Saxon
A Collection Of Metal

"A Collection Of Metal" is a compilation of hits, from 1979 to 1988, by the legendary English band Saxon. The group, led by the charismatic vocalist Biff Bruford, is one of the bands that initiated the NWOBHM in England, achieving enormous success worldwide. Thanks to albums like "Wheels of Steel," "Heavy Metal Thunder," and "Strong Arm of the Law," Saxon has become a metal legend, as demonstrated by their fantastic concerts and their latest album "The Inner Sanctum," which they still perform today.

This CD confirms all of this, just think of tracks like "Motorcycle Man," "Denim and Leather," "Rock the Nations," and "Play It Loud." The only flaw is the absence of hits like "Princess of the Night," "Heavy Metal Thunder," "Strong Arm of the Law," and "The Eagle Has Landed." It starts with the classic "Strangers in the Night," an authentic, solid song with a melody and pathos that only Saxon can create. The guitar work is also very interesting, with many great solos and a magnificent performance by Biff. The following track is the beautiful "Rock'n'Roll Gypsy," another jewel of NWOBHM and specifically Saxon, a song that’s not very fast, catchy, with a good riff, and very engaging in the chorus. It continues with the classic "And the Bands Played On," which starts with a guitar that vaguely recalls some sounds of Thin Lizzy, then proceeds with a very upbeat and pleasant rhythm, with a performance by Byford that adds an extra touch of originality to this Saxon anthem. The following "Back on the Streets" and "Ride Like the Wind" are true AOR metal gems, consisting of simple yet heavy guitar parts and catchy, airy choruses reminiscent of bands like Def Leppard.

After these two exceptional tracks, we move on with the "old" "Big Teaser," characterized by lively rhythms where one can sense some influence from bands like early AC/DC, UFO, or the already mentioned Thin Lizzy. The continuation of the song is linear and interesting, with a catchy chorus and an excellent performance from the rest of the band. "I Can't Wait Anymore" and "Broken Heroes" are excellent AOR ballads, catchy and full of melody, where Biff Byford manages to give his best thanks to his magnificent vocal range. The ninth track, "Raise Some Hell," is the only song that doesn’t convince me that much and perhaps could have been avoided, maybe replacing it with a more famous and beautiful track. However, the following is the stratospheric "Denim and Leather," an exceptional song with its immortal chorus and unmissable for any respectable metalhead. This is the true recipe for making a great metal track - a simple yet effective riff, a singer like Byford (if you think that's little), and a lot of energy and aggression. "Rock the Nations" is another hit of the band, very aggressive and heavy, but as always rich in melody and elegance. The path continues in the spirit of history and fury, "Motorcycle Man," devastating in power and impact, a true testament to the grandeur of the Saxon sound, that is, a lava flow of violence, speed, and pride. Truly a steamroller like few others, which embodies the "so fuckin wild" spirit of metal in just over three minutes. "Everybody Up" and "Rock City" represent the more street-level and commercial side of the group, fast and relentless rhythms, the vocalist’s aggressive voice, and fast guitar solos that make these tracks interesting to listen to.

"Set Me Free" is a rather technical track, steady and catchy, where in some instrumental parts one can vaguely recall the Maiden of the first two albums, while the last song, "Play It Loud," is much more convincing, more incisive and determined than the previous ones and is another Saxon success that fittingly closes this beautiful collection of hits by the legendary Saxon.