''Carpe Diem'' is the twenty-third studio album by English
heavy metal band
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
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peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
released in 2022.
Background
In an October 2018 interview with Sonic Perspectives, Byford confirmed that Saxon would "definitely" record a new album sometime in 2019. He was quoted as saying, "We don't have to have too much commitment to timings. We're an established band — we can pretty much do what we want. If we feel like writing, then we write. If we don't feel like writing, then we don't write. Simple as that." Byford had stated that their new album was expected to be released in early 2021; but later sighted a tentative February 2022 release.
Music videos were released for "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)", "Remember the Fallen", "The Pilgrimage", and "Black Is the Night" on the band's
YouTube channel.
Saxon embarked on a UK/European tour with special guests
Diamond Head named the ''Seize the Day'' tour after the album's opening track,
with the UK leg of the tour opening in
Ipswich on 11 November and ending on 26 November in
London.
Reception
''Carpe Diem'' was the band's highest-charting record in the
United Kingdom since 1983's ''
Power & the Glory
''Power & the Glory'' is the fifth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in March 1983 by Carrere Records. This is the first Saxon studio album with new drummer Nigel Glockler and was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia in the fall ...
'', with a top position of 17 on the
UK Albums Chart; the record also charted in the
United States, reaching number 18 in
Top Heatseekers, 26 in
Top Current Album Sales, and 63 in
Top Album Sales overall.
It was also Saxon's highest-charting album ever in several countries, including
Germany, where it reached number 3 on the
GfK
GfK (originally german: GfK-Nürnberg Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung e.V., lit=Nuremberg Society for Consumer Research, label=none) is a provider of data and intelligence to the consumer goods industry. It is headquartered in Nuremberg, German ...
charts;
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, where the album reached number 4; and
Austria, where it reached number 7. ''Carpe Diem'' also reached number 4 in the Finnish charts.
The record received positive reviews from critics.
Blabbermouth gave the album a rating of 7.5 out of 10, and webzine
Metal Storm called it "the most memorable record the band have put out in the last decade or so", commenting that the band are "still going strong" and granting a rating of 7.2.
Track listing
Personnel
;Saxon
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Biff Byford – lead vocals, production
* Paul Quinn – guitars
* Doug Scarratt – guitars
* Nibbs Carter – bass guitar
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Nigel Glockler
Nigel Glockler (born 24 January 1953) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer for the heavy metal band Saxon, which he first joined in 1981.
Career
Glockler began his musical career in 1980 as the drummer for the British band K ...
– drums
;Additional musicians
* Seb Byford – vocals, engineer
;Production
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Andy Sneap – production, mixing, engineer
* Paul Raymond Gregory – album artwork
* Enrique Zabala – booklet design
Charts
References
{{Authority control
2022 albums
Albums produced by Andy Sneap
Saxon (band) albums