Shane’s Rock Challenge: SAXON- 1980 – Strong Arm Of The Law

Shane’s Rock Challenge: SAXON- 1980 – Strong Arm Of The Law
By Shane Pinnegar
8/10

Biff Byford and the boys were riding high after their excellent second record, Wheels Of Steel, when they released this NWOBHM (C’mon, we’ve talked about this already – New Wave Of British Heavy Metal – don’t make me explain it again or it’ll be detention for you!) classic.

Showing a lyrical depth that perhaps only Iron Maiden rivalled, songs included the title track (cops try and bust the band for drugs, but “the only speed we use is our car”), the headbanging classics Heavy Metal Thunder (a clarion call to an entire movement) and To Hell And Back Again, and, best of all, Dallas 1pm, a slow burner that documents the assassination of JFK. You don’t hear George Michael singing.about THAT!

Yeah, Sixth Form Girls is a bit more generic-metal cliche, but as albums go, Strong Arm Of The Law still stands as a high point for a band who never wanted to be the heaviest or fastest players in town, but produced some of the finest music of the time.

Category: Shane's Rock Challenge