The 1981 Listening Post - Saracen - Heroes, Saints & Fools

Saracen - Heroes, Saints and Fools 

#498

October 1981 LISTENING POST DISCOVERY

Saracen

Heroes, Saints & Fools

Genre: Metal

4.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Rock of Ages

Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Heroes, Saints & Fools

Ready to Fly

I know precious little about this band. They seem to be on the cusp of NWoBHM. I didn’t care for their 1984 record, which I felt was too synthesizer heavy and that softened their sound. 

This one, their first, opens ponderously. It’s got a kind of majesty that I think Strong Bad would appreciate. And then, when Trogdor needs a soundtrack for his burninating, “Rock of Ages” explodes with Robert Bendelow giving us a shredding for the times, matched by Steven Bettney’s soaring vocals. And I don’t even mind the keyboards because they actually elevate the sound. 

I’d like to know what some of our metal members think of Saracen. I mean, I don’t think they are breaking any new ground but I find this refreshing after so much crap I’ve been listening to. Especially “Horsemen of the Apocalypse”. Am I just starved for something or is it actually okay?

The title track evolves from metal to a boogie bass plucked driver with haunting keyboards and I’m here for it. And that instrumental, “Dolphin Ride”? That’s a bit of Never-ending Story right there, i’n’t?

Heroes suggests that Saracen would be a force to be reckoned with in an age of New Heavy metal. That didn’t happen but this record suggests it could have. 

This album starts in the middle of this compilation with “Crusader”. https://music.apple.com/us/album/red-sky-and-heroes-saints-fools/441518903

The 1984 Listening Post - Saracen - Change of Heart

Saracen - Change of Heart

#373
1984 Housekeeping
Saracen
Change of Heart
2 out of 5


Prog-metal that really doesn't fit in any one category but that doesn't elevate it, just means that it's sort of got it's toes in all sorts of genres.
Allmusic summed it up perfectly: "Derbyshire's Saracen were a hard, verging on progressive, rock ensemble that became wrongly associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal -- as much due to the timing (1981) of their self-released debut album, Heroes, Saints & Fools, as for their leather jackets and handlebar mustaches. "
There's more synthesizers than guitars and that's what softens it. It's like Kansas with a shitty singer and less talented musicians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0QYs_9EYgo