Saxon - Into The Labyrinth

Published January 05 2009

*=Staff's pick	Battalions Of Steel* Live To Rock* Demon Sweeney Todd The Letter Valley Of The Kings* Slow Lane Blues Crime Of Passion Premonition In D Minor Voice Protect Yourselves Hellcat Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete) Coming Home (Bottleneck Version)

Genre	Heavy Metal	Biff Byford	Vocals
Tracks	13	Paul Quinn	Guitar
Runningtime	50 Min.	Doug Scarratt	Guitar
Label	SPV/Steamhammer	Nibbs Carter	Bass
Release	12 January 2009	Nigel Glockler	Drums
Country	England	-	Keyboard
Similar artists	Judas Priest, Iron Maiden

Saxon almost never do less than good, but this is a typical in-between-classics album. While the last one, Inner Sanctum, was a true metal monster from the first note to the last, Into The Labyrinth takes on a rockier mood and gives a bit mellow feeling to it. There are some quite okay songs and Biff sings as sharp as ever, but I lack a bit of the edge, heaviness and speed from the predecessor.

Into The Labyrinth starts of with some classic Saxon tunes, although just a bit lighter in production and attitude than on the last record. Battalions Of Steel has all the potential for a great anthem, but lacks a bit of roughness in the production. I bet it will turn out to be a great live song though. The same is the case later with Valley Of The Kings, which has a great chorus, somewhat wasted in a too perfect sound.

Before that the most typical Saxon song of them all, Live To Rock, has spread some light on the whole plate. Very much cliché, but a lovely one, that you can hear in new versions over and over again. The initial pace slows down however with tracks like Slow Lane Blues and Crime Of Passion and thereafter the right mood will never really return.

The pretty heavy Protect Yourselves and quite fast Hellcat are attempts to squeeze in some harder rock at last, but sadly not very good ones. Come Rock Of Ages is a typical example of where adult rock have taken over a bit of the metal sting. Not a bad song, but more Def Leppard than Saxon. Coming Home was a dull piece already on Killing Ground, and this bottleneck version does not help it to any higher ground.

Although my critical stands, this still is another great Saxon album, worthy its place in your shelf along with all the others. I just have high expectations on these fellows. I have no doubt that they still can deliver a little bit better.

Performance	Originality	Production	Vocals	Songwriting
6	5	6	8	6

Summary
6 chalices of 10 - David