Saxon
Forever Free

If the 80s represented the pinnacle of classic metal for the genre, and the 90s reportedly represented the opposite, a view I personally do not share, for Saxon, it was exactly the reverse. Active since 1979, the English band has managed to make its way in the music scene with significant albums like "Wheels Of Steel", "Strong Arm Of The Law", and "Denim & Leather" in the first half of the 80s, while subsequent releases brought Saxon to the brink of dissolution several times. The reasons for this should be sought in controversial albums like "Destiny", but especially "Rock The Nations", albums released with the intention of gaining recognition in the American territory, but which led to a radical upheaval of the band's typical sound, presenting sonorities much closer to the AOR genre than the straightforward and simple heavy metal that had distinguished them at their beginnings.

It was only in 1990, with the release of "Solid Ball Of Rock", that Saxon began a "journey of redemption", aimed towards rediscovering the sounds of their beginnings, enriching their sound, a combination that from the late 90s to today will prove effective. But significant credit goes to Tim "Nibbs" Carter, the bassist who replaced Paul Johnson after the release of "Destiny", and who provided the group with the inspiration that had been sorely missed in the mid-80s, and who especially gave prestige to almost all the subsequent works of Saxon.

In 1992, "Forever Free" was released, considered even today by the most die-hard fans as one of the most controversial albums. Let's be clear, the album does not in any way undermine the band's typical sound, but in many parts, it makes references to the albums released in the mid-eighties. This fact undoubtedly sounds like a strong controversy to the listener, given the results of the previous, and more than good, "Solid Ball Of Rock". But let's go in order. Certainly, well-executed tracks are the title track, with a melodic and catchy chorus, and "Iron Wheels", a song dedicated to Biff Byford's father, who passed away a few months before the album's release, and with lyrics that revisited "Calm Before The Storm", a track contained in "Destiny". More direct and with a more anthemic flavor, however, are "Can't Stop Rockin'", characterized by an excellent rhythm section, and "Cloud Nine", the last song of the album but by no means less important. More gritty is "Grind", while there is another nod to simpler and more engaging sounds with "Just Wanna Make Love To You", a track in which an outstanding Nigel Glocker performs perfectly behind the drums.

As Byford said in an interview, "Forever Free" was simply a good album, but released at the wrong time. Confused about the direction to take, Saxon in 1992 opted for the release of this album, which can be defined as a middle ground between the albums preceding "Solid Ball Of Rock" and the latter. Having recognized the misstep, the English band from '92 onward would no longer experience setbacks, releasing an album approximately every two years in which references to the past were no longer present, hardening their sound, and receiving increasing acclaim worldwide. Quite likely, if this "Forever Free" had been released in 1984/1985, this album would be better praised now, but since that did not happen, this album should be understood as a watershed in the band's career, which will be easier to assimilate if listened to individually, and by making an effort not to connect it to previous and subsequent albums. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone approaching Saxon for the first time, but as mentioned, if taken individually, it can certainly entertain you and allow you to spend just under an hour listening to classic, simple, and no-frills heavy metal.