Brian Tatler says Saxon‘s 25th album is mixed and delivered ahead of its January 2027 release, and that Biff Byford‘s voice is back.
Saxon‘s next album is done and with the label. Brian Tatler confirmed as much to Chas Byrne of “Express FM“.
“It’s all done. It’s been mixed by [longtime producer and Judas Priest guitarist] Andy Sneap. It’s in the can. It was sent off to the record label. So that’s coming in January,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Gods Of Thunder is the band’s 25th studio album and arrives on January 22, 2027 through Silver Lining Music. A first single and video are due next month, with pre-orders opening at the same time and the track also being pressed on seven-inch vinyl.
Tatler, a founding member of Diamond Head who joined Saxon in 2023, described how the writing works and how he stopped trying to guess what would suit the band.
He explained: “I think I probably try and write in a style that might work for Saxon. There’s probably a few ideas I’ve had that I’ve thought, ‘Mm, this doesn’t really sound Saxon-ish, esque.’ But I have had this conversation with Biff [Byford], and he said, ‘Well, it’s no good trying to second-guess what I like. Just send me everything you’ve got, and I’ll decide.’ And a couple of times I’ve done that and thought, ‘Oh, he probably won’t like that one.’ And then he does. He goes, ‘Oh, I like that one. That’s great.’ So I’ve learned not to worry about that too much. And I think everybody writes at home, and then we pool the ideas, and Biff goes through it, ’cause, of course, he’s gotta sing on it. He’s gotta write lyrics. So he gets the final say as to which ones are gonna make the cut. And then we get together. This last year, we got together in Brighton and rehearsed the material before actually recording the drums and the bass and guitars and stuff. So that seems to be the process. And, of course, they’ve got it down to a fine art because, as you rightly say, [Saxon has] done 25 albums. That’s a lot of work.”
Asked whether his riff could end up in either band, he said the distinction is real but not something he polices.
“Maybe. I do think there’s a style, there’s a Diamond Head sort of style. I sometimes think, ‘That sounds Diamond Head-ish,’ and I think the same with Saxon. But, as I say, I don’t like to second-guess Biff too much because he can surprise. And I think he’s probably looking for something that maybe they haven’t done before, something new, something original. He is a big fan of rock and metal, and he doesn’t take it lightly. He’s very intense. He thinks about it a lot and puts a lot of time and thought into the songs.”
On whether Byford‘s health has affected the band’s schedule, Tatler said the concern beforehand did not survive the first rehearsal.
“It doesn’t appear to. The only thing was — I mean, he had a triple bypass in possibly 2019. I, of course, wasn’t in band at that point. Then he’s had a cancer problem, and we had to cancel a bunch of dates last summer. So some of these dates got rescheduled for this year. But I think everybody was a little concerned as to how he would perform and how he would be. And when we just started rehearsing, he was, like, back to normal, back to six months ago. His voice sounded really strong, and I think we were all pleasantly surprised. And he’s been great. These gigs have been fantastic,” he said.
He added: “I get to observe Biff from just behind, and I’m amazed at his confidence and his charisma. He handles the crowd, and how good he is at involving the crowd and talking to them and making the whole thing work. He’s very good at that. I mean, he’s had a lot of practice, but not everybody can do that.”
Byford had a heart attack in September 2019 and underwent an emergency triple bypass. In August 2024 he had a procedure to correct atrial flutter, a heart rhythm abnormality. He was treated for bowel cancer in early 2025, with surgery followed by a short course of chemotherapy, and ten summer shows were called off while he recovered. He announced in October that the chemotherapy was finished, and later reported that a scan six months after the operation had come back clear.
The band take Gods Of Thunder on the road through the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2027, bringing back the 30-foot mechanised Eagle built for them in the early 1980s ahead of the Denim And Leather tour. It will appear at every date except Cardiff, where the venue cannot accommodate it.
“We wanted to make the ‘Gods Of Thunder‘ U.K. and Ireland tour extra special. And what better way than to fly our beloved Saxon Eagle again… Get ready for take-off!” Byford said.
Tatler joined the touring and recording lineup in mid-2023 after Paul Quinn stepped back from the road, and remains a member of Diamond Head. He plays alongside Byford, guitarist Doug Scarratt, bassist Nibbs Carter and drummer Nigel Glockler. The band’s last album, Hell, Fire And Damnation, came out in January 2024.
