''Thunderbolt'' is the twenty-second studio album by British heavy metal band

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

, released on 2 February 2018.

Background

On 14 September 2016, the band revealed they had begun working on a new album through their Facebook account. A month later, frontman Biff Byford revealed they had written a song dedicated to

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...

called "They Played Rock n Roll", following the death of frontman

Lemmy Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he wa ...

on 28 December 2015, which ended the band's 40-year history. The song is stylistically similar and referenced their touring companionship on the 1979/1980 "Bomber" tour. In an interview alongside

Airbourne Airbourne or Air Borne may refer to: * Air Bourne, a finishing move and the nickname of professional wrestler Evan Bourne * Airbourne (air show), an air show in Eastbourne, United Kingdom * Airbourne (band) Airbourne are an Australian hard r ...

frontman Joel O'Keeffe at 2017's

Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards The following is a list of the ''Metal Hammer'' Golden Gods Awards winners. Introduction The awards were conceived by Chris Ingham, John O'Sullivan & Dave Bianchi, and first held at the Kentish Town Forum in London 2003. The show was owned by Fut ...

, Byford confirmed that the album's title would be ''Thunderbolt'' and that the inspiration for it came from the gods of Greek mythology. Further details were revealed on various stops on their autumn tour of the US and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. In an interview at their Newton, New Jersey show on 22 September, he revealed that he'd finished recording his vocals on 20 September. In an interview at their Montreal, Canada show on 4 October, Byford revealed that long-time producer

Andy Sneap Andy Sneap (born 18 July 1969) is an English guitarist, record producer and composer with over 100 albums to his name, most of which have been produced at his Backstage Recording studios in rural Derbyshire. Some of the most critically acclaime ...

had finished mixing the album the previous day and mentioned a release date of 21 January 2018 (which later turned out to be incorrect). On 7 November 2017, the band confirmed the title and revealed the release date of 2 February 2018, track list, artwork and a short UK/European tour alongside Diamond Head, with Magnum and

Rock Goddess Rock Goddess are an English all-female heavy metal band formed in Wandsworth, South London, in 1977 by sisters Jody Turner and Julie Turner. The band were initially active during the new wave of British heavy metal musical movement, releasing ...

supporting on select UK dates. On 30 November 2017, the new video "Thunderbolt" was released. The Record and especially the

Tribute Song on the Album, They Played Rock N Roll, is especially dedicated to former

guitarist

Fast Eddie Clarke Edward Allan Clarke (5 October 1950 – 10 January 2018), better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke or simply "Fast", was a British guitarist who was a member of heavy metal bands Fastway and Motörhead. Of Motörhead's classic lineup, which consis ...

who died the previous month from Pneumonia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on 10 January 2018, just a month before Thunderbolt Albums release. On 19 September 2018, the "Predator" video was released.

Track listing

All music composed by Biff Byford, Doug Scarratt, Nigel Glockler, Paul Quinn, Nibbs Carter.

Credits

Biff Byford Peter Rodney "Biff" Byford (born 15 January 1951) is an English singer best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Saxon. Early life Byford was born in Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, the youngest of four children to Ernest Cha ...

– lead vocals *Paul Quinn – guitars *Doug Scarratt – guitars *Nibbs Carter – bass *Nigel Glockler – drums ;Additional Musicians *Seb Byford – backing vocals on "Thunderbolt" and "Speed Merchants" *Tom Witts – backing vocals on "Thunderbolt" and "Speed Merchants" *

Caleb Quaye Caleb Quaye (born 9 October 1948), is an English rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Hall & Oates and Ralph McTell, and also toured with ...

– backing vocals on "Thunderbolt" and "Speed Merchants" *Corvin Bahn – keyboards on "Nosferatu (The Vampire's Waltz)" *

Johan Hegg Amon Amarth () is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band takes its name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Viking mythology and hi ...

– harsh vocals on "Predator" ;Production *Billy Lee – photography *Steph Byford – artwork (additional) *Gestaltungskommando Buntmetall – layout, design *Paul Raymond Gregory – cover art *Andy Sneap – producer, engineering, mixing

Charts

References

2018 albums Albums produced by Andy Sneap Saxon (band) albums Nosferatu {{2010s-metal-album-stub