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Saxon / Heavy Metal titans to release new album Carpe Diem in February

Saxon will release their 23rd studio album Carpe Diem on 4 February 2022, via Siver Lining Music. Their new single and album title track, Carpe Diem (Seize The Day), has been released today, and Biff told MetalTalk that a Seize The Day world tour will follow.

“It all starts with the riff,” Biff Byford says. “If the riff speaks to me, then we’re on our way. It’s a very intense album, and that’s all down to the fact that the essence of a great Metal song is the riff that starts it, and this album has loads of them.”

The new album from the masters of British Metal contains ten tracks full of classic Saxon riffs and has been their most dynamic album for some time.

Carpe Dien was produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering.

“We want every album we make to go platinum,” says Biff. “We never make an album that we don’t expect to be fantastic because there are no laurels around here, and as a band, we’re always trying to do something a little bit new, a little bit daring.

“I love fast metal like Princess of the Night and 20,000 Feet, and I try and bring that style of Saxon into the music now, but in a more modern style.

“We don’t sound like an old band on records because we’re not sitting back on our past success. We’re always trying to make a great album.”

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The intensity on the new album is fired by two events, as Biff explains. “It’s been a difficult two years,” he says, “because I had the heart attack back in September 2019, so things went a bit pear-shaped for the band.

“And then COVID-19 hit two or three months later, but luckily, we started writing and recording this album before COVID-19. We did the drums in Germany, and we did the guitars in various places.

“I was doing a lot of writing while I was in the hospital bed, and we spent quite a long time writing and arranging the ideas that we all had. I do think it’s a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the COVID-19 period.”

The title track, Carpe Diem, is a good indication of the album to follow. “In Latin, it means to seize the day, and I think it’s a great thing to say,” Biff says. “It’s what the Romans used to say to each other on a regular basis, apparently. Never having met one, I wouldn’t know. But we’re gonna do the Seize The Day world tour, the album’s Carpe Diem, this song’s called Carpe Diem (Seize the Day), and it’s such a powerful thing to say.”

Capre Diem can be pre-ordered from smarturl.it/SAXONCARPEDIEM

Saxon – Carpe Diem

1. Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)
2. Age of Steam
3. The Pilgrimage
4. Dambusters
5. Remember the Fallen
6. Super Nova
7. Lady In Gray
8. All for One
9. Black is the Night
10. Living On the Limit

Saxon are:

BIFF BYFORD – Vocals
PAUL QUINN – Guitar
NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums
DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar
NIBBS CARTER – Bass

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