Saracen (band)
| Saracen | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| origin | Matlock , England |
| Genre (s) | New Wave of British Heavy Metal |
| founding | 1976 as Lammergier, approx. 2000 |
| resolution | 1985 |
| Current occupation | |
| Richard Bendelow | |
| Jamie Little | |
| Rob Bendelow | |
| Paul Bradder | |
| Steve Bettney | |
| former members | |
Drums |
Danny Spencer |
Keyboard |
Richard Lowe |
Electric bass |
Barry Yates |
Drums |
Titch |
Drums |
John Thorne († 2012) |
Electric bass |
Jason Gardner |
Electric guitar |
Haydn Conway |
Drums |
Mark Cross |
Electric guitar |
Simon Roberts |
Electric bass |
Paul Highfield |
| Tris Alsbury | |
Saracen is an English New Wave of British Heavy Metal band from Matlock , which was founded in 1976 under the name Lammergier , disbanded in 1985 and got back together around 2000.
history
The band was founded in 1976 by friends Richard Lowe (keyboard) and Rob Bendelow (electric guitar) under the name Lammergier. A short time later, bassist Barry Yates joined the cast. The first concerts in the Midlands followed in 1977 . After the position of drummer and singer had changed several times, a permanent line-up was established with drummer John Thorne, singer Steve Bettney, bassist Barry Yates, keyboardist Richard Lowe and guitarist Rob Bendelow. The group also renamed itself Saracen in January 1981. In the summer of that year, the band recorded their debut album Heroes, Saints & Fools at Fairview Studios in Beverley before it was released in October on Nucleus Records . The album was recorded within four days and mixed within five hours. This brought the band to the attention of PolyGram , where the group signed a contract. Bassist Barry Yates had to leave the band for health reasons, so he was replaced by Jason Gardner. After the single We Have Arrived was recorded, Thorne and Bendelow left the band in the winter of 1983. After the band signed a contract with Neat Records , the album Change of Heart was released before the group split up in mid-1985.
In January 2000 Rob Bendelow released the album Come to the Light with his solo project Templar . As a result, he again gained increased attention, so that Saracen was revived by Now and Then Records and the band signed for three albums. The first album was released in March 2003 under the name Red Sky . The band consisted of singer Steve Bettney, keyboardist Richard Lowe, guitarist Rob Bendelow, drummer Jamie Little and bassist Richard Bendelow. The album contained re-recorded songs from previous albums as well as new songs written over the past few years. In the same year Paul Bradder joined the band as the new keyboardist. In addition, the first live performance followed in over 20 years at the Bloodstock Open Air . In 2005, work began on the album Vox in excelso , with Mark Cross joining the band as the new drummer. During the recording, the band consisted of singer Steve Bettney, keyboardist Paul Bradder, guitarist Rob Bendelow, bassist Richard Bendelow and drummer Mark Cross. The concept album about the history of the Knights Templar was released in July 2006. In the same year, the box set Red Sky - Heroes, Saints and Fools came on the market, in which the two albums Red Sky and Heroes, Saints and Fools were included. The band then paused so the members could work on other projects. In 2008 the band got back together, with bassist Richard Bendelow and guitarist Rob Bendelow leaving the band. After a suitable replacement was found, the band consisted of singer Steve Bettney, keyboardist Paul Bradder, guitarist Simon Roberts, bassist Paul Highfield and percussionist Tris Alsbury. This was followed by various appearances. In 2011 the album Marilyn was released via Escape Music .
style
The band is an important representative of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, although stylistically they don't sound like classic heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden or Saxon , but rather a mixture of Warlord and Magnum .
Discography
- 1981: Heroes, Saints & Fools (Album, Nucleus Records )
- 1981: No More Lonely Nights (Single, Nucleus Records)
- 1984: Change of Heart (Album, Neat Records )
- 1984: We Have Arrived (Single, Neat Records)
- 1987: Metal City (split video with Venom , Avenger and Warfare , Prism Records )
- 2003: Red Sky (Album, Now and Then Records )
- 2006: Red Sky - Heroes, Saints and Fools (Box-Set, Neat Records )
- 2006: Vox in excelso (album, Neat Records)
- 2011: Marilyn (Album, Escape Music )
- 2014: Redemption (Album, Escape Music)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Matthias Mader, Otger Jeske, Manfred Kerschke: NWoBHM New Wave of British Heavy Metal The glory Days . Iron Pages, Berlin 1995, p. 135 .
- ↑ [Joe] As [modo]: Saracen. Vox In Excelso . In: Eclipsed , No. 85, September 2006, p. 58.
- ^ Saracen , accessed January 27, 2013.
- ^ Saracen Marilyn , accessed January 27, 2013.
- ^ Saracen - Red Sky / Heroes, Saints & Fools (tip!) , Accessed on January 28, 2013.