Artist: SARACEN
Album: RED SKY + HEROES SAINTS AND FOOLS REMASTERED (2CD)

Year: 2009
Media type: CD

Life long pals Richard Lowe and Rob Bendelow formed their first band “Lammergier” during the mid 70’s together with folk guitarist turned rock bassist Barry Yates. Following their first live performance in 1977 the band gigged extensively across the English Midlands. The standard of these performances combined with their unique brand of symphonic rock saw “Lammergier” amass a large and loyal following. Then a new decade arrived and with it some major developments for this dedicated band. Having played with a variety of drummers and vocalists the ideal line up finally crystallised:

And then the name changed to “SARACEN”, but the music remained the same; an ever growing repertoire of powerful guitar orientated rock, laced with lush keyboards and evocative vocals. After several months off the road with time spent putting the finishing touches to their new live show the lads re-emerged as Saracen in January 1981, with plans for a debut album. During the summer of 1981 the now famous Heroes saints and Fools album was recorded at Fairview studios in England. Released in October of 1981 it was received with critical acclaim and is still regarded as a classic of its genre – twenty years on! The album actually entered the top 50 albums as well as the single “No More Lonely nights” enjoying good success.

Sadly, illness forced Barry Yates to retire from the band and he was replaced by bassist Jason Gardner. Saracen tracks received regular airplay on Tommy Vance’s Friday night rock show culminating in a “live” session being broadcast in 1982. The bands second single “We have arrived” was recorded but then Bendelow and Thorne left the band in the winter of 1983. An album was recorded called “Change of Heart” on neat records but Saracen stopped touring in mid 1985.

That appeared to be the end of the band but the band then resurfaced two decades later and resurrected their musical dynasty with the release of “Red Sky” in March 2003. Musically it was re-works of the some of the old classics with new tracks added – a very welcome return for the lords of Epic metal!

So here we have “Red Sky” and “Heroes Saints and Fools” wrapped up in the unique Escape way with bonus tracks. This is a great way to re-introduce the band to fans old and new as Saracen have recorded a brand new album “Vox in Excelso”; a concept album, based around the very same story that underpins Dan Brown's best seller 'The Da Vinci Code', this promises to be a 'must have' for every fan of epic rock. According to Escape music’s Khalil, “Rob, from the band, played me the album demo recently, and it sounds awesome. I can't wait to help see it through to the finished product. We're lining up some impressive names to work on the production front, so it's all systems go".

Indeed, something to look forward to.

TRACKLIST CD1 - Red Sky :

We have arrived
Red Sky
Faith
Horseman of the apocalypse
Heroes Saints and Fools
Castles in the sand
Flame of Youth
Jekyll and Hide
Menage a trois
Ride shotgun with the wind
Angel eyes
Follow the piper

TRACKLIST CD2 - Heroes Saints and Fools :

Crusader
Rock of ages
No more lonely nights
Horseman of the apocalypse
Heroes Saints and Fools
Dolphin Ride
Ready to Fly
A Face in the Crowd *
We have arrived *
Blue stanza *
Come to the light *

* bonus tracks

LINE-UP:

John Thorne – Drums
Steve Bettney – Lead vocals
Barry Yates – Bass
Richard Lowe – Keyboards
Rob Bendelow – Guitar