#saxon — Public Fediverse posts

https://www.europesays.com/ch-fr/290675/ SAXON : les détails du nouvel album Gods Of Thunder ; clip vidéo de la chanson-titre dévoilé #Divertissement #Entertainment #Music #Musique #Saxon #Suisse

https://www.europesays.com/be-fr/238298/ SAXON : les détails du nouvel album Gods Of Thunder ; clip vidéo de la chanson-titre dévoilé #BE #BEFr #Belgique #Belgium #Divertissement #Entertainment #Music #Musique #Saxon

Crying Steel can arguably claim to be one of Italy’s first heavy metal bands, with roots running all the way back to 1982. They didn’t drop their first album until 1987, and it took them until 2007 to release a follow-up, but true steel never rusts. I became aware of them when I reviewed 2018s Stay Steel, and I was entertained by their 80s-centric metal sound. It’s taken them a lot of time to unleash the next beast, but fifth album, Agent Steel, is finally ready to rumble. Since their last outing, well-traveled vocalist Tony Mills (T.N.T., Siam) sadly passed away, and now Tiziano “Hammerhead” Sbaragli assumes mic duties. Guitarist JJ Frati is also absent, so there’s a lot of change in the air at Camp Steel. You know what hasn’t changed? Their love for the color purple and crap-tastical album art, and their commitment to creating hard-rocking 80s metal that sits somewhere between vintage Saxon and Krokus, with a splash of hair metal for bonus flair points. That should make for a spicy metal meatball, right?

The Crying Steel formula is a simple and time-honored one. Write a few burly riffs and base an anthemic 80s-style metal/hard rock tune around them with over-the-top vocals as the exclamation point. Opener “The Arrival” sets the stage nicely via meaty riffs with Hammerhead soaring over the top like a young Biff Byford with a slight Ripper Owens infection. The man has pipes and an enormous Italian accent, and luckily, he knows how to avoid chronically oversinging and stepping on every moment. It also helps that the band peppers the lyrics with steel this, steel that in true Manowar fashion. As Agent Steel unfolds, you get variations on this theme with a big dose of hard rock undergirding the writing, along with a decent ear for hooks. “You Got the Look”1 is rowdy and pretty silly, and I love how Hammerhead makes the chorus sound like “You got the LUKE!” “Under Cover” sounds like early 80s Saxon with a glossy makeover, “To Remember” is a balls-to-the-walls rocker with relentless Grave Digger-style riffs paired with a hair metal ethos, and “Coming Home” feels heavier and just cooler with added oomph in the riffs/vocals and a memorable chorus to boot.

The album wraps with Crying Steel trying their hand at a Primal Fear-style Euro-power burner on “No One’s Crying,” and to get the point across, they bring Ralph Scheepers himself in to do guest vocals. It’s the most aggressive song on the album, and Ralph completely steals the show. It makes you wish the band would dial things up like this more often. Not everything works so well, though. ESL mega-disaster “My Heart Steel Rocks” is a hugely awkward attempt at stadium metal that veers close to Manowar-levels of macho self-aggrandization. It’s entertaining but also awful. Another ESL faceplant hits with “Queen of Grinder,” and I don’t know what it’s really about, but it leaves lots of room for hilarious interpretations. The song itself is just okay. At a trim 41 minutes with all tracks in the 3-4 minute frame, the writing is tight, and hooks are plentiful across Agent Steel. It’s an easy listen, even if the overall style can feel very dated, and at times, corny.

Franco Nipoti and new axe Paolo Nocchi are the lifeblood of the Crying Steel sound, pumping out an endless string of 80s-centric riffs to anchor the songs and keep your head bobbing. I appreciate that they keep enough heft in the guitar sound to give things a decent edge, and they know how to write good leads and shred when needed. They paint with every color of the 80s and induce nostalgia at every turn. Tiziano “Hammerhead” Sbaragli does a fine job rocking a high-pitched nasally delivery that could become really annoying, yet he manages not to grate on the nerves much, and his performance adds an extra jolt of energy to the material. The biggest weapon in the band’s weapon kit is the ability to write memorable retro metal tunes that get by on excess when they can’t with mere nuance. This stuff is just too fun to resist, even when things get a bit too cheese-heavy.

Agent Steel is another successful journey into the past by a crew of metal lifers who keep going regardless of the scant recognition they receive. I hope Crying Steel are well-regarded back home, because they bring the cheddar surplus while defending the faith in all things olde and metallic. I admire that. Keep those iron tears falling like purple rain, boyos!

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pride & Joy
Websites: cryingsteel.com | facebook.com/cryingsteel | instagram.com/cryingsteelband
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026

The year was 2008. The place is Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Four brave souls were about to form Iron Kobra. Yearning for an era with less sheen and more grit, the band honed their craft with early demo Cult of the Snake and EP Battlesword. Their debut full-length, Dungeon Masters, wouldn’t descend upon the masses until 2012. While a little rough, it showed promise and ambition; the band clearly understood the fundamentals of hard rock and classic heavy metal. 2015 would see them return with Might & Magic, a higher-octane affair with tighter musicianship. But for a single here and there, Iron Kobra has remained quiet in the 11 years since. The metal snake returns now in 2026, promising louder, faster, and better.

I’m gonna do this review a little backward, starting with my chief complaint. Eternal Dagger feels more like a playlist than an album. There’s awesome musicianship and band cohesion on display here—the call and response antics of “Trembling Dungeons,” the stair-stepped riffs of “Fliehen,” the band’s perfect punctuation of Ela’s lyrics on “Forbidden Fruits,” Matze’s bass carrying the melody through the end of “Silver Strings and Iron Wings”—but nothing really ties these tracks together. It’s all undeniably the work of Iron Kobra, but the band careens—quite competently, at least—from searing speed metal (“Unchained & Untamed”) to Priestly NWoBHM (“Shibuya Nights”) to epic heavy metal (“Mountains of Madness”), making the album feel a bit unfocused. The great part about a criticism like this is that it has absolutely no bearing on how fucking hard these Germans rip.

From the first moments of “Trembling Dungeons”—a trash can opening, a sick divebomb, and soaring cleans—it’s clear Iron Kobra came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and they’re all out of bubblegum.1 Eternal Dagger is a rager written for all those who still blast Saxon on the reg. Whether burning barns (“Forbidden Fruits,” “Treacherous Tyrant”) or stomping out anthemic bangers, Iron Kobra plays with wanton abandon. This riotous and free energy never lets up, largely thanks to drummer Bjӧrn, even when the tempo drops a gear. “Silver Strings and Iron Wings” takes me back to Di’Anno-era Maiden, and “Trembling Dungeons” could’ve been an Angel Witch b-side. “Eternal Dagger” ventures into progressive territory, and although it doesn’t quite stick the landing and ends a little awkwardly, it’s intriguing, and I’d like to see them explore this narrative style more on future releases.

Eternal Dagger is a vast improvement over Iron Kobra’s back catalog, most notably stemming from its superior production. Mixed and mastered by Stefan Castevet, Eternal Dagger feels full and fleshed out. Bjӧrn’s kick drum moves some serious air, and Matze’s bass sounds absolutely incredible. It’s lush, vibrant, and responsible for some of my favorite moments on Eternal Dagger (“Shibuya Nights,” “Silver Strings,” “Unchained & Untamed”). The other major improvement of Eternal Dagger is the band’s synergy. While previous efforts felt like four talented musicians playing together, Eternal Dagger feels far more cohesive. This is best shown in the way lead guitarist Steffen dances beautifully around Ela’s rhythm guitars like variations on a theme. His leads and solos always feel like an extension of the rhythm section, rather than a standalone element (“Trembling Dungeons,” “Forbidden Fruits,” “Treacherous Tyrant”). Licks and fills from every member of Iron Kobra decorate the larger compositions, and as a result, Eternal Dagger feels like the work of a band at the top of their game.

Iron Kobra has got the goods. Front to back, Eternal Dagger is infectious and riotously fun. Whether you wanna howl at the sky while driving a bit too fast down the highway or pump your fist and bang your head in a crowd of sweaty, late-middle-aged men, Iron Kobra will get you there. I do wish Eternal Dagger had a more singular identity, but at the end of the day, I still had a blast working with this album over the past couple weeks. Unless you won’t settle for anything less than earth-shattering and paradigm-shifting masterpieces, Eternal Dagger will give you a sore neck and some involuntary stank face just fine.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

After removing my clothes, I wade into the promo sump. Yes, nakedness is advised for such a foray, as any loose material can get you ensnared by the bog’s filtration and disposal machinery or by the foul denizens that reside within the sludge. I enter herein with a single purpose in mind: to find a promo that will restore my credibility as a reviewer, if I ever had any to begin with. Since my return to the hall, I’ve written 3.5 after 3.5, and I am in search of something that will bring my average down before I am made to “non-suspiciously” disappear again. I reach down and grasp a promising prospect. Pieces of congealed n00b meat and 16-year-old promo remains fall from the cover, revealing a band name that sounds like some guy’s last name and a photo of several dudes in various tough-guy poses. I smile, allowing myself to hope that I’ve found what I’m looking for. Further investigation reveals Rozario’s Northern Crusaders to be a 50-minute-long heavy/power metal album, and I tell myself that this has 2.5 written all over it. Yep, this’ll do.

My confidence grows when I see that these Norwegians have picked the album’s first two songs as singles. “Fire and Ice” starts things off with some energetic power metal-infused heavy metal that brings Dream Evil immediately to mind. After a huge earworm chorus and some killer riffing and leads, the song winds down, and I’m horrified to realize that I’ve been involuntarily smiling and headbanging the whole time. Fear not, I say to myself. The next single can’t be as good. “We are One” takes the momentum of the opener and runs with it. I hear Brainstorm. I hear Dio. I hear more Dream Evil. I hear an even bigger chorus. Shit.

Not to worry! I’m sure they’ve simply stacked the singles at the front because they’re the best tunes. A qualitative drop-off is sure to come! Just as those foolish words finish leaving my mind-lips, “Down Low” slaps me across the face with a down-tuned chug that I didn’t see coming. This PED-enhanced version of Rozario, also seen on “Sleepless” and “Betrayed,” fits the Brainstorm mold alluded to above, and even ventures towards Mystic Prophecy levels of heaviness. “Crusader” and “Die Like Warriors” both see the band putting their Saxon pants on, their quality daring me to add them both to my “SWOARDS” playlist of battle-ready metal.

I finish Northern Crusaders for the first time and am surprised at just how fast the album’s 50 minutes flew by. I play it again. I like it even more. I am totally fucked. Sure, I can look across the album’s track list and pick out two songs that I don’t absolutely love (“Coming Home” and “The Warning”), but they’re still good songs whose place in the runtime almost totally mitigates any potential impact they could have had on the overall flow. I’m rather pissed that singer David Rosario puts in a journeyman performance with his weathered voice, and I’m even more upset that he’s filled his near-eponymous band with so much talent, particularly on guitar. The duo of Stein Hjertholm and Taran Lister has filled these tracks with muscular riffs, beautiful leads, and face-melting solos, and this is a huge reason that Northern Crusader feels so effortless and easily replayable. Even the production is fantastic. Gah! What a catastrophe!

It’s now been several weeks since I plucked this from the sump. As I put the finishing touches on the review and prepare to enter the final rating, I am suddenly aware of a presence in the room with me. I look up from my laptop screen to see 3.5 glaring at me with a sinister smile on its face. “You couldn’t live with your own failure,” it says. “Where did that bring you? Back to me.” I type the score, realizing it is futile to resist, fully aware that I’ve made the mistake of judging Rozario’s Northern Crusaders by its cover. I slam my computer screen down, stand up, and walk away, naked and full of shame.1

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pride & Joy Music
Websites: rozarioofficial.com | facebook.com/rozarioband
Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026

Mit dem Besuch auf Muskelrock in Schweden haben @Spitzbuebin und ich uns ein kleines Träumchen erfüllt.

Einziger Nachteil: Unsere Messlatte für Festivals hängt jetzt einen ganzen Meter höher.

Alle Eindrücke hier: https://andwil.de/weblog/muskelrock-2025

#metal #muskelrock #festival #electriceelshock #seax #helvetesport #templar #saxon #ambush #bronze #agusa #covenjapan #tonnerre #ridersofrohan #stallion #enforcer #castlerat #sabbat #midnatt #sanhedrin #airraid #smoulder #metalucifer #savagemaster

Heute geht es bei der #ThursdayFiveList um das Herz. Daher folgen meine fünf ausgewählten Songs zu diesem Thema:

„Heart Explodes“ von #TheDarkness

„Drivin’ Thru My Heart“ von #TheDonnas

„Rock Your Heart Out“ von #ACDC

„In the Middle of a Heartbeat“ von #Helloween

„Lionheart“ von #Saxon

#AtTheHeartOfIt #HardRock #Metal

@Josiah_Mannion

#TheBeatles #TheWho #IkeandTina #Aerosmith #LedZeppelin #Kiss #HarryNilsson #PatTravers #VanHalen #Motorhead #BlackSabbath #IronMaiden #JudasPriest #Saxon #Ozzy #Metallica #Slayer #Anthrax #Fugazi #RunDMC #LLCoolJ #EPMD #BDP #PublicEnemy #Godflesh #BoltThrower #Carcass #BeastieBoys #MorbidAngel #Suffocation #Soundgarden #Tad #NIN #Tool #Primus #Failure #Nile #Meshuggah #Nasum #Opeth #Converge #DeathGrips #Sulaco #SubRosa #Magrudergrind #CaveIn

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney: Epilogue

This was intense, 23 Albums in 3 days is no joke. Esp. when you need to work too 😂

My conlcusion: #Saxon is awesome!

How could I miss this for so long? Biff has an incredible voice!

The only albums I didn't like were the ones their "hair metal" era in the 80s.

Power & the Glory was one of my favourites, also Call To Arms and Battering Ram were absolute killers.

I guess I need some days off until I do another deep dive.
But I will do anohter one! 🤘

23/23 Here we are, the grand finale of my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney!

This has been a long ride, it took me 3 full days of exclusively listening to #Saxon.

#nowplaying Saxon - Carpe Diem on https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=N07ArmWtQw8&feature=share

22/23 #Thunderbold from 2018 is the second to last album on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney

The last albums, espacially from Call To Arms onwards have been absolutely fantastic 🤘

#nowplaying #Saxon - Thunderbolt

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sXixriUgAf4&feature=share

20/23 on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney is #Sacrifice

It starts off with a tribally intro and then BOOM 💥

What a great title track!

#nowplaing #Saxon - Sacrifice
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=MgXYLKSHKf8&feature=share

Oh, that's a good one:

#nowplaying: #Saxon - Afterburner

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=prJTVP6Gik8&feature=share

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney

19/24 is a #CallToArms in my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney!

The opener Hammer Of The Gods sure takes no prisoners, #Saxon really knows how to open an album 🤘

This one did NOT enter the French charts (come on 🇫🇷 ) after 4 consecutive entries, but ranked 18 in Germany (hell yeah 🇩🇪 ), which meant an all time high in (major) charts since 1985!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VHoyFCW1W1E&feature=share

#nowplaying

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney update.

I'll be frank, after almost 3 days of listening exclusively to #Saxon, my motivation fades a bit. Boy, they do have an extensive discography...

Anyone here to cheering me on?

Here's Attila the Hun coming for you:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4rxzXmXgjpY&feature=share

17/23 now onto #Saxon's 2007 release #TheInnerSanctum, wich is their first album to enter the UK album charts since 1988s #Destiny.

Slowly but surely I am approaching the later phase of #Saxon, still 5 records to go in my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney though.

Anyways, #nowplaying #NeedForSpeed

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=HqXsuaw2Iwc&feature=share

16/23 on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney is #Saxon's 2004 release #Lionheart.

I really like what they did from #Metalhead onwards, let's see if they continue this path.

Fun fact: the title is refering to Richard the Lionheart, who was once captured in a castle in 🇦🇹 .

#nowplaying #WitchfinderGeneral, which is an absolute banger 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbo0gSqQjhw&feature=share

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney update:

#DragonsLair is 🔥 This one goes directly into my "Heavy" playlist.

#Saxon fun fact: Killing Ground was their first album that entered the French charts. Sacre bleu! 🥖 🇫🇷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=d6p_KhY_Yhs&feature=share

#nowplaying

15/23 is #Saxon's first album of the 21st century. It is called #KillingGround and was release in September 2001.

Let's see if #Saxon continues their heavier path in my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney.

The title track is killer! I hear doublebass, nice! 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=TkNU628Pf1Y&feature=share

#nowplaying

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney update:

I really like that with #Metalhead #Saxon got much heavier.

#PissOff for example is a great heavy tune 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xGWj2_1Xztk&feature=share

While all hell is breaking loose with #Saxon's #AllHellBreakingLoose on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney, my thoughts on #UnleashTheBeast...

This one rocks hard! Much better than its predecessor. I have no idea why it pretty much flew under the radar.

I didn't like the ballads though, but the closer is killer track!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=mLTOhGyUOeM&feature=share

#nowplaying

13/23 of my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney is #UnleashTheBeast from 1997.

The intro hints a bit of a gothic theme...

The title track starts with a fine, very old-school riff 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=W97EZEe8rc4&feature=share

#nowplaying #Saxon

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney update:

Ok, #Saxon's #DogsOfWar is not bad, but it feels like they lost the momentum they gained with their previous albums.

From what I read, with Dogs Of War and their next one, #UnleashTheBeast, they reached their low point in popularity.

Let's hear why...

12/23 is #DogsOfWar and I am now halfway through #Saxon's huge catalogue on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney.

Will there be another mid-decade style change like in the 80s?

#BurningWheels sounds like a good one 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cvywUFIb3rI&feature=share

#nowplaying

Oh, I just learned that #ForeverFree was (partly) recorded in Vienna 🇦🇹

Looks like #Saxon pretty much flew under the radar in the 90s.

What a shame, #SolidBallOfRock and #ForeverFree are really fun 🤘

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney

11/23 of my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney is #ForeverFree, which continues the path taken with #SolidBallOfRock.
Edgy, I like it 🤘

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=kjjadjwM6UE&feature=share

#Saxon #nowplaying #MetalMittwoch

Oh yes, #SolidBallOfRock sounds much better compared to their mid/end 80s stuff. Looks like they needed this short break.

Are there any veteran #Saxon fans in here? How did you feel about the album when it came out?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=FtgBIX2DykE&feature=share

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney #nowplaying

10/23 we fast forward 3 years and are now at #Saxon's 1991 release #SolidBallOfRock.

God, I hope they changed the direction, the previous 2-3 albums were... meh.

The title track sounds very promising so far!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=eeEXeQCMvno&feature=share

Sorry for my double postings, I screwed up my thread and had to repost everything to have it back in order 😬

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney #MetalMittwoch

Hmmmpf... no, I didn't like #Destiny.
I can see why people might like it though.

I will continue my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney after a short work break. I will be back with #SolidBallOfRock soon!

#MetalMittwoch #Saxon

Ok, #RockTheNations doesn't suck, but it doesn't stand out either. Feels like an add-on to #InnocenceIsNoExcuse.

But #PartyTilYouPuke is actually funny 😂

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=JSnh3ooFmIw&feature=share

#SexySaxon #MetalJourney #MetalMittwoch #Saxon #nowplaying

8/23 is #Saxon's 1986 release #RockTheNations

But before I start, a word on #InnocenceIsNoExcuse: I bet this one was very controversially received by their fanbase. It was fun though.

Now onto #RockTheNations. I have this weird feeling that it will suck...

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=YoALAI8h_as&feature=share

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney #MetalMittwoch #nowplaying #tootradio

Yep, #Saxon's #InnocenceIsNoExcuse is as 80s as its album cover.

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney #MetalMittwoch

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xNbB1bqgd-k&feature=share

7/23 is #InnocenceIsNoExcuse from 1985 and it has a very different album cover compared to their other ones.

With #RockinAgain it starts very 80ish, which, of course, makes sense, given that we are in the 80s 😂

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=y4VXQDRcsZ0&feature=share

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney #MetalMittwoch #Saxon

6/23 on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney is #Crusader, released in 1984, the year I was born (so it has to be a good one).

Ooh, the title track starts niiiice!

I guess with #Crusader we are deep in #Saxon's #PowerMetal phase that started with #PowerAndTheGlory? Did I get this right?

#Saxon #MetalMittwoch #nowplaying

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4AdP6WtYZ9Y&feature=share

So far, I hear early #PowerMetal. You can clearly tell that #Saxon had a new drummer on this record.

A lot of the #Motörhead resemblance was actually because of the drumming, reminded me a lot of #PhilTaylor.

#Nightmare has a bit of a hair metal vibe to it 🤔

Very interesting record so far! Maybe even the best on my #SexySaxon #Metaljourney yet.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=weV_x9pjiiQ&feature=share

5/23 is #PowerAndTheGlory from 1983.

Seems like the Motörhead vibes are gone now and #Saxon found their own style. Or is it the other way round? Let me know what you think!

I really like those deep dives. Esp. in chronological order, you can hear the evolution of the band's sound and style.

#SexySaxon #Metaljourney

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=YzdoM3zCNCY&feature=share