Forever Free

What happened to the guitars at the beginning? They sound muddy compared to the crystal clear ’80s job of the last one. The soaring echoes are replaced by this middling electric tone without that surging power. That’s my one major complaint, if a little exaggerated, since I do end up getting used to and liking it. Other than that, Forever Free is along the same lines as the last one, Solid Ball Of Rock. In terms of songs there are mostly fast numbers which have Saxon right at home. “Iron Wheels” is the only slow one, so bar a couple dull songs Forever Free’s lighthearted attitude makes it of one of the cooler Saxon albums of the ‘90s.

From the title track’s hard-hitting rock attitude to the blitzing prowess of “Nighthunter”, this album’s definitely no slouch. It peters out starting with “Grind,” though, going for easy-listening hooks. I’m into Saxon with melody, yes, but when it becomes something that could be found on a family sitcom I find it less compelling. Charisma and energy are all there, but the velocity and impact of riffs beats easy vocal lines. Byford’s still going strong with his gruff wails and boisterous vocals, but those last two songs don’t hold much weight to them. His voice hasn’t lost its gritty or higher registers, so it’s a problem of actual vocal lines.

Give me the mid-paced chomp of “Can’t Stop Rockin’,” the mauling riffs of “One Step Away,” or the lustrous Muddy Waters cover. The eclectic leads and vigor on this album can be heard best in these songs. Headbanging will become an instinctive tick as riffs, licks, and harmonies fly. The production’s balanced overall (less independent bass), so the clarity is high despite missing a little of that ‘80s pitch. “Iron Wheels” is the only song on here that defies the cheerful approach, going for a somber, working-man’s (manly) ballad. It’s fully acoustic, with drums coming in as loud bashes. Byford’s delivers an expressive performance as good as any of his entertaining choruses, but I would have preferred a song like this closer to the end (had the album been shorter).

I can’t tell if I like this more than Solid Ball Of Rock or not. Both have dull tracks, both have ballads, and both feature Saxon doing well for the majority of it. “Iron Wheels” whoops the shit out of the slower songs on the last album, but this one tops out early, making me stick in for longer than I want to in order to finish it. The previous album was more inconsistent, so I don’t know. The one thing I do know is that both are keepers regardless of how great and bad they aren’t. They fall in that category of being good enough for what they are.