Wheels of Steel

Saxon is a band that needs little introduction. They are a highly influential band that was part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM) movement. They have a trilogy of classic albums that cemented their legacy. I'll be reviewing the first of said trilogy, Wheels of Steel. A huge step up from their self-titled debut, this sophomore album from Saxon is undeniably a classic.

And a classic album with iconic tunes no less. Opening track "Motorcycle Man" lives up to its title, as the punk rock influences literally make it sound like if its made for bikers. "747 (Strangers in the Night)" stands out for having some killer psychedelic guitar tones to it, possibly being influenced by albums like The Doors' self-titled debut. Wheels of Steel's title track has some rather groovy guitar leads which makes it a perfect example of a song that influenced thrash metal. Just go compare the song to Metallica's "Seek & Destroy" and you'll understand my reasoning.

Being a NWoBHM band and having influenced thrash, Saxon is influenced by punk rock. This is perfectly displayed by Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver's guitar play on Wheels of Steel, which blends the punk influence with traditional metal. The solos are quick and the riffs are a strong demonstration of Saxon's genre as seen on tracks like "Machine Gun". Pete Gill's drumming is generally in the mid tempo range, but on songs like "Freeway Mad", he'll play at a more fast paced tempo reminiscent of Black Flag. Biff Byford's vocals on Wheels of Steel are different compared to say, Denim and Leather as his vocals are essentially a cross between a Paul Di'Anno rasp and Bruce Dickinson's soaring vocals. A good example of this comparison is on "Street Fighting Gang" which is also notable for having Oliver Dawson's best bass performance on Wheels of Steel.

Although I'd find a street fighting gang to be dangerous and scary, Wheels of Steel has all of the punches and kicks for a NWoBHM album. Along with Motörhead's Ace of Spades it pretty much served as the basis for a pseudo genre known as "biker metal". But unlike Motörhead, Saxon embraced metal as their genre and ended up becoming one of the biggest bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. As the band's breakthrough hit, Wheels of Steel is essential for any metalhead and it does not need a reason for this perfect score. This was a masterpiece since it was released almost forty years ago.