SAXON – More Inspirations

As a follow-up to Inspirations, which was released in 2021, New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends Saxon have recently put out their second covers album titled More Inspirations. The album was released on March 24, 2023 through Silver Lining Music. Saxon is one of those bands that never stops and keeps putting out music consistently. Like their previous covers album, the band wanted to pay homage to their musical influences that inspired them throughout their journey. The lineup that played on the album featured Biff Byford on lead vocals, Paul Quinn on guitars, Doug Scarratt on guitars, Nigel Glockler on drums, and Nibbs Carter on bass guitar.

Paying Tribute to Musical Heroes

Saxon doesn’t differ from the originals too much, but they do add their own heavy flavor to these songs. Their cover of The Animals’ “We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place” kicks off the album on a high note; it’s good old Rock ‘n’ Roll with a nice groove and a thick bass line. They tackle Blues Rock with ZZ Top’s “Chevrolet,” a perfect song to blast in a car down a highway. Saxon even gets experimental and creative with “The Faith Healer,” originally done by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. The highlights of the album are their covers of Alice Cooper’s “From the Inside,” which has deep and introspective lyrics, and Rainbow’s “Man on the Silver Mountain,” which has solid drumming and a ferocious guitar riff.

The only downside of More Inspirations is the band’s cover of Kiss’ “Detroit Rock City.” Byford’s vocals don’t fit the song and both bands have different vibes from each other. Kiss is a Hard Rock band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, while Saxon is a no-nonsense classic Heavy Metal band. Sometimes it’s good to take risks, but other times, going in a completely different direction than what the band is known for can be too much to handle.

Final Assessment

Overall, the album is a great follow-up to Inspirations. The musicianship is incredible and the modern production gives their music a fresh sound in the 21st century. Saxon once again proved that they haven’t missed a beat and they show no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Album Tracklist

1. We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place (The Animals cover)
2. The Faith Healer (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band cover)
3. From the Inside (Alice Cooper cover)
4. Chevrolet (ZZ Top cover)
5. Substitute (The Who cover)
6. Gypsy (Uriah Heep cover)
7. Man on the Silver Mountain (Rainbow cover)
8. Detroit Rock City (Kiss cover)
9. Razamanaz (Nazareth cover)
10. Tales of Brave Ulysses (Cream cover)

Band Lineup

Biff Byford – lead vocals
Paul Quinn – guitars
Doug Scarratt – guitars
Nigel Glockler – drums
Nibbs Carter – bass guitar