The Return
17. Lionheart
18. Man & Machine
19. Beyond The Grave
20. Searching For Atlantis
21. To Live By The Sword Pt. 1
22. Unleash The Beast
23. To Live By The Sword Pt. 2
24. Flying On The Edge
25. Jack Tars
26. English Man ‘O’ War
27. Court Of The Crimson King
28. Broken Heroes
29. Dragon’s Lair
30. Rock Is Our Life
31. Travellers In Time
32. Solid Ball Of Rock
Official Web site: www.saxon747.com