Saxon / Bloodstock Open Air 2021 / 2CDR

Saxon / Bloodstock Open Air 2021 / 2CDR / Shades

Ronnie James Dio Stage, Catton Park, Walton-upon-Trent, UK 15th August 2021

Play sample :

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SAXON, the hero of the heavy metal world, has finally completed the 24th new work and has begun to move toward a full-scale return. Introducing the finest live album that conveys the latest stage.
It is “August 15, 2021 BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR performance” that is imbued with such a work. It is the best audience recording when it appeared on the last day of the metal festival representing the UK. The cover album “INSPIRATIONS” is also a new SAXON in memory, but the original new work has also been completed, and the release date has been announced although the title has not been announced. First, let’s take a bird’s eye view of the recent situation of resuming such activities.

● 2021
<< Release of “INSPIRATIONS” on March 19 >>
・ August 15: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR appearance ← ★ Coco ★
・ November 13: METAL HAMMER PARADISE appearance
・ December 3 + 4: RUHRPOTT METAL MEETING appearance
● 2022
・ January 28: Glasgow performance
《February 24: New release scheduled》

This is the 2021/2022 schedule that has been announced so far. It was supposed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its debut in 2019, but it was crushed by the new Corona Pandemic. Biff Byford’s solo work “SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS” and cover album “INSPIRATIONS” have been connected. Then, in 2021, the resurrection signal was finally raised. Even now, only sporadic festival appearances are announced, not tours, but the appearance of “BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR” is the first of these.
This work recorded at such a show is the best recording with “super”. If you are a keen person, I think that this work has already come to the fore, but this work was recorded by the same recorder as the simultaneous release JUDAS PRIEST version “BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2021 (Shades 1391)”, and the taste of outdoor recording is maximized. Ultra-thick sound that makes the most of it. It seems that it was recorded from a microphone directed to the PA tower away from the stage (guess), and while the sound was captured in close contact with zero distance, the enthusiasm of the scene was far away. Perhaps because of the wind in the field, if you listen carefully with headphones, you may feel a slight fluctuation in the tone, but it is almost the best sound that you can think of as “a sound board directly connected to a mix table !?”.
The super direct and powerful sound is drawn with a selection of masterpieces that are different from the official work “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE” while concentrating the glory of 40 years. Let’s organize by comparing here.

● 80’s Classics (10 songs)
・ STRONG ARM OF THE LAW: Strong Arm Of The Law (★)
・ WHEELS OF STEEL: Motorcycle Man (★) / Wheels Of Steel (★) / 747 (Strangers in the Night)
・ DENIM AND LEATHER: Denim And Leather / Never Surrender (★) / And The Bands Played On (★) / Princess Of The Night
・ POWER & THE GLORY: The Eagle Has Landed / Power And The Glory
● Since the 90’s (5 songs)
・ SOLID BALL OF ROCK: Solid Ball of Rock (★)
・ DOGS OF WAR: Dogs of War (★)
・ BATTERING RAM: Battering Ram
・ THUNDERBOLT: They Played Rock and Roll / Thunderbolt
* Note: The “★” mark is a song that cannot be heard in the official work “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE”.

… And it looks like this. Masamichi Greatest Hits who firmly held down the representative songs of the past without being surprised by the super rare songs like JUDAS PRIEST. Because “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE” was a special set with a twist, about half of the songs were covered, and the other half were representative songs of the 80’s and 90’s. It’s a live album that is perfect for listening to this work alone, and it’s also delicious as a supplement to “40 LIVE”.
Although there was no new song that attracted attention, SAXON showed the style of the champion with its imposing staging. It is a new masterpiece that allows you to experience the latest stage with superb sound. This is a delicious one even in the sister work of the hot topic JUDAS PRIEST. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.

★ The best audience recording of “August 15, 2021 BLOOD STOCK performance”. An ultra-thick sound that maximizes the taste of outdoor recording in the same recorder collection as the simultaneous release of JUDAS PRIEST “Shades 1391”. It seems that it was recorded from a microphone directed to the PA tower away from the stage, and while the sound output was captured at zero distance / close contact, the enthusiasm of the site was far away. It’s a superb sound that makes you think, “Sound board directly connected to the mix table !?” Half of the set does not cover the official work “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE”, and there are plenty of classic songs from the past. It is a new masterpiece where you can fully experience the latest stage of the hero SAXON who showed the style of the champion.

24枚目となる新作も完成させ、いよいよ本格復帰に向けて動き出したヘヴィメタル界の英雄SAXON。その最新ステージを伝える極上ライヴアルバムが登場です。
そんな本作に吹き込まれているのは「2021年８月15日BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR公演」。英国を代表するメタルフェスの最終日に出演した際の極上オーディエンス録音です。カバーアルバム『INSPIRATIONS』も記憶に新しいSAXONですが、オリジナル新作も完成させており、タイトルは非公表ながら発売日も発表済み。まずは、そんな活動再開の近況を俯瞰してみましょう。

●2021年
《３月19日『INSPIRATIONS』発売》
・８月15日：BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR出演　←★ココ★
・11月13日：METAL HAMMER PARADISE出演
・12月３日＋４日：RUHRPOTT METAL MEETING出演
●2022年
・１月28日：グラスゴウ公演
《２月24日：新作リリース予定》

これが現在までに公表されている2021年／2022年のスケジュール。2019年に大々的にデビュー40周年を祝うはずでしたが、新型コロナ・パンデミックによって頓挫。ビフ・バイフォードのソロ作『SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS』やカバーアルバム『INSPIRATIONS』で繋いできました。そして、2021年にいよいよ復活の狼煙を上げた。現在もツアーではなく散発的なフェッス出演しか公表されていないものの、“BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR”出演はその第一弾なのです。
そんなショウで記録された本作は、「超」付きの極上録音。カンの鋭い方ならもうピンと来ていると思いますが、本作を記録したのは同時リリースのJUDAS PRIEST篇『BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2021（Shades 1391）』と同じ録音家で、野外録音の旨みを最大限に活かした超極太サウンド。ステージから離れたＰＡ塔に向けたマイクから録音したと思われ（推測）、出音がゼロ距離ド密着で捉えられつつ、現場の熱狂は遙か彼方。現場の風の影響か、ヘッドフォンで耳を澄ますと微妙に音色に揺らぎも感じますが、ほぼほぼ「ミックス卓の直結サウンドボード!?」と思うほどの極上サウンドなのです。
その超ダイレクト＆パワフル・サウンドで描かれるのは、40年の栄光をギュギュッと濃縮しつつ、公式作『THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE』とも異なる名曲選。ここで比較しながら整理してみましょう。

●80年代クラシックス（10曲）
・STRONG ARM OF THE LAW：Strong Arm Of The Law（★）
・WHEELS OF STEEL：Motorcycle Man（★）／Wheels Of Steel（★）／747 (Strangers in the Night)
・DENIM AND LEATHER：Denim And Leather／Never Surrender（★）／And The Bands Played On（★）／Princess Of The Night
・POWER & THE GLORY：The Eagle Has Landed／Power And The Glory
●90年代以降（５曲）
・SOLID BALL OF ROCK：Solid Ball of Rock（★）
・DOGS OF WAR：Dogs of War（★）
・BATTERING RAM：Battering Ram
・THUNDERBOLT：They Played Rock and Roll／Thunderbolt
※注：「★」印は公式作『THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE』では聴けない曲。

……と、このようになっています。JUDAS PRIESTのような超激レア曲でびっくりされることもなく、往年の代表曲をしっかりと押さえた正道グレイテスト・ヒッツ。『THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE』がヒネリの利いた特別セットだったこともあってか被っている曲は約半分で意外なほど少なく、残り半分も80年代・90年代の代表曲。本作単体でも聴き応え満点のライヴアルバムですし、『40 LIVE』の補足編としても美味しいのです。
注目された新曲の披露はなかったものの、その堂々たるステージングで王者の風格を見せつけたSAXON。その最新ステージを超極上サウンドで体験できる新名盤です。話題沸騰のJUDAS PRIEST篇の姉妹作でも美味しい１本。どうぞ、心ゆくまで存分にお楽しみください。

★「2021年８月15日BLOODSTOCK公演」の極上オーディエンス録音。同時リリースのJUDAS PRIEST篇『Shades 1391』と同じ録音家コレクションで、野外録音の旨みを最大限に活かした超極太サウンド。ステージから離れたＰＡ塔に向けたマイクから録音したと思われ、出音がゼロ距離／ド密着で捉えられつつ、現場の熱狂は遙か彼方。ほぼ「ミックス卓の直結サウンドボード!?」と思うほどの極上サウンドです。セットの半分は公式作『THE EAGLE HAS LANDED 40 LIVE』とも被らず、往年の名曲もたっぷり。王者の風格を見せつけた英雄SAXONの最新ステージをフル体験できる新名盤です。

Disc 1(37:13)
1. Intro 1 Brian Blessed
2. Intro 2
3. Motorcycle Man
4. Battering Ram
5. Wheels Of Steel
6. They Played Rock and Roll
7. Strong Arm Of The Law
8. Denim And Leather

Disc 2(44:27)
1. MC
2. Thunderbolt
3. Never Surrender
4. The Eagle Has Landed
5. Dogs Of War
6. Solid Ball Of Rock
7. And The Bands Played On
8. Power And The Glory
9. 747 (Strangers in the Night)
10. Princess Of The Night

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

Shades 1392