Saxon – The Solid Book Of Rock – Boxset Review
The complete latter-day Saxon package!
Forever Free (1992)
Track Listing: Forever Free / Hole In The Sky / Just Wanna Make Love To You / Get Down And Dirty / Iron Wheels
One Step Away / Can’t Stop Rockin’ / Nighthunter / Grind / Cloud Nine
Bonus Tracks: Princess Of The Night [live] / Forever Free [live]
Opening with a classic NWOBHM riff is never going to upset the hardcore fans and, on 1992’s Forever Free, riffs of a similar calibre just kept on coming!
Here’s where Saxon truly proved their mettle in a decade reeling from the arrival of grunge, death metal and the gradual demise of thrash. This was blue-collar music, purpose built to recapture the imaginations of those who first fell in love with Biff and the boys in the 80’s and Forever Free certainly retains its charms. Muscular, heavy and downright catchy throughout, this took the world by surprise in ’92 and has the ability to do the same today.
This is an undervalued early 90’s classic and it’s high time you rediscover it….you’ll be on cloud nine if you do! 8/10
Two live tracks make up the bonuses here and they’re fine; nothing more, nothing less. But, you don’t listen to Forever Free for these bonus tracks, you come for the METAL and that’s exactly what Saxon give you.
Ordered mine, and can’t wait for it to arrive. The only disc I already have from the boxset is Inner Sanctum. That album goes to show how great heavy metal music can be overlooked.
You won’t regret it Glen, it’s an outstanding set. Saxon have been ridiculously consistent over the years and this boxset proves how some of the finest metal of the past 2 decades has been overlooked!
Fully agree with this review. An outstanding set from a very very consistent band. ESSENTIAL
Thanks Jimmy, much appreciated! Essential indeed \m/