Killing Ground

Saxon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 18, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• ASIN: B00005O6ZR
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #817,661 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. Killing Ground

3. Court of the Crimson King

4. Coming Home

5. Hell Freezes Over

6. Dragon's Lair

7. You Don't Know What You've Got

8. Deeds of Glory

9. Running for the Border

10. Shadows on the Wall

11. Rock Is Our Life

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

Killing Ground was recorded at the Karo Studios in Brackel near Hamburg by Nikolo Kotzev (Baltimore, Brazen Abbot, Nostradamus), and Herman Frank, musician with Moon ‘Doc and friend of Saxon drummer Fritz Randow from their Victory days, took care of the mix. ”The basic feel that you get at a studio is important,” Byford explains the reason why Saxon decided to record their current album in Brackel again. ”We like it at the Karo Studios, the chemistry is just right.” This positive chemistry is particularly obvious when Saxon dig deep into the annals of rock history and come up with a new version of the King Crimson classic ‘Court Of The Crimson King’ --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

As a special surprise and extra bonus for the fans, the first edition of Killing Ground will be out as a double album, with a special bonus CD: alongside with the brand-new material, the band re-recorded a dozen of their classics, eight of which will be included as a freebie with the current Killing Ground material. So all those who have been waiting for the highlights of the early releases – from the eponymous debut to Crusader – to be reissued with a contemporary sound are about to be rewarded. ”We’ve mostly stayed with the original arrangements, only a few solos have changed slightly, and the songs have been re-recorded with state-of-the-art studio technology,” Byford explains. ”We’ve frequently been asked by fans, and now we’ve fulfilled their wish.” The studio production contains a total of thirteen classics and will be released at a later point as a separate album under the title of Heavy Metal Thunder.

Every Saxon track centres on frontman Biff Byford. He lends content and melody to the tough arrangements, his inimitable voice always reigns over the instrumentation, keeping it together, spurring it on to top performances, adding expression and depth. His two guitarists are Paul Quinn and Doug Scaratt, two musicians who deliver their tough riffs and earthy solos with great skill and passion. ”The good thing about Paul and Doug is the fact that they seem to get better with every year,” praises Byford his two colleagues. ”They have always been fantastic guitarists, yet they’ve never rested on their laurels but continue to develop constantly. You could say without exaggerating that the current Saxon line-up is the best we’ve ever had.” This compliment naturally includes drummer Fritz Randow (ex-Victory, Sinner) and bassist Nibbs Carter, whose boisterous vitality seems to serve as the band’s ever-lasting fountain of youth. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is a God, December 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Killing Ground (Limited Edition) (Audio CD)

As long as there's a new Saxon album to look foreward to, I will have a reason to get up in the morning. These guys simply amaze me. I was a leather-clad youth in those heady days of '82 when bands like Saxon, Priest and Raven ruled the import bins at the local record store, and although most of those bands have either called it quits or put out lame copies of their glory-day material ever since, Saxon consistantly relases great albums time after time until you start to wonder if this stupid world will ever notice. Name a band who 20 years later, can still put out albums as good or better than their "classic" ones? Saxon is the only one I can think of. Killing Ground opens with one of the smokin-ist opening numbers of their career with the title track. It's fast, heavy, singable and trust me...after the first 8 measures a big smile will cross your face. In this world of disappointment, at least a new Saxon album is something you can rely on. Long may they wave.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fifty Stars - A Must Have Classic For All Metal Fans, November 2, 2001

By 

Dr. Joe Duarte "J. Duarte www.joe-duarte.com" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Ground (Limited Edition) (Audio CD)

Saxon "Killing Ground." The best metal album of 2001 and a CD full of ear candy.

While some mature acts rehash their old material or sell their souls by changing with the times in order to stay in the business, Saxon proves what remaining true to yourself can do, produce quality music with no compromises. And it's about time they got their due.

Saxon once again shows why they've been around for 30 years, as they could do in their sleep what many younger acts wish they could do with all their guitar effects and studio tricks, deliver the goods. This band is not getting older, it's getting better. These guys have been around since the New Wave of Heavy Metal was new, which was in the late 1970's and early 1980s. They have changed personnel, but have never changed their attitude, their ability to play their instruments, or their ability to deliver excellent albums.

"Killing Ground" is most arguably their best effort, rivaling the classic feel of "Crusader," "The Power and the Glory," and "Innocence is no Excuse," while still sounding modern.

I've followed this band since I discovered "The Eagle Has Landed" in 1980, and have always liked what they've done, which is to play high quality metal with a unique mixture of both crunch and melody. This album has all that and has managed to update the sound to a slightly "grunge" feel, which works really well without selling out. Biff Byford is better than ever, his vocal range having expanded to encompass AC/DC like throat histrionics while maintaining his trademark blood curdling screams.

The production is both clean and sober as well as in your face, allowing you to hear all the instruments without straining, but keeping them well within the spotless mix. And even though the songs are standard Saxon fare, they all work. There isn't a bad tune on this album, which is not likely to move from my CD drive for a long time. The offerings range from the excellent and war inspired "Killing Ground," to the party anthem "Hell Freezes Over." "Dragon's Lair", "Coming Home," and "You Don't Know What You've Got," are all excellent songs featuring double lead harmonic guitars and bone crushing rhythm sections, while "The Court of The Crimson King," is a fantasy wonderland brought to life, replete with rich vocal harmonies and guitar synthesizers.

"Shadows on the Wall," is a new departure for the band successfully fusing the traditional metal style with aspects of grunge. But despite the mix, the song is tastefully done and does not take away the band's merit, nor make this a cheap attempt by a mature metal Super Group to capitalize on new trends.

Destined for the classic bin. "Killing Ground" is a must own for any true metal fan.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible !!, September 2, 2003

By 

Kael (Jugland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Ground (Audio CD)

I've watched SAXON live in May, 2002. It was a very small gig, just five hundred people in the audience. I had never watched them live before. Man, what a gig! What energy and enthusiasm. They could not have cared less if the place was empty. Their profissionalism was in control, they delivered everything they got, mainly bassist Nibbs Carter. Biff's voice has IMPROVED with time, amazing! There were no tricks, no overdubs, no playbacks: it was his powerful voice going through the songs all the time.

So, soon after the gig I bought KILLING GROUND (the limited edition). Man, what a job! Giving sequence to their last great albums UNLEASH THE BEAST and METALHEAD, this one here is breathtaking. The quality of production is just the best. The second CD featuring old classics re-recorded is also majestic.

SAXON is a phenomenon. They lost their way in the eighties, trying to adapt their sound to radio and America, but they failed. Since then, it has been a long road back to their metal best, including fighting in court with ex-members Dawnson and Oliver. They are doing it, they are successfull again, even in this environment totally opposite to metal. Also, SAXON has an easily recognizable style, but they manage to do it with a different touch in every album, unlike, for example, Iron Maiden or AC/DC.

KILLING GROUND is a fantastic rock album, simple as it.