Customer Reviews

Crusader

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have every Saxon recording of the 80s and 90s and there isn't a bad song on any of them. Crusader blends excellent musicianship with well written lyrics. Biff Byford has a signature heavy metal voice with incredible range. Crusader is a 5 star recording as Saxon is a 5 star band. Buy any Saxon recording (Crusader is my personal favorite) you will not be disappointed. No three chord songs here. Crank up "Sailing To America." This song still gives me the chills even after 16 years-excellent hook and chorus!! I'm sill suprised that they were not bigger here in the states during the 80s heavy metal heyday.

This album still sounds good to me 16 years later. Excellent musicianship, great production and a heavy sound make this a great addition to any fan of 80's heavy metal.

Favorite songs are: "Crusader", "Do it All For You", "A Little Bit of What You Fancy", and a cover of the Sweet's "Set Me Free".

Byford has a bit of a high voice, but it goes well with the music and rounds out what I consider to be a timeless classic of mid-80's heavy metal. Enjoy!

I'll give it 3 1/2 stars.Originally released in 1984,this was Saxon's seventh lp.I remember seeing them as support act for Motley Crue on their 'Shout At The Devil' tour.Yes,this really happened.While 'Crusader' may not be the band's best album,it's still very much worth having a copy of.While I've heard other fans comment that 'Crusader' was Saxon's last 'good' lp,that simply isn't the case.In this fan's humble opinion,Saxon to THIS very day,is still able to cut a good record.Tunes I do remember them doing live(their set was nearly as long as the Crue's)was probably the better tracks off the album,which were "Sailing To America",the title cut "Crusader","Just Let Me Rock","Bad Boys(Like Rock And Roll)" and maybe the 'sort of' metal anthem "Rock City".Rest assure,'Crusader' holds Biff Byford's signature vocals and the crisp guitar sound of axemen Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver fully intact.A decent find.

Although never breaking through in the States like fellow British metal bands Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, Saxon released several strong albums in the early to mid-80's and Crusader would be their last one until they went back to their roots in the '90s. Starting with their previous release, Power and the Glory, Saxon added more melody to their heavy sound in order to gain popularity in the U.S. While Power and the Glory suffered from a lack of memorable songs, Crusader was a stronger release and while their sound was more polished than on classics like Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law, it was still hard enough to please their diehard fans while being more accessible.

Most of the songs here are strong and have something to please all metal fans. If you like melodic metal, it doesn't get much better than "Sailing to America." With its memorable melodies and choruses and its killer guitar solos, it's on par with Def Leppard's most melodic (and way more popular) material. "Just Let Me Rock" and "Run for Your Lives" are melodic mid-tempo numbers while "A Little Bit of What You Fancy" and "Rock City" were good anthems although not on the level of "Wheels of Steel" or "Denim and Leather". Like many of the British bands of the day, Saxon tried their hand at writing an epic and while the title track won't make you forget Iron Maiden's "Hallowed Be Thy Name" or Judas Priest's "Beyond the Realms of Death", it's still very good. Other good tracks include the pulsing "Bad Boys (Like to Rock N' Roll)" and a scorching version of Sweet's "Set Me Free." Finally, "Do It All for You" is one of the great metal ballads that could appeal to both love sick teenagers and hard rock fans. All told, Crusader would the last of the strong Saxon albums for awhile as Rock the Nations and Destiny (among others) would suffer from both a lack of focus and weak songwriting.

Crusader is one of Saxon's best songs but this
album isn't one of their best. the production
and mix is horrible. I've listen to this a few
times and I just can't get into it and I'm a
big fan! I don't know what it is. Other than
Little Bit of What You Fancy and Just Let Me
Rock I don't hear anything else that stands out.
Some others seem to love it so.... maybe it has
something. Saxon is one of the best metal bands
of all time and it's still better than the [...]
that was out at the time and out now! I recommend
Greatest Hits Live before this for a collection
of their best and then you decide. rock on1

This was the first album by Saxon that I ever heard and maybe that predjudiced me towards it, but I think it is the best one that they ever recorded (not that any of their other albums were bad). From the very first lick in the prelude, the first thing that hits you is the awesome drum tracks. I mean, they have the sound and the acoustics for this entire album tuned in perfectly, but the drums, to me, just stand out. "Just Let Me Rock" is by far one of the best rock anthems, in my opinion, of all time, but there is nary a bad song in the group. As a matter of fact, all of them flat out kill. At one point in time, this cassette got stuck in my tape deck in my van (with a 3500 watt system)and I was fine with that....for all two months of it. Give it a try---you won't be dissapointed.

Biff Byford is the signature voice for this long enduring British Metal band. Byford always sounds great, and this album is no exception. Sometimes his vocal tone reminds me of Ian Gillan from Deep Purple. This is a great album.

"Crusader" is one of the most beautiful metal anthems i have ever heard. "Just Let Me Rock" & "Bad Boys" are also very strong tunes.

After "Wheels", "Strong Arm", "Denim" and "Power", this was not exactly their heaviest, finest hour. (Even the band admits it was something of a commercial departure). Nevertheless, it contains some great tunes, including "Crusader", "Sailing to America" & "A Little Bit of What You Fancy". Definitely worth owning, but get the others first.

Crusader is a great album from Saxon one of the best heavy metal bands of the eighties.This album contains some of the best songs and is highly recommended.

This is a very heavy album, with the vocals being exceptional, comparable to Bruce Dickenson. The cover artwork pays tribute to knight heroes of the past. Key tracks are: Crusader, Set Me Free, Sailing to America and Do It All for You. They were one of the leaders/ pioneers of New Wave of British Heavy Metal along with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Get it to feed your urge.