Saxon release their 23rd studio album, Carpe Diem, which means in Latin “Seize The Day”.

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Craig Newman in Breaking Music News // 0 Comments

The album was produced by Biff and Andy Sneap.

SAXON are: Biff Byford – Vocals, Paul Quinn – Guitar, Nigel Glockler – Drums, Doug Scarratt – Guitar,Nibbs Carter – Bass

The band formed in 1977 and gave metal anthems as “ Wheels Of Steel” , “Princess Of The Night”,” Heavy Metal Thunder” 747 (Strangers In The Night)”, “20,000 Ft”, “Motorcycle Man” and many others. During the 80’s music writers put them in the category of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) with other British bands.

Singer Peter “Biff” Byford” talks about the new album and the band is planning to come back to North America for 2023. They do have shows for UK and Europe for October to November 2022.

IMM: This new album kicks ass!The new song and title for the album is appropriate getting out of this pandemic mess. Kick doors down, getting our lives back and having fun.

BIFF: The title Carpe Diem means seize the day. It’s good positive monster song. I wrote the song late and dawned on me it would a good song and title for the album really.

IMM: The video for the song were was that filmed?

BIFF: The one scene was filmed at an old ancient wall built coast to coast across England I was there walking the wall and looking at the museum and all the history there. I thought I should write a song about this and carved in one of the stones is Carpe Diem meaning Seize The Day. I thought I could use this and would be a great album title.

*Info: (Built by the Romans on England’s side (known as Hardian’s also as Roman Wall, Picts’ Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122).

IMM: For the song “Remember The Fallen” about the pandemic and those in health care industry. When writing the song not have strong political message?

BIFF: I wrote this song late and we had the music and were messing around writing different things and I had this title Remember the Fallen just floating around. And I though what if I lost loved ones to Covid and when I think about it is not political. It’s why? Where did it come from? Why did it kill one person and the person standing next to them it didn’t? You know a lot friends and family died, front line people died and old people in care homes. The first year of the pandemic was like war so I wrote a bit like that. I didn’t think for one minute when I wrote the lyrics I didn’t think it would still be with us today and has been a long time. The song is not a political song, it’s about remembering really.

IMM: The next video released was for “The Pilgrimage” any relation to Carpe Diem?

BIFF: Not really, as what it means for people as what religious Pilgrimage or can be anything like a walk to see or touch a certain thing or can be travel to special place of spiritual feelings or special connection with like to Jim Morrison’s grave at Paris or Jimi Hendrix’s grave. Or say to France to see where their grandfather fought for Second World War or died there or go to a festival is also a Pilgrimage.

IMM: The other song is “Lady In Gray” on mythology type story?

BIFF: Is a ghost story. My son’s girlfriend for her birthday I bought them a night in most haunted room at a castle in England and is called the gray room. The lady in gray haunts that room and apparently her husband left her and she died a broken heart and she committed suicide and she roams the corridors of the castle looking for her husband so she is the lady in gray. So that is where is the song comes from. Though because of Covid the trip got canceled and we still have the tickets so we can go back anytime.

IMM: So all the songs on this album are new and nothing from unreleased songs or rerecorded or demos?

BIFF: No, all new songs.

IMM: This could of have been double albums?

BIFF: We go for quality not quantity

IMM: This year you have shows scheduled for England and Europe?

BIFF: Yeah, we going to start in Europe or UK maybe October and wanted to go America first but is difficult to plan anything.

IMM: Yeah, is still a mess over here

BIFF: I am sure it will happen in the future defiantly

IMM: Things and venues are opening up here

BIFF: Europe is the same and in UK in the last few weeks. Europe is the same that we can’t tour there at the moment. Like at U.S. some places are ok and others still quiet bad due to Covid so have to wait until things get better

IMM: As for the tour is band headlining shows?

BIFF: Yeah, will be headlining shows and Seize The Day starts October 1 I believe and will be 2 months of touring.

IMM: With an extensive catalogs of music over your career what is the method on which songs to perform for that particular tour?

BIFF: We have twenty three records so we have to be selective and different countries like different songs believe it or not. Like for USA “Power And The Glory” and “Crusader” are quite popular for example. It is difficult to work on the set and for each individual country.

IMM: Approximately how many songs from the new album will be played on this tour at Europe?

BIFF: If it is for Seize The Day or Carpe Reim tour probably six or seven and everybody is excited about this album and talking about this album so maybe we will play the whole album.

We play for two hours so there is plenty of time to do the whole album.

IMM: Or play one of the other albums as anniversary of that album and the new album or some songs from this album?

BIFF: Defiantly, but which album to chose (Laughter). We played the entire Wheels Of Steel album in Japan first night and Strong Arm Of The Law on the second night. It was pretty cool.

IMM: At the U.S. you can perform those albums or Power And The Glory and the new album

BIFF: Yeah but we want to play songs off the new album.

IMM: Any other videos planned from the new album?

BIFF: Were not Ed Sheridan where make a video for every song (Laughter). We might make one more but want to see what is popular and the album has been out for about week or not a week yet. We will keep our fingers crossed. People have their favorites like “Super Nova”, “Ages Of Steam” or “Living On The Limit”. If people say this is their favorite or radio. We might shoot another one defiantly

IMM: Was the band in the studio recording this album or at your homes and email your tracks over?

BIFF: We were in the studio and together some days and recording drums, guitars and bass on other days. Most of it was done at our studios, my studio and Andy Sneap’s studio. It worked out pretty good and kicked the energy level high

IMM: The fans are waiting for the band to come back to the states and as headliner?

BIFF: Yeah, we defiantly we want to get back there as headliner or as package would be great. We just want to get back there and touring on the new album really.

IMM: Thanks for your time and another great album and to see you hopefully 2023

BIFF: Absolutely and Seize The Day!

Carpe Diem Track Listing: