By: Anders

Posted: Aug 31, 2006

Good old Saxon has returned with the 3rd instalment of their live releases "The Eagle Has Landed", this time 2 CDs stuffed with the band delivering their music were it sounds best, on the stage in front of large audiences. The first disc contains older and some of the more classic Saxon tunes, without being a tour de force of their most classic tracks, as they already have been featured on the previous "The Eagle Has Landed" albums, even though there has been found space for a couple of repetitions. The second disc contains songs from 1991 and up to the most recent studio album "Lionheart" with the exception of 'Broken Heroes' from 1985. The tracks for the album have been recorded during 2004 and 2005, and the Saxon fan knows what that means, there have been 2 different line-ups in action, one with drummer Jörg Michael and one with original drummer Nigel Glockler. Michael plays on the 2004 recordings and Glockler on the ones from 2005.

Saxon live is as always a blast, Biff Byford controls the battles with a safe hand and guides us through the songs very well. His distinctive voice delivers all we demand and urge, he still has what is needed, when talking about singing live, all the old classics sound good, and of course also the new material. Though hearing him sing 'This Town Rocks', 'Warrior' and 'Crusader' always rock big time. The band is also up to par as always, a good bunch of musicians delivering guitar riffs, bass lines, and the drumming solid and straight on. The sound on the tracks is also solid and delivers the music without any sugar coating, just as it is meant to be. Even though the sound seems quite clean and "perfect" at times, almost like a good demo recording, though that is most evident during some of the recordings of the newer songs, many of the older ones seems more dynamic and more suited for live performances, and the older tracks do also leave a bigger impact to be honest.

This is a sure buy for all Saxon fans, but I am pretty confident in that they already have bought the album and rocks to it as we speak. Newer fans can without any problems get into this album as well, 2 CDs with old and new Saxon classics, all from the purebred NWOBHM songs to the more rock n' rollish side to the more epic songs from the band. And then delivered live with power and passion from these legends known as Saxon!

Rating: 7/10

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