Dogs of War
Saxon · 1995
49 min · 10 tracks · heavy metal
Heavy metal anthems blend gritty riffs with soaring melodies, capturing the essence of classic rock while pushing into new territories.
Top tracks — play these first
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Dogs of War Start here — The title track serves as a rallying cry, combining powerful lyrics with a driving rhythm that encapsulates the album's themes of conflict and resilience.
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The Great White Buffalo — This track showcases Saxon's storytelling ability, weaving a narrative about loss and longing against an anthemic backdrop that highlights their melodic strengths.
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Demolition Alley — With its aggressive riffs and intense energy, this song exemplifies the heavier direction of the album while addressing themes of urban decay and turmoil.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends heavy riffs with melodic elements but doesn't fully stand out in its genre.
What we noticed
- The title track opens the album with a slow build-up, featuring a heavy guitar riff that sets a darker tone for the following tracks.
- Several songs incorporate dual guitar harmonies, particularly in the choruses, enhancing the melodic aspect of the heavy riffs.
- The final track, 'Yesterday’s Gone', slows down significantly compared to the preceding songs, creating a reflective conclusion.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo anthems
- defiant energy for road trips
- thunderous riffs for headbanging
- uplifting choruses for sing-alongs
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification tracks
- seek delicate, quiet moments
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Deep Cut — A solid entry in the catalog that showcases a heavier sound but isn't widely recognized.
- Themes
- military conflict· narratives of loss
- Career context
- Released in 1995, Dogs of War was Saxon's eleventh studio album, marking their return to form after a series of less commercially successful releases. This album followed the departure of guitarist Doug Scarratt and aimed to re-establish the band's heavy metal roots amidst a changing musical landscape.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Judas Priest· Iron Maiden· Accept
Tracklist
- 1 Dogs of War Start here 4:34
- 2 Burning Wheels 4:11
- 3 Don’t Worry 5:17
- 4 Big Twin Rolling (Coming Home) 5:23
- 5 Hold On 4:32
- 6 The Great White Buffalo 5:52
- 7 Demolition Alley 6:10
- 8 Walking Through Tokyo 5:52
- 9 Give It All Away 4:02
- 10 Yesterday’s Gone 3:45
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
The X Factor
Iron Maiden
Explores themes of conflict and loss with heavy riffs and a melodic approach, similar to the emotional weight in Saxon.
Vulgar Display of Power
Pantera
Features aggressive guitar work and narratives of struggle, resonating with the gritty anthemic nature of Dogs of War.
Painkiller
Judas Priest
Combines soaring melodies with heavy instrumentation, echoing the anthemic quality and lyrical intensity found in Saxon's work.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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