Saxon (GB)

About

Saxon have been flying the flag for heavy metal out of Barnsley since 1975, and few bands from that era can claim a run quite like theirs. As one of the defining acts of the new wave of British heavy metal, they racked up eight UK Top 40 albums through the 1980s, including the era defining Wheels of Steel and Denim and Leather, the latter spawning tracks like "Princess of the Night" and "And the Bands Played On" that became genuine anthems for a generation of metal fans. Their 1983 album Power and the Glory even had its cover art designed by Ridley Scott, which is not something many metal bands can put on their CV. With over 23 million records sold worldwide, Saxon have outlasted pretty much every trend that tried to sweep them aside. The core of vocalist Biff Byford and guitarist Paul Quinn has held firm through decades of lineup shifts, and the band shows no sign of slowing down. Their 2024 release Hell, Fire and Damnation keeps them firmly in the game, with recent videos for tracks like "There's Something In Roswell" proving they still know how to make a proper heavy metal record.