Fresh off Unleash the Beast, the most inspired Saxon album since Denim and Leather, Biff and co leaned harder into a more aggressive, power metal sound for its followup, Metalhead. Whilst elements of the band's classic rock n' roll tinged NWOBHM sound remained, the end product is an album that sounds a lot darker, less bluesy, and more technical than any of their other work.
Metalhead represents something of a rearrangement of Saxon's priorities in songwriting, with fewer hooks but also fewer derivative elements, leading to a sound which is quite unique despite it lifting many musical traits from the bands Saxon themselves inspired. Take
Conquistador, one of the two best tracks on the album; with a catchy power metal riff, constant double kick, and a lonely tone, it almost entirely abandons the jammy feel of many of Saxon's tracks and massively amps up the technicality with flashy solos and drum work. The significantly slower
Are We Travellers In Time is about as menacing and focused as the band gets, with a simple but effective groove and a stoic, memorable core riff that feels miles away from the old songs about trains and bust ups with the police.
The instrumental performances of the album are stronger, even compared to the already highly polished Unleash the Beast. Doug Scarratt makes a fair go at some shredding solos that are tastefully put together and highly energetic, whilst the drum performance of newcomer Fritz Randow is sharp, varied, and purposeful. Biff Byford also has some great vocal work, such as during the (admittedly lyrically cringeworthy)
Piss Off, with a freer groove and the same great range as ever. That track also manages to feature some of the most abrasive, heaviest riffs of the Saxon catalogue, and whilst a punkier beat may have taken it to a new level, it is still a surprisingly strong effort. The most impressive track of all is the excellent
Sea of Life, an epic closer that is simultaneously dramatic and carefully constructed, rarely feeling overblown or overactive.
This causes a problem when the more traditional style Saxon tracks crop up, which frankly feel like filler.
What Goes Around has a plodding mid pace but no clear hooks or direction, veering heavily between grinding riffs and a hair-metal chorus that sets things on a bizarre course.
Prisoner has a reasonably decent chorus with some post-punky arpeggios, but the rest of the track is indistinct and weaker. There is also a big overreliance on some needless vocal effects that distract from Byford's great performance. The weakest tracks also feel clustered in the middle of the album, leading to a noticeable dip before the album rights itself near the end.
Much as Painkiller revitalised Judas Priest's sound with more bite and energy than any of their work prior, Metalhead serves as Saxon's most starkly different album, certainly taking note of its place in a post-thrash world. Heavy, fast, and still just a bit goofy, it tidily wraps up Saxon's run in the 90s on a high note.
