Predator

Album: Thunderbolt (2018)
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Songfacts®:

  • One of the more menacing tracks from Saxon's 22nd album Thunderbolt, "Predator" makes it clear that when faced with this enemy, flight is better than flight:

    Keep to the shadows, stealth is your weapon
    Nothing survives its naked aggression
    There's no escape from the predator

    In a Songfacts interview with Saxon frontman Biff Byford, he said: "It's basically about the animals that are on top of the food chain, like a lion or a tiger, or a crocodile or a shark. A couple of people thought it was about the film Predator, but it's not. It's about whatever's at the top of the food chain in that particular environment."
  • The low, growling vocals on this track come courtesy of Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth. Biff Byford told Diane Webb of Yesterdaze News about the collaboration (as transcribed by Blabbermouth):

    "They're good friends of ours. We like the band. We met them when they first started touring way back, several years ago. We like the Viking rock. We feel like we're brothers-in-arms there. They're obviously a younger band than we are, but they grew up with Saxon in Sweden in the '80s, so they're big fans of Saxon, and we're big fans of theirs.

    When I wanted to do a lower voice on that song, I thought of Johan straight away. He was my first choice, and he did such a fantastic job. It sounds great. It's a little bit radical for us, but I don't like being predictable. I like taking a few chances with things like that, see if the fans like it."

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