Saxon, one of the most famous bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, are still alive, kicking and cranking it up to 11. This band, along with Iron Maiden, have proven that British Metal can stand up to the test of time and deliver the goods. This time around we see blond haired (or is it white haired) lead singer Biff Bruford cranking it up and handing the Saxon faithful another album filled with swords, bullets, henchmen and wizardly warcraft. Call to Arms is exactly what one expects, and wants, from Saxon. The musicianship is not stellar, the vocals not smooth and the songwriting is very much inside the box, but this is Saxon. We don’t want those things. What we want are guitar solos, Biff blasting it out only the way he can, and the themes, and stories, that we have come to love. On those fronts, Saxon delivers strong, once again.

“Back in ‘79” sees Biff remising about the early days of the band while “Hammer of the Gods” reminds us all that Saxon is one of the best when it comes to this kind of Metal. Elsewhere the band delivers big on the boomer “Chasing the Bullet” and “When Doomsday Comes.”

The deluxe edition comes with a bonus disc that is sure to get the Saxon-ites to sit up and pay attention. Saxon Live at Donnington 1980 features the band in all their NWOBHM glory. “Motorcycle Man,” “Still Fit to Boggie,” “Freeway Mad,” “Backs to the Wall and “Wheels of Steel” are preformed in all their glory.

Saxon is a good band and they wave the flag high for the music they represent. They have always been, and always will be, part Metal Gods and part Spinal Tap, in other words, just the way Saxon fans want them to be.