Saxon – Hell Fire and Damnation – 2024
Hell Fire and Damnation is the 24th studio album by the English Hardrock group Saxon. I was heavily into them during my youth but for some reason, I drifted away from them: I guess there was a period where I just didn’t appreciate them as much anymore Albums Like The Power and the Glory and Denim and Leather were the albums to listen to back then. I don’t know exactly but I think they went quite soft for a while, music-wise. Maybe that’s why I abandoned them for a while.
Hell Fire and Damnation is not soft though. It’s HArdrock as it’s purest. There’s no Heavy Metal here. This is surely based on the blues like classic Hardrock should be. I can’t say that the songs stand out in any way though. They’re good but not fantastic. I think Biff Byford still is a great singer. He turned 73 just a while ago so I guess his voice should be a little worn down by now but it’s nothing I notice when listening to the new album.
The lyrics seem to be all over the place though. I can’t decide if I think they’re charming in maintaining the clichés as far as Hardrock lyrics go, or if they’re juvenile and about matters that belongs in fairytales and a fantasy world. There seem to be themes of the French Revolution, the UFO sightings of Rosewell, and classic battle themes there. Maybe there’s a theme that I don’t get. But it doesn’t seem that way to me. Hell Fire and Damnation is a good album. No doubt about that. I don’t find it great but well worth a listen.
