Saxon

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What makes a real rock music legend? A unique, unmistakable sound is a definite must, plus an enigmatic figurehead and proof over many years that even changing fashions and trends cannot harm the group’s popularity. Based on these three characteristics, Saxon are among the few real legends in today’s metal business.

For more than three decades, they have inspired their fans with new and powerful releases which – spearheaded by frontman Biff Byford – document this group’s unique style at a constantly high level. Their latest album release, Into The Labyrinth, out on 12 January 2009 (Germany: 9 January 2009, US: 13 January) proves that Saxon mark 2009 haven’t lost any of their of their expressiveness, enthusiasm and inspiration: 13 dynamic, melodic and intelligently arranged metal tracks which have Saxon expand their long series of metal classics by a good dozen new exhibits.

“Stylistically, I would describe the album as an even balance between Lionheart and The Inner Sanctum, a mix of powerful, in-your-face rock songs and pure heavy metal tracks,” Byford explains. Indeed, Into The Labyrinth takes its listeners on an adventurous tour de metal, brilliantly orchestrated by vocalist Byford, the two guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scaratt, bassist Nibbs Carter and drummer Nigel Glockler. Into The Labyrinth was recorded at the Twilight Hall in Krefeld, Germany, under the direction of Charlie Bauerfeind, always a sure bet when it comes to top sonic standards. Along with the regular jewel case, the album will be available as a limited edition Digipack including a 70-minute bonus DVD which features, along with a tour documentary and the official ‘Live To Rock’ video clip, Biff as King Arthur in ‘Parcival’.

Into The Labyrinth sees Saxon present to their fans this musical genre’s very own philosophy of life – programmatic titles such as ‘Live To Rock’, ‘Protect Yourselves’ and ‘Battalions Of Steel’ unmistakably documenting the points of view of the musicians involved, while tracks such as ‘Demon Sweeney Todd’ (about the same-named character from a novel, a barber who slit his customers’ throats with a cut-throat razor and sold bits of their bodies in an adjacent pie shop) and ‘Valley Of The Kings’ with its story about the mysterious opening of the grave of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun, look beyond your average rock music clichés.

So we can look forward to the events to come: following a brief autumn tour of the UK and Germany together with Motörhead and Danko Jones in November/December 2008, Saxon will set off for another major world tour in February 2009, only one month after the album release – Battalions Of Steel on the attack, so to speak.

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