Saxon Unveil 22nd studio album Thunderbolt’s release date

Biff Byford has confirmed that Saxon’s 22nd studio album is entitled ‘Thunderbolt’.

Speaking to RedCarpetTV, the vocalist said the follow-up to 2015’s ‘Battering Ram’ will be unleashed in January 2018.

Asked about the band’s upcoming plans, Biff said: “We’re doing festivals actually this summer, we’re doing festivals; Ramblin’ Man in the UK and Steelhouse (Festival) in Wales and we’re busy making our new album.

“I can tell you what it’s called, it’s called ‘Thunderbolt’. Cool huh? So yeah, it’s called ‘Thunderbolt’ and it will be out in January and we’ll be touring on a world tour.”

Saxon are recording the album with Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Slayer) who has worked on the band’s previous two records ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Battering Ram’.

Last September Biff revealed that they’ve written a new song in tribute to Lemmy for the record. Titled ‘They Played Rock and Roll’, the song is about touring with Motörhead in the eighties.

“I’ve finished the lyrics for that, and it will make the album,” Biff told Eonmusic. “I asked bassist Nibbs Carter to write me a song that was similar to Motorhead, and he did. I just put some lyrics to it and that’s how it came about.

“It’s about the 80s. It’s about the Bomber tour and Ace Of Spades. That’s when we first met them – on the Bomber tour we supported them. It’s about that, and the album No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith, and the subsequent 80s scene.”

As Biff mentioned, Saxon play Ramblin Man Fair in Kent and Steelhouse Festival in Wales next month.