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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Biff Byford - School Of Hard Knocks + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-05-03 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2020 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url..http://www.byffbyford.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Biff Byford ║ │
│║ Album : School Of Hard Knocks ║ │
│║ Label : Silver Lining ║ │
│║ Cat.No : FO1550CD ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ When one resides outside a given nation or region of the ║ │
│║ world, it can sometimes be difficult to properly appreciate ║ │
│║ the cultural divides found within. While it may be obvious ║ │
│║ from the outside that Texas and New York are not exactly ║ │
│║ cut from the same cloth, it can be easy to assume a place ║ │
│║ like Japan is a monoculture. Yet, closer inspection reveals ║ │
│║ wide differences between Hokkaido, Tokyo, Osaka, and ║ │
│║ Kyushu. Such is also the case for our friends the Britons. ║ │
│║ An average American may assume England to be a large-scale ║ │
│║ replica of London. However, there remains historically a ║ │
│║ culture unique to Northern England, of Yorkshiremen and ║ │
│║ others, and in the world of heavy metal, one man reigns as ║ │
│║ the icon to all Northern Englishmen: legendary Saxon front ║ │
│║ man ôBiffö Byford. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ To the first wave of British heavy metal, vocalists such as ║ │
│║ Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, and Ian Gillan led that ║ │
│║ particular charge. However, just when things in 1980 were ║ │
│║ looking dismally disco-riffic for the world of rock and ║ │
│║ metal in the UK, the next generation said, ôonce more unto ║ │
│║ the breach,ö and were driven by men such as Bruce ║ │
│║ Dickinson, Rob Halford, and Biff Byford. This became the ║ │
│║ New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and as such, Biff has a ║ │
│║ place in the ôbook of heavy metalö (read it!) as a founding ║ │
│║ godfather of the movement. Northern England historically ║ │
│║ has a darker, rougher, tougher, older and grittier ║ │
│║ reputation, and BiffÆs Saxon truly embodied this, ║ │
│║ lyrically, complete with a glorious Northern accent. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In what is perhaps a parallel with BiffÆs dear Mot÷rhead ║ │
│║ mate , Biff is now autographically inspired to pen his ║ │
│║ memoirs with a debut solo album, entirely separate from the ║ │
│║ Saxon gig. It is clear that Biff wanted this record, ║ │
│║ entitled the ôSchool of Hard Knocks,ö to not only sound ║ │
│║ different from Saxon, but letÆs just get this out of the ║ │
│║ way right here: it sounds better. Granted, this is ║ │
│║ subjective, as all album reviews essentially are, however, ║ │
│║ the new album sounds modern. Polished. Contemporary. Clean. ║ │
│║ While Saxon albums like 2018Æs ôThunderboltö are naturally ║ │
│║ more modernized than ôDenim and Leather,ö they still carry ║ │
│║ a mix and production soaked in 1980s NWOBHM flavor. BiffÆs ║ │
│║ new solo album, on the other hand, is powered by a new band ║ │
│║ comprising Fredrik ┼kesson (Opeth) on guitars, Christian ║ │
│║ Lundqvist on drums and Gus Macricostas on bass. The ║ │
│║ musicianship and arrangements are absolutely 21st century, ║ │
│║ and it is heartwarming to see a nigh-on septuagenarian ║ │
│║ metal legend adopt such an evolution. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ From the fun and self-explanatory opening track ôWelcome to ║ │
│║ the Show,ö to the autobiographical title track ôThe School ║ │
│║ of Hard Rock,ö it is obvious the writing is a salute to the ║ │
│║ old, woven together quite nicely with modern production. ║ │
│║ The album embraces BiffÆs fondness for the old, the ║ │
│║ medieval, and the macabre with the Poe-inspired ôPit and ║ │
│║ the Pendulum,ö as well as its compelling nylon string and ║ │
│║ spoken word introduction, ôInquisitor.ö The aforementioned ║ │
│║ Poe homage is actually a prog metal dungeon crawl rife with ║ │
│║ Opeth influence, and it is breathtaking. It may be one of ║ │
│║ the cooler things to which Biff has ever put his name. The ║ │
│║ following track, ôWorlds Collide,ö is musically more like ║ │
│║ something from Symphony XÆs ôOdysseyö album, such as ║ │
│║ ôWickedö or ôKing of Terrors.ö ItÆs a beautiful modern ║ │
│║ metal tune complete with blistering Scandinavian guitar ║ │
│║ leads. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Just when we thought we were starting to understand ║ │
│║ everything there was to know about this album, Biff decides ║ │
│║ to completely reinvent Simon and GarfunkelÆs ôScarborough ║ │
│║ Fair.ö Yes, that Simon and Garfunkel. And itÆs brilliant. ║ │
│║ We are treated to BiffÆs smokey and well-aged vocal cords ║ │
│║ weaving a tale of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, all ║ │
│║ set to lovely steel string acoustic. In truth, it ║ │
│║ originates as a traditional folk-song of Yorkshire, and it ║ │
│║ is therefore understandable why Biff wanted to carry that ║ │
│║ particular banner for a day. Worry not, Byford ancestors, ║ │
│║ he carries it well. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The following song, ôPedal to the Metal,ö has the most ║ │
│║ Saxon feel of any track on the record, which frankly will ║ │
│║ hardly bad news for any Biff fans picking up the new ║ │
│║ record. Another rocker is found in ôHearts of Steel,ö and a ║ │
│║ polished ballad in ôThrow Down the Sword,ö and a feel-good ║ │
│║ bittersweet unplugged love song to close the album with ôMe ║ │
│║ and You.ö ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ They say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but this ║ │
│║ old dog named Biff is teaching us new tricks today with ║ │
│║ this new album. Although it seems like Biff Byford may have ║ │
│║ just done this album ôfor the hell of it,ö to prove it to ║ │
│║ himself and to check something off one of lifeÆs little ║ │
│║ list, he accidentally or intentionally put together a fun, ║ │
│║ solid, and exceedingly listenable musical adventure. To ║ │
│║ paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park seeing dinosaurs ║ │
│║ come to life, ôYou did it. You crazy son of a bitch, you ║ │
│║ did it.ö With this album, Biff may be our new favorite mad ║ │
│║ bastard of Lemmy-like proportion, and itÆs well-deserved. ║ │
│║ The record hits shelves on 21 February. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Musicians: ║ │
│║ Biff Byford / Vocals ║ │
│║ Fredrik ┼kesson / Guitars ║ │
│║ Christian Lundqvist / Drums ║ │
│║ Gus Macricostas / Bass ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. Welcome to the Show 5:22 │
│ 2. School of Hard Knocks 4:21 │
│ 3. Inquisitor 1:26 │
│ 4. The Pit and Pendulum 7:18 │
│ 5. Worlds Collide 4:38 │
│ 6. Scarborough Fair 5:08 │
│ 7. Pedal to the Metal 3:40 │
│ 8. Hearts of Steel 3:25 │
│ 9. Throw Down the Sword 7:02 │
│ 10. Me and You 4:17 │
│ 11. Black and White 5:18 │
│ │
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│ Total Length : 00:51:55 │
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│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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