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Rating: Heavy Metal, a word that can mean many things, passion, genius, pogo, mosh, etc...
But only one distinguishes it and that's HARDNESS.
Yes, hard as a rock that in 1980 hits your gut with "Strong Arm Of The Law" by Saxon, a still partially inexperienced group on their third release after the excellent "Wheels Of Steel" which was already oriented towards the sound that would come to define the band even today after many years. It starts with a real "Kick In The Ass" as Biff Byfford shouts at the beginning, we're talking about the classic "Heavy Metal Thunder", fast, rhythmic, aggressive. At first, one might say "Nothing new," but that's not the case; the album has a certain heaviness that the Priest would adopt two years later with "Screaming For Vengeance." The album has a certain epicness that the Maiden would only adopt six years later with "Somewhere In Time." In short, here Heavy Metal comes in all shapes and sizes.
But let's move on to the second track "To Hell And Back Again". As already mentioned, this track has an Epic atmosphere that years earlier was adopted by Rainbow. The track is a fast ride with a beautiful chorus and a very powerful Byfford. One of the highest points is reached with the title track, which has certain Blues influences that blend wonderfully with the Heavy, Biff's voice here is very powerful and expressive, with a very nice guitar solo from the guitarist, a great piece. The pace of the album doesn't slow down with the beautiful "Taking Your Chances", which, however, has the flaw of not having anything different from the first two tracks.
Particular (and therefore beautiful) is track 5, the part of the verses sung and the solo refer to a strange Country-Metal, instead the chorus is one of those classic Heavy Metal, a more than experimental track that personally left a mark on me. The sixth track is solid and heavy Metal, but "Hungry Years" is, in my opinion, a song that adds nothing and takes nothing away from the album. "Sixth Form Girls" presents us with a stratospheric Biff behind the microphone supporting this obsessive riff and this amazing rhythm that makes this one of the best pieces of the album. I would have something to criticize in the chorus, which for me is a bit too out of context compared to the song, but besides that, every single song on this album forces us to associate an adjective to the name Saxon, G R E A T.
It closes with another masterpiece of the album "Dallas 1 P.M.". The solid rhythm and great riff introduce us to what might be the best performance of Byfford in this album. The lyrics are very beautiful and are one of the first truly "Engaged" by Saxon because it talks about the death of John F. Kennedy, which indeed happened in Dallas. I consider this album one of the most influential for Heavy Metal and, in my opinion, lays the foundation for what the Heavy Metal of the eighties would be.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Heavy Metal Thunder (04:13)
If you're taking a bite (*)
At the speed of light
You're shaking your heads to the band
There's a dare on your horse
But you're not on the force
We're taking this think to the ground
In the heat of the night (**)
When you're fists are alight
Touching temples of steel
And your body's on fire
About to expire
But you don't feel the pressure of pain
Pull your head back (***)
Hold your hands high
Shake your body
And it's too loud
And you put them up fill your heads
With heavy metal thunder
Heavy metal thunder
On the wings of an eagle (****)
You're hoping to fly
Holding your hands to the sky
On a blue sea of venom
You turn to the band with
Your banners and skirts blowing high
If you think something more (*****)
You'll come down to the front
Then you'll do as they say
Where an army of cars
Are surrounded by lights
Turning my face to the ground
Nobody stands in our way
(Repeat *** twice)
(Repeat *)
(Repeat **)
(Repeat ***)
(Repeat ****)
(Repeat *****)
(Repeat ***)
03 Strong Arm of the Law (04:30)
I was listening to the music on the radio (*)
I had a feeling that something's not right
The music was loud, we could still hear the crowd
From the gig that we played that night
We pulled into a motorway restaurant
Stopped awhile, fooled around
But I still had a feeling that something's not right
'Cause we're standing in a whole in the ground
Stop, get out (**)
We are the strong arm of the law
Stop, get out
We are the strong arm of the law
Into the night came a blue flashing light
A blast from the siren to make sure
But it came to a stop behind the motorway cop
Who'd been tailing us for more than an hour
He pulled us out of the car on the side of the road
He questioned us one at a time
Where is the gear that we know that you use
We said the only speed we use is on cars
(Repeat **)
You should've seen the stupid smirk drop from his face
It was a negative exercise
The way that we dress and the things that we do
They thought it was an easy bust
(Repeat *)
(Repeat **)
04 Taking Your Chances (04:09)
I know that it's cold (*)
Well don't stand outside my door
I told you before
I don't want you anymore
Changed all the locks
And took away your key
I don't care where you go
But just stay away from me
I can't stand it (**)
I don't need it
I don't want you
I can't trust you
Taking your chances
In the world outside
Taking your chances
In the world outside
I gave all I had
But you still come back for more
It's the end of the line for me
And that's for sure
Well I know that you're proud
And you love me to the bone
When it's better for you to go
You don't stay home
(Repeat **)
(Repeat *)
It's the end of the line for me
And that's for sure
I don't care where you go
But just keep away from here
(Repeat **)
05 20,000 ft. (03:44)
If there's one thing I love
It's flying high above
Breaking through the barrier of sound
It's just like making love
When you're up above
Riding in my bird of silver steel
Forget the time (*)
Ten miles high
Living my fantasies
At twenty thousand feet
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
It's the rushing of my blood
That makes me feel so good
I can see the world below just shooting by
Twice the speed of sound
That's how I like to ride
My chariot of steel across the sky
(Repeat *)
If it's faster than light
Sharper than steel
I'll race across the ceiling of the world
Just like a gun
Aiming at the sun
Riding in my bird of silver steel
(Repeat *)
I'm floating in space
The world seems to disappear
Then I awake
Got to get my head back in place
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
06 Hungry Years (04:36)
They came down from the north
To the plough they were forged
On the traces of a man who'd been before
Right up from the street
Came the ranks of unemployed
Then everything became the hungry years
They searched the hungry years (*)
For the triumphs by the fears
There's a chance they had to take
They were waiting for a break
They searched the hungry years
For the triumphs by the fears
Some make it to the stars
Playing rock and roll guitars
Playing rock and roll guitars
They read under the lights (**)
To the jews and to the whites
The systems gonna change and understand them
The business world is deep
For a percentage of the heat
There was magic in the eyes
They couldn't see the lies
They watched it slowly die
(Repeat *)
Some take the fame
And some take the blame
Maybe they will and maybe they won't
Tonight...
(Repeat **)
(Repeat *)
07 Sixth Form Girls (04:15)
Sixth form can't get out at night (*)
They keep them in, it's an awful sin
Should set them free and let them roam
The lights inside their dormitory
When they go black you sneak away
The plans are set but don't go yet
They run down town to join the crowds (**)
They're leaving school behind
They meet the boys from the factory
They're staying out all night, all night
Sixth form girls they're looking good
Skin tight jeans
They're out for fun
They drink wine late at night
Meet some man who'll make them laugh
Buy them drinks and make a pass
Take them back to a penthouse flat
(Repeat **)
Sixth form girls take their pick of men
They're learning fast the ways of love
Just sixteen, teenage dream
(Repeat *)
(Repeat **)
08 Dallas 1 PM (06:16)
Down on main street the scene was set
They check out the fuel turn the radio on
Open the gates, assemble the gun
Wait at the red, for the president's run
The world was shocked that fateful day (*)
A young man's lot was blown away, away
Dallas 1 p.m., 1 p.m.
Right and left in the back of the head
Screaming confusion, shots rip the air
Cadillac racing, cops on the run
They couldn't believe the president's hit
The shooting stunned as I seemed to run
Is he dead, no-one will say
Around the world the news was flashed
We sat and watched your tragic history
(Repeat *)
The world was shocked
In Dallas 1 p.m.
We sat and watched
Tragic history
The world was shocked
In Dallas 1 p.m.
Stephane Lajeunesse
Barons d'Arthabaska
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By the green manalishi
'You love this song from the first listen because it really sticks with you.'
‘This album takes your breath away from start to finish, not a single slow piece, not a single guitar without distortion.’
