The veterans have got the thick skin, that's the image that we have of Saxon who offers a 22nd album, "Thunderbolt". Biff Byford's band seems never wanting to stop. "Battering Ram" was a great vintage and the tour that followed was long but no break seems to be on the agenda of a band that seems to be willing to resist time. Without revolutionizing themselves, they offer us records of a beautiful variety. "Thunderbolt" is part of this approach, the cover with the eagle and the sword is reminiscent of the 80s.
In this context, Saxon does not pretend and launches some missiles. At the beginning with the eponymous title he signs a classic single, the one that federates an audience with a fast rhythm, an obvious chorus and typical riffs and soli. In the heart of the album several tracks are even more incisive: 'Predator', 'Sniper' and 'Speed Merchants' impress with a power worthy of a Judas Priest. On vocals, Biff shows that he hasn't lost any of his vocal strength, while the Scaratt-Quinn duo enjoys themselves with ultra heavy riffs and solos.
But Saxon varies the subject to avoid weariness. The old style hard rock is in the spotlight with two nuggets. First, there is a poignant tribute to Motörhead with 'They Played Rock'n'Roll'. Without simply copying the legend of the genre, Saxon offers an excellent track both fat and energetic. Also in this optic, 'Roadie's Song' is an excellent track in a bikers spirit. We also find epic tracks close to Crusader. The Secret Of Flight' and 'Sons Of Odin' are great successes making the listener travel as in an action movie. Finally there is a small UFO with 'Nosferatu': darker, this track is reminiscent of what Blue Öyster Cult offers with an excellent deep vocal.
"Thunderbolt" is a very good album from Saxon. The British group has signed a work of great quality in which it displays all its know-how. The story continues and we can only hope that it will last for some time, the band doing honor to a certain idea of heavy metal.