SAXON Begins Writing New Material

British heavy metal legends SAXON have commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2013's "Sacrifice", tentatively due next year.

"We're on a bit of a break [from composing new material] at the moment," SAXON vocalist Biff Byford revealed during an interview with the "Rockposer's Roulette" radio show (hear audio below). "I did this SCINTILLA PROJECT with some friends, meanwhile, this prog-rock album that's just been out, so I've been doing that, and that came out last week. So, I mean, I've been pretty busy, and the band have been having a bit of a break. So, I think we're starting again after the last festival, which is on the 13th of September. And then we'll start kicking in and then finish the songs, really."

Asked if there is a particular way that the members of SAXON approach the songwriting process, Biff said: "It's a mixture of everything, really. I do a lot of the lyrics and melodies at home on my own. And some of the guys will do a guitar riff and send it to me sometimes. But then we'll go in a room as well; we'll go in the studio and have a session together. It just depends, really. We do all sorts of stuff. There isn't only one way that we do it, if you know what I mean."

Regarding how much songwriting input the other members of SAXON have during the process, Biff said: "They have as much as they want to, really. The door is open, really. There's not really any [other] singers in the band, per se, so they don't really write lyrics and come up with melodies. But, yeah, musically, they have as much input as they want, really. I mean, if they write 15 songs ideas, then we'll probably pick ten of those. But usually it's the four of them and me, [we] have separate ideas and we put them forward. But some people have more ideas than others. That's how it goes, you know… But we don't really have the arguing [among ourselves about which ideas end up getting used]. Because usually I'm producing with somebody or on my own, so usually I'll get the last choice of what goes on the album."

On April 29 via UDR Music, SAXON released "St. George's Day Sacrifice - Live In Manchester", a "hidden treasure" recorded live at The Ritz in Manchester, England during the band's "Sacrifice" world tour.

SAXON's previous release, "Unplugged And Strung Up", contained 14 of the band's classic songs chosen for a makeover, thanks to some ear-catching new arrangements and mixes.