Album: SAXON – Rock the Nations
Written By: Wes Haskins
Original Release Date: October 13, 1986
Original Label: EMI Records
Rock the Nations is the eighth studio album from the British Metal legends. The first album with new bassist Paul Johnson in the band, although he didn’t play on it (supposedly Biff played bass). The album featured three singles: “Waiting for the Night”, “Rock the Nations”, and “Northern Lady”. The album peaked at #34 in the UK and #149 in the US. Surprisingly, Elton John plays piano on two tracks.
TRACK BY TRACK:
“Rock The Nations” is a good opening track. Good solid drumbeat and groove and a little heavier for this era of the band. It seems to be about the band on tour taking their show town to town and I can hear it as an opening track on the set list.
“Battle Cry” has a cool atmosphere and a good build, almost similar to a later power metal style that you might have heard later in the 90s and early 2000s. This would have been a good fit on the Crusader album to pair with the title track and special mention to the drumming. Lyrically, about the Scottish Rebellion and the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
“Waiting For The Night” is very melodic and catchy, a good radio-friendly song and was a single; probably should have been a hit. Very similar to some of the more melodic songs on the previous album. Very basic lyrically and seems to be about the wait to meet up with someone, such as someone he was in a relationship with.
“We Came Here To Rock” is groovy, anthemic, and a statement of intent. A faster-paced song and just a really good tune that would be great live. Sounds like it could be talking about censorship and establishment and just saying they just want to rock and nothing else.
“You Ain’t No Angel” is heavy, gritty, has a good groove and a nice solo. Really good heavier song and I really like Biff’s vocal on this one. Telling the story of a young woman that has everyone fooled except the narrator, who sees exactly who she is and as a “devil” and not an “angel”.
“Running Hot” is uptempo and faster-paced and really just good mid-80s hard rock. Fairly simple lyric about someone the narrator is attracted to making them hot. Basic rock n roll lyric.
“Party Till You Puke” is a silly throwaway track of a band just cutting loose and having fun and features Elton John on piano, but the song is rather pointless and would have been better as a b-side or bonus track. Lyrically, it’s self-explanatory.
“Empty Promises” opens with a good drumbeat and is mostly mid-tempo with a more relaxed chorus instead of the bigger melodic chorus like many songs in this era had. The solo is excellent and has a bluesy feel that just fits the song very well. Lyrically, it’s talking about being taken advantage of in a relationship and having enough and moving on.
“Northern Lady” is a nice ballad and a very good song, was the third single and was the second of two songs that Elton John played piano on. It starts out with some piano and Biff’s vocal before the drums kick in with the guitars. A very good song that could have been a hit. It seems to be just a simple love story about loving a woman from the north.
RECAP:
The album seems to be a reaction to the previous more melodic Innocence Is No Excuse and it’s mostly well done besides the one throwaway song. Listening through this several times in the last couple of days made me realize I liked this album a lot more than I realized.
FAVOURITE SONGS:
“Rock the Nations“, “Battle Cry“, “Waiting for the Night“, “We Came Here To Rock“, “You Ain’t No Angel“, and “Northern Lady” but every song is very good except the silly one.
Read more of Wes Haskins‘ Saxon reviews here as he surges through the entire discography: Author – Wes Haskins
