SAXON Completes Mixing New Album; BIFF BYFORD Says 'Everything Is Clear' In His Cancer Battle

British heavy metal legends SAXON have completed work on their 25th studio album for a tentative late 2026 release.

On Tuesday (January 27),SAXON frontman Biff Byford released a video message via social media in which he said: "We've finished the album now. [Longtime SAXON producer and JUDAS PRIEST touring guitarist] Andy Sneap's finished mixing the album, the new album. So, you're gonna be hearing about that over the summer, I'm sure."

Byford also offered an update on his fight against bowel cancer, saying: "I've got some new news on the operation. [It's been] six months now since my cancer operation, and I had a CT scan and everything is clear. So that's good news after the op, so there's nothing come back. So that's really good."

SAXON's upcoming LP will be the follow-up to "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music.

Last July, Byford told Riff X's "Metal XS" about the progress of the songwriting sessions for SAXON's upcoming effort: " Well, we've started writing the next album. I'm doing lyrics now. And I've got a lot of ideas from [guitarist Doug Scarratt], [drummer] Nigel [Glockler] as well, and from Nibbs [bassist Tim Carter]. So, yeah, I've got quite a lot of ideas, which I'm compiling at home in my studio. So I think we're maybe looking — fingers crossed — we're looking at a new album in autumn next year, September/October."

In April 2025, Biff told Uruguay's The Dark Melody that he and his bandmates had "been writing" new music "for about six or seven weeks now, off and on. So yeah, we're coming in with some ideas and I've got some ideas for songs, for titles. And, yeah, it's coming along.

"It will be out next year, I think," he continued. "We're probably gonna start recording in November, when we finish touring. We'll probably go in and record the drums and bass and the basic guitars and some guide vocals then. So, yeah, we're pretty much on it. We're working towards the new album. It's going well."

Three months ago, Byford shared a video update in which he said he had completed the final round of chemotherapy in his fight against bowel cancer.

Although Biff released a video message in August 2025 in which he implied that he underwent an operation to remove "a small tumor" from his "prostate gland", he later clarified that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer, which is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. Byford was later treated with chemotherapy for "a short period", resulting in the cancelation of a couple of shows and the postponement of several others.

Earlier in 2025, SAXON announced the cancelation of 10 summer shows and festival appearances while Byford was recovering from the cancer surgery.

In August 2024, Biff underwent a "procedure" to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the heart's upper chambers (atria) to beat too quickly.

In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency triple bypass surgery.

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

In early 2023, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Brian Tatler.

Brian has been touring with Doug, Nigel, Nibbs and Biff since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".