Unleashed the SAXON. This album - originally released back in 1997 (it's been ten years now, right?) - marked the classic British Metal band's first work with (then) 'newcomer' guitarist Doug Scarratt. This remarkable axeman also holds credits for many of SAXON's songwriting from the mid-90s and onwards. Without seeing any particular reason for this re-release (the bonus 'audio' duo seems not capable of justifying such a move), this is an astonishing album we'll chat about right now.
1995's Dogs Of War album marked the quintet's attempt to sound equally 'British' and 'European'. We can recall SAXON trying in prior (in the mid-to-late 80s) to reach the American 'melodic/mainstream' ideals. Still, all these albums (yes, even Rock The Nations and Destiny) showed (the least) enough of quality, even if die-hard core fans mumbled and raised enough questions for this decision. This time, a rather 'healthy' action was to 'update' the playing/sound to more powerful paths. A wise decision was to seek for German help in the production. Thus - as Dogs Of War - Unleash The Beast was recorded at Karo Studios, Brakel and handled by none other than Kalle Trapp (BLIND GUARDIAN, DESTRUCTION, MOLLY HATCHET(!), PARADOX, PESTILENCE, URIAH HEEP).
Fresh and heavy, metallic and traditional, furious and 'traveling', this 1997 release exposes the endless capability of SAXON to make you raise your fist in the air in no second thought. Unleash The Beast is a real killer, Terminal Velocity features all the classic SAXON spirit, Circle Of Light stands proud as dissent Euro Metal anthem, The Thin Red Line and Cut Out The Disease expose a more dark side of SAXON (something we do witness in all of the British outfit's albums till today) and Absent Friends (a marvelous ballad dedicated to the beloved tour manager of the band, JJ Jones who had died by then) shows nothing less but pure metallic dignity. As pre-said, Doug Scarratt - along with Paul Quinn - handled the majority of the Songwriting so good was the chemistry that Unleash The Beast is surely among the 'top' SAXON albums ever.
To the re-release facts: added to the British legends' thirteenth studio album is a pair of classics recorded live during the Dogs Of War tour (1995, Germany). Solid Ball Of Rock - do you know this is not a SAXON-penned tune? - is a 'live party' must for fans while Crusader's name is written in gold letters in the book of Heavy Metal music. Eternally. Not to forget, the new booklet features never seen photos plus liner notes from Biff himself. Not a total teaser itself, but nothing less than an interesting count.
Listening carefully again to the entire album after all these years, I was curious what kind of summary would I came up with. It's year 1997, the music world seems to have forgotten the existence of 'classic' British Metal bands (bearing in mind both IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST were into 'career troubleshooting'...), dozens of newborn Metal sub-genres tried (successfully or not) to gain the interest of (not that many around?) metalheads, the post-Grunge movement was ready to transform to some bastard New/Nu Rock/Metal and...and SAXON never quit, never betrayed, never failed, never surrendered, never relied on their early 80s monumental albums/songs. This band is playing honest pure Metal music for 30 years now and the sure fact is all us Metal lunatics will be left more than orphaned the day this monstrous band calls it quits.
Should this re-release be rated? Hell yeah, it should...