metalken, same experience as you, my album was an import so I always thought that 'Strong Arm of the Law ' was a follow up to 'Denium and Leather' plus my copy had two copyright dates on it, maybe this album was released in the States and Canada after Denium and Leather.

This album is a blast what with Heavy Metal Thunder and To Hell And Back Again and Strong Arm and......but also a serious song thrown in with Dallas 1 PM. I call this brick and mortar metal.

Time to help out Uncle Sax and onto the next Saxon release 1981's classic 'Denim and Leather' another winner in their discography.

This album is great and opens with 'Princess of the Night' a riff rocker about a powerful train. This album is filled with anthems and songs celebrating themselves, their fans and subculture of heavy metal. 'And the Bands Played On' 'Never Surrender' and 'Denim and Leather' are all songs that anthems written about themselves and the title track is in particular a shout out to the fans and their loyalty.

Where were you in '79 when the dam began to burst
Did you check us out down at the local show
Were you wearing denim, wearing leather
Did you run down to the front
Did you queue for your ticket through the ice and snow


Did you read the music paper from the back and to the front
Did you find out where to see your favorite band
Did you listen to the radio every Friday night
Did hang around your local record store

and of course how can you not love a band who name checks Deep Purple in the song 'Play it Loud' .

Another must own Saxon album.

Saxon
I don't actually own this. I do have a compilation called the Beast of Rock with a lot of tracks off of this album though (eg. Frozen Rainbow, Big Teaster, Still Fit to Boogie, off the top of my head). What I know from those is that this is not really a typical Saxon album. I guess they didn't have their sound figured out just yet. Instead of being all-out heavy metal, the songs I know sound more toned down, something like arena rock. I cannot say I'm in a hurry to pick this one up.

Wheels of Steel
I originally bought a 2-in-1 package of this and Strong Arm of the Law, and this disc ended up being somewhat underrated in my mind because of the constant comparison to the spectacular second disc. I now like it a lot more than before, it's almost as good as the Strong Arm. There's really awesome classic NWOBHM tracks in here. I especially like 747 and Stand Up and Be Counted. See the Light Shining is a personal favourite, too. Suzie Hold On is a soft rocker, but still fun.

Strong Arm of the Law
A monster album. Really awesome. An essential CD for any starting Saxon fan, I'd say. Both of these records have a good, rocking sound. It's not real heavy, but just enough so the guitar melodies really come out nicely.Favourite tracks... Dallas 1 PM, To Hell and Back Again, Heavy Metal Thunder, Strong Arm of the Law.

Denim & Leather
Well, Princess of the Night might be the best ever Saxon song, and the title track is a classic Saxon anthem, but the rest of this disc is only 'OK'. I bought this while visiting London a few years back. It's not the commercial sound of the 80's just yet, but there are some hints of it, with all the mid-tempo rockers. Never Surrender is pretty good. Play It Loud is actually kind of annoying.

listened to "wheels" "arm" and "D & L" back to back last night

been a while since listening to them

oh yeah, great stuff

Those three are definitely NWOBHM classics. I think I was a bit too hard on Denim & Leather. It's actually very good. Especially compared to some of the Saxon albums that came soon after.

I think Saxon only got back to writing equally good material in the late 90's with Unleash the Beast. Since then they've had another renaissance of sorts with excellent releases following each other. But more on that later.

The three punch of Wheels...,Strong Arm..., and Denim And Leather are hard to be matched. Add to the fact that all three were brought out in under 2 years, wow! The band was quite prolific in their writing to say the least; and the label must have had great confidence in them at this time.

Denim and Leather stands equal in my books along with the previous two. I like every song on this record. These were definitely a major part of my high school days; and have (in my ears) stood the test of time because I get the same rush as I did then when I listen to them.

I sometimes wonder if it was because they were all around 30, and had a bit more life experience than many of their NWOBHM compatriots around 80/81 that their songs were more in the 'here and now' than about the subjects the other bands were about.

It is surprising now to think how fast albums were put out. Now it seems like three, four years between albums is normal.

Could someone review the next release 1982's 'The Eagle Has Landed' I do not own this disc.

And the Live version of the title track is the essential version. That tune was created to be played live!!!!

Somebody do P&G - I got Crusader.

Sorry I have been slackin'!!

One of the greatest live albums ever recorded IMO. I agree with Uncle Saxon too. The title track is outstanding here.

I will also chime in on the epic nature nature of the song "The Eagle Has Landed" and the live versions out there. But unless you guys have an extended version of this release, you have me lost as my copy does not include it.

On to the next Saxon album 1983's 'Power and the Glory' another winner from these underlooked (at in America) metal legends.

What I love the most about Saxon is that embrace or invented every metal cliche you could think of, yet it does not come off too corny or that making fun of their genre. You could hear that they love what they do and every Saxon during this period featured a shout out to their fans.

Stylistically, Saxon had not changed one iota since 1980's 'Wheels of Steel' . They during this period wrote balls to wall nonsense heavy metal songs. You want message songs, Saxon have message songs.

The title track is about holding on to one's pride while kicking ass, 'RedLine' is about a fast car, a song about Nightmares (Nightmare), a song about rocking of course (This Town Rocks) and a shout out to their fans with 'The Eagle Has Landed'

No pretense with the Saxon boys they are a British Metal band pure and simple, and they were and are proud of this fact.

One of the most important British metal bands in history and one of the few survivors of New Wave of British Metal.

This, their fifth studio album, finds the band expanding their sound with a more refined intensity. A lot of this is probably that this record was recorded in the States, Axis Sound Studio in Atlanta to be precise.

The opening s/t track has 'classic' stamped all over it. Biff's delivery of the opening lines of "I'm a soldier of fortune,I'm trained a ready to kill!" still sounds so cool to me me some 26 years later. Redline carries the record on with a great swagger that is all about driving down the road and the rush it gives. A reworked version of Suzi Hold On follows next and you can tell that it was meant for some radio airplay though sadly it was not meant to be. This shows Saxon's more melodic edge and ability to write catchy choruses. The plodding riffs of Nightmare and the songs strong background vocals follow suit and closes off side one of the vinyl.

Side two starts with a song that was intended to be played as a live tribute to the towns they were (and had) to have gigs at. I always had a feeling that this was a somewhat cheesy tune that pandered to too many cliches, and though I still feel the same, this tune knows how to rock and despite some cringe worthy lyrics, still never gets the 'skip' from me. A thrash/speed metal prototype in the guise of Warrior keeps up the high quality. Watching The Sky and total epic tune The Eagle Has Landed finishes off this record.

What is odd is that later versions of this release come in a slightly different track order and exchange the reworking of Suzi with a track called Midas Touch. Midas Touch is a killer song by the way.

A little editorial if you don't mind: I have heard it said that this was the start of Saxon trying to fit into the hair/glam/pop metal trend that was to hit stride in America; more so because of choosing to record in the U.S.. But in 1983, this record competed with the likes of Maiden's Piece Of Mind; Def Leppard's Pyromania; Quiet Riot's Metal Health; Ozzy's Bark At The Moon; Motley Crue's Shout At The Devil; and a ton of other fine metal releases. The underground was just starting and though some of these releases may seem tame by today's standard, they were considered to be METAL to their core. It was still a couple of years later before the whole scene of melodic mainstream metal made it big. So Saxon jumping on the bandwagon at this point in their career is a bit of historical revisionism. Strange that calls of sell out were as prevalent then as it is now.

I never thought this was the sell out album. Crusader will start on that road and Innocence will completely be engulfed by it. But we'll get to that. P & the G is just more solid Saxon doing what they do best though This Town Rocks is more Spinal Tap then Spinal Tap.

On to the next Saxon album, 1983's 'Crusader' album. This is the album that would have fans screaming sell out and lose whatever momentum the band had going in the USA. The moronic record label that forced Saxon take this direction not only failed in its objective of breaking them in America but help set back their career, and even in Europe where they and still remain international superstars this album cost them a sizeable number of their original fans.

Much to Saxon's credit, if Saxon is going to be forced to write for American radio, they would hire a superstar producer Kevin Beamish, who was best know for producing wuss rockers Reo Speedwagon and other appalling acts such as Air Supply. And no outside songwriters for this Brits, they can right their set of cliche ridden songs with no outside help thank you.

When Saxon does something their is no half way mark for them. 'Sailing to America' the opening track is a shout out to their a country they adapted as their own and is not a bad song.

These guys leave no cliche unchecked and they dive into them with no fear. 'Let it Rock' which is so cliche ridden even KISS wouldn't touch it, is still a cool little tune, and in case you didnot know the next song informs you that 'Bad Boys Like to Rock N Roll'. The song is so silly and lyrics even siller yet they play this song with 100% conviction.

Since I am on the subject of silly lyrics and cliches their first attempt at a power ballad 'Do It All For You' has lyrics that only Diana Warren would be proud off. The lyrics about 'Climbing Over Mountains' and what have you are so horrid I am surprised Celine Dion has not re recorded this song.

The title track is kind of cool song and the closiest we get to the classic Saxon sound. 'Set Me Free' the Sweet cover is also very cool.

The rest of the album is a perfect example of record company politics interferring with the creative process and releasing an album that pleases no one, not the band, not the fans, not the critics not anyone.

Kevin Beamish couldn't produce a decent fart and Saxon released an album filled with what the record label may have wanted, and you can tell the band at least gave impassioned performances, even if they themselves saw at as a terrible album and bad career move.

The record label payed Saxon back by suing them and Saxon in turn sued them. In the end Saxon won and eventually their label Carrere Records folded, allowing Saxon to own their own publishing and continue with their career which has rebounded in recent years.

I do have a weak spot for the album despite my review, and enjoy it as a strange career detour.

I don't hate this one either. I know, it's not typical Saxon but there's something about it that I like, maybe it's the attempt at being more radio friendly that adds a catchiness to it. Manny nails it on the silly lyrics though, all done with a straight face. Enough Saxon sound for me.

Gasp! I'm behind!

Strong Arm: Essentially "Wheels of Steel" part 2. Not that that's a bad thing. Another great metal album.

Denim and Leather: I love this album. "Princess of the Night" was the song that introduced me to Saxon and is still one of my favorites. And of course, the title track is a classic metal anthem.

And there ya have it! All the Saxon I own.

The next Saxon album, 1985's 'Innocence is No Excuse' is an album I do not own and if anyone wants to take a shot to review it please feel free to.

Maybe we could just say that this, Rock The Nations and Destiny were a disappointing hiatus for a great band and move ahead to Solid Ball Of Rock.

Hey waitaminnit, I actually liked some of INNOCENCE IS NO EXCUSE!! I remember hearing the track "Call of the Wild" quite frequently on metal radio back in the day, which is what prompted me to buy the cassette. There was also a video for the song "Broken Heroes," which is an excellent song.

That's pretty much all I got because this is one of the many cassettes that I have yet to upgrade to CD, so I haven't heard this one in dog years. As you were.

Yeah, oddly while this was an album those into Saxon didn't like that song got some radio play. If someone has them i'd say go ahead but i'm pretty much out until Solid Ball.