Saxon unleash the video for “There’s Something In Roswell”, the second single from the band’s 24th studio album, Hell, Fire And Damnation out this week via Silver Lining Music.
Hell, Fire And Damnation sees the band investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs and “There’s Something In Roswell” is a true treasure amidst the jewels, with the sort of expansive groove and embrace which deserves arenas. The track is about the enigmatic events surrounding the 1947 crash of an assumed Army weather balloon in Roswell New Mexico, referred to as ‘The Roswell incident’.
“It’s such a great story. It’s been around for years and years, and it’s just what the song says: there must be something in Roswell because there’s too much hoorah about it still”, lead singer and founder-member Biff Byford explains. “I like the tune as well, I think it harks back to ‘80s Saxon musically, a really good bridge between the classic ‘Dallas 1 PM’ era and ‘Saxon 2023.’”
Hell, Fire And Damnation is a superlative British Heavy Metal classic. Biff delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass respectively lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, Saxon bring it all to the table. There’s a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim & leather coated super-sprint “Fire And Steel”, a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM’s birth in the electric mid-pace “Pirates Of The Airwaves” and the glorious frenetic assault of the title track “Hell, Fire And Damnation”.
Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) and Biff Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, Hell, Fire And Damnation strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle which Saxon co-created.
2024 promises to be a great year for Saxon, with the European tour alongside Judas Priest and Uriah Heep kicking-off in the UK in March, the arrival of the heavy metal masterpiece Hell, Fire And Damnation and the recently announced co-headline US tour with Uriah Heep titled “Hell, Fire & Chaos – The Best Of British Rock & Metal”.
“Getting these shows in March 2024 with Judas Priest and Uriah Heep meant it made sense to push and get the album made faster,” says Biff, “so, we got on with it in haste and pulled it out of the bag. It was tricky, but I think it’s safe to say we managed it well.”
Oh, it’s safe to say alright!
“More metal is not possible. Hell, Fire And Damnation: this record is finest British steel and only a few are still able to do it” – CLASSIC ROCK
“Hell, Fire And Damnation! The album delivers the impressive proof that Saxon is still a bank and great oiled machine in heaviness and energy. The 10 tracks on the record are leaving not one wish open. Power and fresh welded steel” – BREAK OUT
“Great, wonderful, admirable melodies interweaved with classic heavy metal attitude. This album doesn’t show any weak spots at all and doesn’t need any quality comparison to Carpe Diem!” – SLAM MAGAZINE
“Not one weak point on the album! Neither in songwriting nor in sound, neither in composing nor performance! Taking it into consideration that most of the musicians are in their seventies, you have to bow down with more than respect for this again great energy performance” – ROCK IT
“‘Hell, Fire And Damnation’ offers everything a Saxon-fan expects from it. And even a bit more” – AARDSCHOK
“This is a whirlwind of an album and a very strong statement that Saxon is ready for the future with this mighty asset in hand” – HEADBANGERS LIFESTYLE
“Already the album of 2024? Could very well be” – ROCK TRIBUNE
“‘Hell, Fire And Damnation’ is one of the strongest albums in Saxon’s discography” – ARROW LORDS OF METAL
“Saxon are proving that they are not only pioneers in the world of Metal, but they are poised to challenge as kings” – CRYPTIC ROCK
“The album is created by veteran rockers who blend their experience and passion for a hard and heavy sound. Hell, Fire And Damnation is honest and authentic music in the spirit of metal, showcasing a band still hungry and out to prove something!” – METAL RULES
“Hell, Fire And Damnation is a very satisfying listen that will please Saxon fans of all eras including newbies who are just now getting hip to this beloved band” – ANTIMUSIC
“Byford’s vocals are powerful and the guitar work is exceptional. Scarratt and Tatler team up with some fresh and exciting solos throughout the record and Glockler’s drumming ability is top notch. In my opinion, this is one of Saxon’s most ambitious albums and proves that they are one of the best British Metal bands of all time” – BRUTAL PLANET MAGAZINE
“Hell, Fire And Damnation is undeniably Saxon: a band continuing to find ways to expand upon the NWOBHM sound 45 years on. 10 out of 10!” – DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH METAL
“It is an impossible task to find another Metal band with SAXON’s consistency and dedication to the album release-tour cycle while at the same time sounding fresh and inspired. ‘Hell, Fire And Damnation’ gets 9 out of 10 stars!” – METAL KAOZ
“The NWOBHM is over, but its main core of ideas is still alive: it wasn’t only the rebirth of Metal after a time hidden in the underground, but a whole new way of playing Heavy Metal, a set of conceptions that enables the band to give a step forward in relation of what was done in the early years of the 70s, and that allow the birth of new subgenres into Metal. There are great names, and others that never got the respect they really deserve. One can say that SAXON is a successful name of those years, but these warriors truly deserved more respect and success. One spin on their new album ‘Hell, Fire And Damnation’ states the reason for these words. This is a 10 out of 10 – A MASTERPIECE!” – METAL TEMPLE
“They deliver on all fronts and it’s an enjoyable ride, something that you want to listen to many times afterward” – METAL WANI
“Having been a force since the mid-70s, Saxon shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, they radiate unparalleled energy and freshness, courtesy of Biff and Andy Sneap’s colossal crystal-clear production. The performances are nothing short of world-class, the songs destined to become timeless classics. Disregard any dour reviews; this album caters to Saxon fans’ every desire and stands tall as one of their crowning achievements EVER! 10 out of 10 Stars!” – MY GLOBAL MIND
“Hell, Fire And Damnation is a top-shelf addition to Saxon’s discography; it is a vibrant, powerful statement from a band that has both shaped and transcended the genre. It is a compelling mix of historical and modern evidence of the band’s enduring legacy and ongoing evolution in British heavy metal” – STACCOTOFY
“Saxon has once again proven that they are experts of their craft, delivering a record that stands tall in their illustrious discography” – SONIC PERSPECTIVES
“Saxon once again have proven they are a force to be reckoned with, with yet another consistent high quality release. Perhaps a notch above their last two releases” – THE METAL VOICE
“All in all, Saxon gives us yet another excellent album in Hell, Fire And Damnation. There is no filler on this Record. It is quality metal music from start to finish” – THE METAL PIT
HELL, FIRE AND DAMNATION WORLD TOUR (Part 1)
11 March – OVO Hydro, Glasgow (UK)
13 March – First Direct Arena, Leeds (UK)
15 March – 3Arena, Dublin (IE)
17 March – BIC, Bournemouth (UK)
19 March – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham (UK)
21 March – OVO Arena Wembley, London (UK)
24 March – Festhalle, Frankfurt (DE)
25 March – Olympiahalle, München (DE)
26 March – Volksbank Messe, Balingen (DE)
27 March – Westfalenhalle, Dortmund (DE)
29 March – O2 Arena, Prague (CZ)
30 March – Tauron Arena, Kraków (PL)
1 April – Wiener Stadhalle, Vienna (AT)
2 April – Roxy, Ulm (DE)
3 April – St. Jakobshalle, Basel (CH)
5 April – Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon (FR)
6 April – Mediolanum Forum, Milan (IT)
8 April – Zénith, Paris (FR)
13 June – Sant Jordi Club, Barcelona (ES)
15 June – Navarra Arena, Pamplona (ES)
17 June – Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid (ES)
1 July – Barclays Arena, Hamburg (DE)
2 July – Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin (DE)
4 July – Arena Nürnberger, Nürnberg (DE)
8 July – Sap Arena, Mannheim (DE)
10 July – Messehalle, Dresden (DE)
HELL, FIRE & CHAOS – THE BEST OF BRITISH ROCK & METAL TOUR
Co-headline with Uriah Heep
23 April – The Parker, Fort Lauderdale, FL
24 April – Hard Rock Event Center, Tampa, FL
25 April – The Plaza Live, Orlando, FL
28 April – Mercury Ballroom, Louisville, KY
30 April – The Metropolitan Theatre, Morgantown, WV
1 May – Roxian Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
2 May – Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA
3 May – Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood, NJ
5 May – Citizens House of Blues, Boston, MA
7 May – Patchogue Theatre, Long Island, NY
8 May – Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
10 May – Paramount Hudson Theatre, Peekskill, NY
11 May – TempleLive at Cleveland Masonic, Cleveland, OH
12 May – The Lerner Theatre, Elkhart, IN
13 May – Saint Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, MI
14 May – GLC Live at 20 Monroe, Grand Rapids, MI
16 May – People’s Bank Theatre, Marietta, OH
17 May – Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
18 May – Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL
19 May – Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL
21 May – Brown County Music Center, Nashville, IN
22 May – The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
24 May – Gillioz Theatre, Springfield, MO
25 May – TempleLive at Scottish Rite Center, Wichita, KS
29 May – House Of Blues, Houston, TX
30 May – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
31 May – Glass Cactus, Dallas, TX
More dates to be announced
For tickets and more information visit: www.saxon747.com
Hell, Fire And Damnation will be available in a variety of formats and pre-orders can be placed at this location
Hell, Fire And Damnation Track Listing:
1. The Prophecy
2. Hell, Fire And Damnation
3. Madame Guillotine
4. Fire And Steel
5. There’s Something In Roswell
6. Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice
7. Pirates Of The Airwaves
8. 1066
9. Witches Of Salem
10. Super Charger
SAXON
BIFF BYFORD – Vocals
NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums
DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar
BRIAN TATLER – Guitar
NIBBS CARTER – Bass
Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff Byford
Album mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap
Vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (UK); Drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann at Lampes Posthotel Old Cinema Restaurant Der Krug (Germany); Guitars recorded at Big Silver Barn, York (UK).
Follow Saxon on:
www.facebook.com/SaxonOfficial/
www.instagram.com/saxon.official
www.twitter.com/SaxonOfficial
www.youtube.com/PlanetSaxon
www.saxon747.com
