Saxon in studio for album No.22

Saxon have begun recording sessions for their 22nd album, frontman Biff Byford has revealed.

He’s posted a picture of the band in a studio with returning producer Andy Sneap, who worked on 2013’s Sacrifice and last year’s Battering Ram.

Byford explains: “As usual the brakes don’t work, so we’re not slowing down!” He adds that, so far, the record is “sounding great.”

Earlier this year the veteran vocalist said he wasn’t bothered about reaching the age of 65. He told Classic Rock: “I don’t dwell on it. Some of my friends have hit 40 and they’re freaking. Big deal!

“But when you get to this age you can’t drink loads of booze and take loads of drugs and expect to bounce back from it. You can easily slip away in that state. You have to stay fit. I ride my bike every day, three or four miles, sometimes eight.”

He also argued that his band hadn’t looked back since regaining their focus after 1984 album Crusader, saying: “It was a combination of things – a bit of experimentation, a different level of sophistication, a bit of laziness. You start writing songs that might be great, but they’re not what put you there.

”So you have to get back down to the roots again. You have to reach back to those first exciting feelings when you had your first song that was successful.

“Our focus returned on Solid Ball Of Rock in 1990. Since then we’ve been right on it.”

Saxon perform at the Lemmy 500 motor race in Sweden on September 24, with special guests Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee, formerly of Motorhead. Byford says: “Race cars, beer, Saxon, Motorhead – should be a great time!”

They release their 10th live album, Let Me Feel Your Power, on October 7.

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.