Biff Byford - School Of Hard Knocks

Biff Byford
School Of Hard Knocks
(Silver Lining Music)
7/10

By Decibel Report - Mar 8, 2020

Biff, bash, bosh, Byford departs from his day job as lead tonsil screamer for Saxon to release his first solo album which, in the main, sounds just like a Saxon album but with some interesting musical departures.

A Yorkshireman at heart, one which has recently undergone a bypass procedure, Biff’s admirable heavy rendering of Scarborough Fair is a throaty soundclash of metal meets traditional folk. There’s even a sentimental, romantic ballad with a blurt of saxophone on Me And You.

Head down bangers Hearts Of Steel, Pedal To The Metal and Worlds Collide defend the faith as they clatter with an advance guard of chunky, battering riffs.

However, a proper metal release wouldn’t complete its mission without an epic track transcending all else and on Wishbone Ash cover Throw Down The Sword, The Pit And The Pendulum and the autobiographical title track there’s a holy metal trinity of them on a belting, slightly off-grid mostly excellent solo effort.