Review: Saxon’s single ‘Gods of Thunder’

SAXON_GodsOfThunder_LEADING-PHOTO_(Credit-PepBonet) — SAXON - Photo by Pep Bonet.

By Michael Alahverdian, Rock At Night New England

Music Review: Saxon’s single “Gods of Thunder” – Release date September 2, 2026

Some bands get old; others simply refuse to act their age. Saxon belong firmly in the second category. Coming into the public eye in the mid 70s along with Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Def Leppard, and so many others, Saxon has stood the test of time and remains one of the all-time greats.

Their new single “Gods of Thunder” comes roaring out of the speakers with the kind of heavy guitar attack that reminds you why this band has survived while so many others from their era have disappeared. This isn’t some tired attempt to recreate the past. This is Saxon stepping into the room, turning up the amps and reminding everyone that the old dogs still know how to bite.

Biff Byford sounds as strong as ever. His voice has that gritty, battle-worn character that fits this music perfectly. He doesn’t need to sound like a 25-year-old kid, and he doesn’t try. There is power in that voice, but there is also history. You hear the years, the miles, and the countless stages behind every line.

Biff Byford of Saxon. Photo by Chyrisse.

And then there are those guitars. Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are one of the best one-two punches in rock music. The riffs hit hard; the drums and bass (Nigel Glock and Nibs Carter) drive the song forward, and everything feels built for a live audience. This is the kind of track where I can almost see the fists going into the air and a crowd screaming the chorus back at the band. Saxon understands something that many modern rock bands seem to forget: sometimes you don’t need to overthink a song. Give me a great riff, a pounding beat, a killer vocal, and enough attitude to shake the walls.

“Gods of Thunder” does exactly that.

What really impresses me is that Saxon isn’t trying to convince anyone that they are still young. They don’t need to. They have earned their place in heavy metal history. What they are showing here is something much better—they still have the fire.

I’ve heard plenty of veteran bands release new music that makes you wonder if they’re simply going through the motions. That’s not what I’m hearing here. “Gods Of Thunder” has energy. It has muscle. Most importantly, it sounds like a band that still wants to be a rock band.

At this stage of the game, that’s something worth celebrating.

Produced by legendary founder and frontman Biff Byford and mixed by Andy Sneap, Saxon have been flying the flag for British heavy metal for decades, and with “Gods of Thunder,” that flag is still flying high.

RETURN WITH 25TH STUDIO ALBUM
GODS OF THUNDER
ARRIVING JANUARY 22

VIDEO

Catch the band on tour:

Gods of Thunder – World Tour Part 1 (Castles & Eagles Production)
13 Feb – CIVIC HALL, Wolverhampton (UK)
14 Feb – O2 ACADEMY, Glasgow (UK)
16 FEB – TELEGRAPH BUILDING, Belfast (UK)
17 FEB – 3OLYMPIA THEATRE, Dublin (IE)
19 FEB – O2 APOLLO, Manchester (UK)
20 FEB – O2 CITY HALL, Newcastle (UK)
21 FEB – CITY HALL, Sheffield (UK)
23 FEB – THE GREAT HALL, Cardiff (UK)
24 FEB – BEACON, Bristol (UK)
25 FEB – O2 GUILDHALL, Southampton (UK)
27 FEB – EVENTIM APOLLO, London (UK)
Tickets available from www.saxon747.com