Band:	Saxon
Album:	Sacrifice
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	February 22, 2013
Guest review by:	omne metallum

Disc I
01. Procession
02. Sacrifice
03. Made In Belfast
04. Warriors Of The Road
05. Guardians Of The Tomb
06. Stand Up And Fight
07. Walking The Steel
08. Night Of The Wolf
09. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue
11. Luck Of The Draw [iTunes bonus]

Disc II [Limited Edition bonus]
01. Crusader [Orchestral version]
02. Just Let Me Rock [Re-Recorded version]
03. Requiem [Acoustic version]
04. Frozen Rainbow [Acoustic version]
05. Forever Free [Re-Recorded version]

Latter day Saxon albums can be a mixed bag; never plunging to the depths many of their NWOBHM peers sunk to, they never eclipsed them by any great margin either. Sacrifice however ensures that this cannot be applied to all their latter day albums by hitting heights the band had not reached for some time. Sacrifice serves as a reminder that you should never count a band out and a demonstration that they still have fire in them after all these years.

To be producing songs of the quality of "Guardians Of The Tomb" this far into a career is the mark of true talent; I would go so far as saying it's up there with the likes of "747" et al as their best ever song. Heavy, melodic and containing a killer chorus, it packs a hell of a punch. If I had to point to a single riff that induces headbanging, then "Made In Belfast" would be it; hypnotic as it is simple and hard hitting, being attached to a great song is an added bonus. "Stand Up And Fight" and "Night Of The Wolf" round off the biggest hitters on the album, two tracks that can give their earlier material a run for its money. "Standing In A Queue" has tongue firmly in cheek and is probably one of the best songs about one of the more mundane aspects of life; it won't blow you away, but would ironically be good to bop your head along to next time you're next at the shop.

"Walking The Steel" is the only song from the record that I skip; Saxon have done slow and powerful before, but they seem to be...well, just walking along with this track, meandering off into the distance with little to miss. While It does nothing to make me detest it, it does less to make me want to hear it again.

The band have always sounded like they are giving their all and that is no different here; the music is tight and concise throughout. The production is a hidden gem on this album; it takes awhile before you really notice how well the drums support the music, finding a pocket that allows it to add that extra bit of energy to the music without drowning anyone out.

If I had to pick a Saxon album that wasn't from the 80s for someone, I would reach for Sacrifice with no hesitation. NWOBHM may long be in the rear view mirror by now, but Saxon are as relevant here as they were during the glory days of the genre.