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Saxon - "Solid Ball Of Rock (re-release)"
SPV 2002

After ten years since it's official release the band decided to make a re-master. Here you can find a real sound difference. Contrast between all instruments is now on a higher level. Especially bass guitar with great melodic line and its production, that contributes to alive and fat sound of the rhythm section. For Nibbs Carter this was the first Saxon record. And he took the opportunity to show his great talent in playing bass guitar and also in songwriting.

Previous Saxon release "Destiny" (in 1986) was made to challenge the American market. Those days' trends (that forced glam metal in first rows) convinced Saxon to try out in those trend directions as well. But "Destiny" wasn't very well accepted by the audience. So the band found in Germany their new destination to record new material. It was a long period of time. And in six years of waiting and wondering what the hell is the band up to, they fully punched back. Back to their roots. The heaviest record of all they've created since the golden eighties. But in six years Saxon went into history. Their golden age has ended. But who cares?

The main point is that the band made a big come back with delivering a high quality album to its perfection. If the band made the song "Requiem (We Will Remember)" in the eighties, I'm sure it would have become an evergreen, due to its specific unique main riff and chorus. Song after song is a complete killer. A unique recognizable Saxon classics. Choruses are real metal hymns. The opener "Solid Ball Of Rock" will convince you about that from it's first beat. Powerful, open riffing with some Rock'n'roll added spices. This is it! And iron hymns as "Altar Of Gods", Lights In The Sky, "Baptism Of Fire", "Ain't Gonna Take It" (with beautiful bass guitar line in bridge to chorus and in chorus) or "I'm On Fire" are what I'm talking about. Supreme Saxon. "Solid Ball Of Rock" returned the band into doin' the best they can do. Into what they always were and still are. Since 1992 'till now the band didn't change their style even for an inch.

"Overture In B-Minor-Refugee" is a half-ballad. Nigel Glockler couldn't have invented better bridges for this song. Pay attention especially to those bridges that are played in fade out of the chorus. This is another proof, that all the guys put their hearts and souls into "Solid Ball Of Rock" completely. That they really enjoyed making this record confirms a bonus track called "Reeperbahn Somp". The other bonus track that can be found on this re-master is a single version release of "Requiem (We Will Remember)".

"Solid Ball Of Rock" is one of those iron masterpieces which happen to a band once in his lifetime. For all who are up to taking some education on this band - a highly recommended album to begin with. Don't forget, the box of this re-release carries a "super value" sticker. What are you waiting for? Don't you know what you're created for?

Author:   Aleš



   
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