Destiny (Saxon album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Destiny
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1988[1]
StudioSarm Hook End (Berkshire)
GenreHeavy metal
Length43:58
LabelEMI
ProducerStephan Galfas
Saxon chronology
Rock the Nations
(1986)
Destiny
(1988)
Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies
(1989)
Singles from Destiny
  1. "Ride Like the Wind" / "Red Alert"
    Released: February 1988
  2. "I Can't Wait Anymore" / "Broken Heroes (live)"
    Released: April 1988
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Classic Rock[3]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal4/10[4]

Destiny is the ninth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in March 1988. It is also the only studio album to feature the rhythm section of drummer Nigel Durham (later in Oliver/Dawson Saxon and Morpheus Rising[5]) and bassist Paul Johnson (former Heritage, later in U.S.I. and Demon) on it.[6]

The album was produced by Stephan Galfas (Stryper, Cher, Savatage) and the last studio album Saxon recorded for EMI who dropped the band when the album sales were disappointing. During the tour for this album, Durham and Johnson were sacked and replaced in 1988 by bassist Nibbs Carter and a returning Nigel Glockler on drums who finished the tour.

Durham stated in a 2015 interview with Glenn Milligan of Metalliville that "EMI & the Producer were trying to make the band more commercial and radio friendly and that just isn't Saxon."[7]

The album has been remastered and repackaged several times with various bonuses such as a 12" mix of the single "I Can’t Wait Anymore" plus live B-Sides "Broken Heroes" and "Gonna Shout", both recorded live in Madrid, a live take of "Rock the Nations" recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, which originally appeared as the B-side to "Ride Like the Wind", and some alternative monitor mixes.

Track listing[edit]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ride Like the Wind" (Christopher Cross cover)Christopher Cross4:28
2."Where the Lightning Strikes"Biff Byford, Paul Quinn, Graham Oliver4:19
3."I Can't Wait Anymore"Byford, Quinn, Oliver4:24
4."Calm Before the Storm"Byford, Quinn, Oliver3:46
5."S.O.S."Byford, Quinn, Oliver6:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Song for Emma"Byford, Stephan Galfas4:45
7."For Whom the Bell Tolls"Byford, Quinn, Paul Johnson3:54
8."We Are Strong"Byford, Quinn3:55
9."Jericho Siren"Byford, Quinn, Johnson3:36
10."Red Alert"Byford, Quinn, Johnson4:34
2010 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."I Can't Wait Anymore," (12" 45 RPM, Single Mix, A1, Remix – Ian Taylor) 
12."Rock The Nations" (Live at Hammersmith – B-Side Ride Like The Wind, 12", 45 RPM, Maxi-Single, B2) 
13."Broken Heroes, 12" 45 RPM, Single Mix B1" (Live in Madrid – B-Side I Can't Wait Anymore) 
14."Gonna Shout 12" 45 RPM, Single Mix, B2" (Live in Madrid – B-Side I Can't Wait Anymore) 
15."Ride Like The Wind" (Monitor Mix) 
16."For Whom The Bell Tolls" (Monitor Mix) 

Personnel[edit]

  • Biff Byford – vocals
  • Graham Oliver – guitar
  • Paul Quinn – guitar
  • Paul Johnson – bass guitar
  • Nigel Durham – drums
Additional musicians
  • Stephen Laws Clifford – keyboards
  • Dave Taggart, George Lamb, Phil Caffrey, Steve Mann – backing vocals
Production
  • Stephan Galfas – producer, mixing, arrangements
  • Ian Taylor – mixing
  • Spencer Henderson – engineer
  • James Allen-Jones – engineer
  • Hook and Manor, Berkshire, UK – recording location
  • Swanyard Studios, London – mixing location
  • Sterling Sound, New York – mastering location

Charts[edit]

Chart (1988) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[8] 33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9] 45
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[10] 30
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] 28
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 49

References[edit]

  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 719. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Saxon Destiny". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  3. ^ Hotten, Jon (March 2010). "Saxon – Reissues". Classic Rock. No. 142. p. 92.
  4. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 315–316. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  5. ^ http://www.metalliville.co.uk/bankup/INTERVIEWS%20Folder/Nigel%20Durham.htm
  6. ^ "MusicMight :: Artists :: U.S.I." Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  7. ^ http://www.metalliville.co.uk/bankup/INTERVIEWS%20Folder/Nigel%20Durham.htm
  8. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Saxon – Destiny" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Saxon – Destiny". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Saxon – Destiny". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.