Saxon
Under-rated Metal GODZ, Saxon were the epitome of the NWoBHM right from the very start. Not only that, but they were one its highest-calibre, not to mention highest volume players.
There can be no doubt that Saxon influenced the fledgling Metallica - listen to the song "Seek and Destroy", particularly at the faster section of the solo. Now listen to "Princess of the Night" by Saxon, at approximately the same location in the song.
Cue - 3:34
[youtube]ss9WiEW95fI[/youtube]
...just listen to "Princess of the Night" anyway won't ya - it's frickin' AWESOME!
"
Speeding, sparks like lightning
Engine working hard
Furnace on the foot plate
Shining in the night
Iron striking metal
The sound of racing steel"
Everything about this conjours up the atmosphere of the Sheffield steel works that these boys knew the reality of intimately. This is REAL working class metal;
Cue - 1:48 (although there is some soloing prior to that which sounRAB suspiciously like Kirk Hammett's style);
[youtube]-49noOAFsG8[/youtube]
Uncanny reserablance, huh?
Saxon epitomise the British Heavy Metal style by starting off in a somewhat Proggy vein - yeah, you read right - then refined their sound over 4 albums without losing identity, integrity or variety in their music.
If you thought Saxon were all balls-to-the-wall high-octane power metal, you'd be wrong.
Check this nice proggy piece from their debut and weep;
[youtube]UvfQsIhlXb4[/youtube]
You want more prog metal stuff, with vocal harmonies and multiple key/tempo changes?
You got it!
[youtube]PFiHAq2XF0k[/youtube]
(didn't Metallica also write stuff about "Metal Militia" or some such?).
...and this, which almost rates as a ballad from the must-have "Wheels of Steel" album. Feel those chills run up and down your spine!;
[youtube]mXw_1cYg--E[/youtube]
But don't forget the high speed stuff;
[youtube]8gA70urVnbs[/youtube]
Saxon just got better with time - although they sadly left behind the complexities of their debut, they never lost the metal soul of their music;
[youtube]2WXZABuyrab4[/youtube]
...and it wasn't just the fast stuff they were good at - check out this ANTHEM;
[youtube]7NnQZSi6hxQ[/youtube]
Saxon were also dynamite live - here's the evidence;
[youtube]WoRoh-xDJrI[/youtube]
Finally:
Wheels of Steel, 747 (Strangers in The Night), Strong Arm of the Law, Dallas 1PM, And the BanRAB Played On - what more could you want?
Saxon - Metal Godz.