Customer Reviews

Innocence Is No Excuse

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

 

 

Finally we get to the late 80's Saxon albums - the ones many a Saxon fan wishes they'd never heard. The band was one of the breakout stars of the legendary New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene, but by 1985 the band just wasn't the same hard-charging young "denim and leather" crew. Saxon's post-NWOBHM albums may have been more commercial and overly polished, but they still rocked.

Originally released in 1985, Innocence Is No Excuse was Saxon's seventh studio album. It's definitely more polished and melodic than previous Saxon releases, but some of the singles here (I'm thinking "Rockin' Again," "Back on the Streets" and "Rock n' Roll Gypsy") would have fit on albums like Crusader or Power & the Glory. You can tell the band was trying to capture some of the success Def Leppard enjoyed, with catchier songs and a production job by one of Mutt Lange's protégés, and I can see how metal fans would have a problem with that. I happen to love melodic rock so I found Innocence Is No Excuse quite enjoyable.

It's not as essential as their NWOBHM-era masterpieces Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law, but Innocence Is No Excuse is still a really good melodic hard rock album that shouldn't be overlooked. Open-minded Saxon fans should enjoy it, as should any fan of the 80's British melodic hard rock sound.

Edition Notes - EMI reissued Innocence Is No Excuse (along with Rock the Nations and Destiny) in 2010, completing their run of Saxon reissues (and that cool Saxon logo you see when you line the CDs up on your shelf!) Once again, the remastering is incredible. In addition to the digitally remastered sound, the reissue of Innocence Is No Excuse features expanded liner notes by Classic Rock's Malcolm Dome and seven bonus tracks. The bonus tracks include an alternate mix of "Back On the Streets," studio b-sides "Live Fast Die Young" and "Krakatoa," a 9-minute live medley, and three live songs from the era. Between the remastered sound, liner notes and bonus tracks, there are plenty of reasons to replace your old version of Innocence Is No Excuse.

Saxon are barely a footnote in the US despite their being a perennial favorite in Britain and Europe to this day. The band, like all metal bands who've been around a while has its weaker moments, and especially strong. "Innocence Is No Excuse" is one of the most powerful and best produced albums of the earlier days, and should have been a classic in league with "Back In Black", "British Steel" or "The Number Of The Beast". Instead, one can only find it as a special order import, but it's worth the search.
Saxon easily bridged the gap between loud rock n' roll ala AC/DC and all out metal, like its brethren Judas Priest or Iron Maiden. On "Innocence", the rock and roll face shines throughout with great loud duel guitar by Graham Oliver and mainstay Paul Quinn, impassioned vocals by Biff Byford and tunes that are mid-tempo and full of hooks that should have propelled these guys to headliner status.
Let's be glad, however, that Saxon's underground US audience and rabid European following have allowed them to stay in business and continue to release new material as tough and heavy as anything on the shelf. "The Inner Sanctum", the newest CD, is a fine addition to the catalogue. For those who miss the age of early '80's metal, that brief time before glam posuers from LA took over, and thrash was still in its diapers, "Innocence Is No Excuse" is a must have.

Far and above their best album, and Steve Dawson's final one. Later albums don't have the same punch, although you've still got Biff belting out the tunes. This album simply rocks, with Devil Rides Out and Back On The Streets. Also shows their compasionate side with Broken Heroes, dedicated to the Vietnam Veterans. Saw these guys live in Oakland in late '85, and their live performance rivals that of anyone. This CD is a "must have" in your metal collection

BY FAR THE BEST SAXON ALBUM EVER! STEVE 'DOBBY' DAWSON'S LAST ALBUM WITH THE BAND AND SO FAR HIS FINEST MATERIAL. FULL OF CLASSIC SAXON TRACKS BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST, PROVING DOBBY'S INFLUENCE ON THE BAND. THE CLASSICS 'ROCK AND ROLL GYPSY, BACK ON THE STREETS AND BROKEN HEROES' HAVE AND WILL ALWAYS STAND THE TEST OF TIME. UNFORTUNATELY THE BANDS SUCCESS AND POPULARITY WAINED AFTER THIS. HOPEFULLY, OLIVER/DAWSON SAXON CAN CONTINUE THE HITS FROM THIS POINT. UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST OF THE CLASSIC SAXON ALBUMS. A MUST!!!!

I was finally able to replace my worn out cassette tape of "Innocence is no Excuse". Why is this album so tough to find on CD? Thankfully, I saw a used CD copy listed here on Amazon at a reasonable price and picked it up.

After listening to "Innocence" again, I have to say I appreciate the album much more than I did 20 years ago upon it's initial release. While it may not be my favorite Saxon album, as a fan I had to have a copy to complete my Saxon CD library.

There are some great tunes here:

"Broken Heroes" - A cool anti-war tune with a memorable chorus that will ring through your head after one listen.

"Everybody Up" - Another great hair-metal anthem from a band the laid down the blueprint for hair-metal anthems. I would love to have seen these guys perform this live.

"Give it Everything You've Got" - Nigel Glockler's drum work on this tune is phenomenal. The driving drums carry the tune to whole new level, and represent why Glockler is one of the premiere drummers of the 80's metal scene.

I know many fans felt Saxon had "sold out" and tried to go for a more "glam" sound with this album. I disagree. Sure, the tunes were radio friendly for the most part, and I'm sure they were striving for success in America with tunes like "Rock n' Roll Gypsy" or "Call of the Wild". But the Saxon sound you know and love is still present on these cuts, and "Innocence" captures the band in their prime. If you are a fan of the band, you owe it to yourself to pick up this disk. (but good luck finding it!!)

Saxon's no excuse was one of the best they made
during the 80's. The songs and the production are
excellent. Songs like Devil Rides Out, Everybody Up,
Rock n' Roll Gypsy are catchy rockers and of course
the brilliant Broken Heroes! It was the 4th Saxon Lp
I bought at the time. it's one of my favorites. I lost
touch with them in the early 90's but then Dogs of WAr
got me into the newer stuff. The new Lp Inner Sanctum
is one of the best they ever made! If you are into them
or not I recommend this and the new LP. If you don't have
Eagle has landed you aren't a true rock fan! get them now!

Sheer delight.AHHH splendid (Whoo!)orange Juice for the soul.My mamma used to make pies that rival this.It's got guitars with a very unique and distinctive sound,yet classic metal that defines the Genre."Ace of Spades" by Motorhad does such a thing as well.ThinK in those terms.Oh Ye Blasphemers,don't let life Drag you down.My Life's ok.Is it a horrible thinbg that Sarolta DeFaltay isn't speaking to mEright noW? Who knows..

Enjoy this it was so well crafted I laughed at(Amazing!) how flawlessy the songs flow one intO the other: How could so many classics just ooze out of these guys? Fitting genius sucH as MotorheaDs "Ace of SpAdeS." I hope Deena doesn't mind me saying it's: DEena ButTa BrilliAnce.I really like those folks at the "SHip" of IsiS.

Not so popular as "Eagle Has Landed" or "Denim And Leather" but shows Saxon in good condition too. "Innocence..." sounds more monumental then earlier productions, but it's still the same music full of good guitar riffs and few pretty good melodies like "Broken Heroes" R&R Gypsy

Saxon, led by singer Biff Byford gave heavy metal a real fuel injection in the early 1980's, and their early albums are all classics that should be included in any metal fan's album collection. As the years went by, I guess Saxon became more and more eager to break into the American market where the British unpolished heavy metal hadn't appealed to the masses. "INNOCENT IS NO EXCUSE" (1985) is not Saxon's weakest album but it has a overall polished and more radio friendly approach suitable for American record buyers. Melodic tunes like "Back on the streets again" and "Call of the wild" are appealing , and the opening strong "Rocking again" together with the slow "Broken heroes" are the best songs on the album. Half of the material is good while the other half is not up to Saxon's previous standard (the dreadful debut album excluded). If you like Def Leppard's "Pyromania" and Quiet Riot's "Metal health", I bet you'll find this album enjoyable.