Saxon wheels of Steel is the bands second album from 1980. In much the same way as Judas Priest its their first album that I’d consider metal. The first album came across as a weird Rainbow influenced type thing but it really wasn’t coherent. This album however saw the band focus more on a metal type sound, or maybe they just got it right in the studio. Either way it’s a much more targeted effort and much more fun to listen to.
I’ve always liked Saxon, not that I’ve owned much of their stuff, but they write great tunes, and everything of theirs I’ve heard (barring that first album) has stayed true to the path of glorious Heavy Metal. From the moment the opening cut “Motorcycle Man” kicks in, you know you’re in for a rip roaring ride. “Stand up and be Counted” keeps it going with a bit of a ballad in the “747 Strangers in the night” track and back into it with the title Track “Wheels of Steel”. As a whole the album is straight ahead rockin’ metal and a huge improvement on their debut album. Great riffs, great solos, and Biffs voice is a hell of a lot stronger now than on their debut. Later on the other ballady type song “Lucy Hold on” kinda derails the album a bit, but the song kicks in a bit better later on so no major issue. On the whole album is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor and comes across as much more coherent.
Turns out I’m not the only one that thought this album was great as it charted at number 11 on the UK charts and set the band up for the lifetime of Heavy Metal that laid ahead of them. Either way its a great album and if you’re into the sound of the late 70’s early 80’s this is one you gotta check out. Not sure if younger metal fans will really dig this but as with so many of the early metal albums is a great window into the past of heavy metal.
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