To the Power and the Glory
In conjunction with their current pre Spring tour and pending new album release, Saxon release their first single, 'If I Was You,' from their new long player 'The Inner Sanctum'. Saxon are also the subject of a one hour special Channel 4 program by Live 8 promoter Harvey Goldsmith. The angle of the documentary focuses on Saxon's continuing success both in Britain and Europe even though they've not had a hit single for many many years. 'If I Was You' is a result of Saxon's work with Goldstein, and an attempt for Saxon to finally have another hit song.
Is 'If I Was You' a potential hit? With the charts dominated by manufactured pop and the buying power of teenage girls (however the new downloading rules incorporated into the charts somewhat change this fact), who cares if the song is a hit. For Saxon to be a hit they'll have to be on the edge of metal but they've not been on metal's edge for twenty years thanks to changing trends and a spate of mediocre releases. The only thing that matters with this release is the song and its quality, and on those aspects alone it holds up brilliantly.
Their previous release, the critically acclaimed 'Lionheart,' didn't set my world afire for all its good reviews. But if their new album is going to be anything like 'If I Was You' then the metal world is in for a treat. There's a certain energy to the song, although fairly simple, it's catchy, has a great chorus and a slick yet raw production. Couple this with a re-recorded version of '747 (strangers in the night)' and you have the recipe for an excellent release. It may not be a hit chart-wise but it could be the downpour before the monsoon is upon us.