Carpe Diem (Saxon album)

Carpe Diem
Studio album by
Saxon
Released4 February 2022 (2022-02-04)
Recorded2019–2020
Studio
  • Backstage Recording Studios, Derbyshire, England (guitars)
  • Big Silver Barn, York, England (vocals)
  • Velbyproductions, Grünenplan, Germany (drums)
GenreHeavy metal
Length44:19
LabelSilver Lining Music
ProducerBiff Byford, Andy Sneap
Saxon chronology
Inspirations
(2021) 		Carpe Diem
(2022) 		More Inspirations
(2023)

Carpe Diem is the twenty-third studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon released in 2022.[1]

Background

In an October 2018 interview with Sonic Perspectives, Byford confirmed that Saxon would "definitely" record a new album sometime in 2019. He was quoted as saying, "We don't have to have too much commitment to timings. We're an established band — we can pretty much do what we want. If we feel like writing, then we write. If we don't feel like writing, then we don't write. Simple as that."[2] Byford had stated that their new album was expected to be released in early 2021;[3] but later sighted a tentative February 2022 release.[4]

Music videos were released for "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)", "Remember the Fallen", "The Pilgrimage", and "Black Is the Night" on the band's YouTube channel.

Saxon embarked on a UK/European tour with special guests Diamond Head named the Seize the Day tour after the album's opening track,[5] with the UK leg of the tour opening in Ipswich on 11 November and ending on 26 November in London.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Blabbermouth[6]
Classic Rock[7]
Metal Hammer (Germany)[8]
Metal Storm[9]
Rock Hard[10]
Sputnikmusic3,4/5[11]

Carpe Diem was the band's highest-charting record in the United Kingdom since 1983's Power & the Glory, with a top position of 17 on the UK Albums Chart; the record also charted in the United States, reaching number 18 in Top Heatseekers, 26 in Top Current Album Sales, and 63 in Top Album Sales overall.

It was also Saxon's highest-charting album ever in several countries, including Germany, where it reached number 3 on the GfK charts; Switzerland, where the album reached number 4; and Austria, where it reached number 7. Carpe Diem also reached number 4 in the Finnish charts.

The record received positive reviews from critics. Blabbermouth gave the album a rating of 7.5 out of 10, and webzine Metal Storm called it "the most memorable record the band have put out in the last decade or so", commenting that the band are "still going strong" and granting a rating of 7.2.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Biff Byford; all music is composed by Byford, Paul Quinn, Nigel Glockler, Nibbs Carter, Doug Scarratt

No.TitleLength
1."Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)"4:42
2."Age of Steam"4:09
3."The Pilgrimage"6:29
4."Dambusters"3:20
5."Remember the Fallen"5:15
6."Super Nova"4:21
7."Lady in Gray"5:13
8."All for One"3:43
9."Black Is the Night"4:12
10."Living on the Limit"2:55
Total length:44:19
Japan edition
No.TitleLength
11."Killing Ground (London 2016)"04:16
Total length:48:36

Personnel

Saxon
  • Biff Byford – lead vocals, production
  • Paul Quinn – guitars
  • Doug Scarratt – guitars
  • Nibbs Carter – bass guitar
  • Nigel Glockler – drums
Additional musicians
  • Seb Byford – vocals, engineer
Production
  • Andy Sneap – production, mixing, engineer
  • Paul Raymond Gregory – album artwork
  • Enrique Zabala – booklet design

Charts

Chart performance for Carpe Diem
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[12] 7
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] 35
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[14] 21
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[15] 67
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 4
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 59
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 3
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[19] 59
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[20] 29
Scottish Albums (OCC)[21] 6
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[22] 34
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 15
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 17
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[26] 4
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[27] 2
US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard)[28] 26
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[29] 18
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[30] 63

References

  1. ^ "Saxon Announces 'Carpe Diem' Album, Releases First Single". Blabbermouth.net. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Saxon Will 'Definitely' Record New Studio Album In 2019, Says Biff Byford". Blabbermouth.net. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Biff Byford Says Saxon's New Album Will Be 'Heavy' And 'Quite British'-Sounding". Blabbermouth.net. March 26, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "Biff Byford: Saxon's New Album To Arrive In February 2022". Blabbermouth.net. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "Saxon – Announce "Seize The Day Tour" In November 2022". 31 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  6. ^ "Reviews - Carpe Diem". 31 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  7. ^ Arnopp, Jason (2022-02-04). "In a world of uncertainty, Saxon's Carpe Diem is reliably certain". loudersound. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  8. ^ "Kritik zu Saxon Carpe Diem". 4 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  9. ^ "Saxon - Carpe Diem review". Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  10. ^ "Saxon - Carpe Diem". Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  11. ^ "Review: Saxon - Carpe Diem | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
  12. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Saxon – Carpe Diem" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Saxon – Carpe Diem" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Saxon – Carpe Diem" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Saxon: Carpe Diem" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Lescharts.com – Saxon – Carpe Diem". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Saxon – Carpe Diem" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Saxon – Carpe Diem" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Saxon – Carpe Diem". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Saxon – Carpe Diem". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Saxon – Carpe Diem". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Saxon Chart History (Top Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Saxon Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  30. ^ "Saxon Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2022.