Saxon - Destiny ’88 [Remastered CD digipak +6] (2022) 320|FLAC

By the late ’80s, SAXON were determined to finally crack the American market. EMI promised full support, and the band teamed with producer Stephan Galfas to craft an album with the polished, melodic hard rock sound dominating U.S. radio in 1987–88. The result, “Destiny,” was a sharp turn from NWOBHM grit toward glossy guitars, big harmonies, keyboards, and radio‑ready hooks.
Image mattered more than ever, and Saxon tried to adapt — new hair, new sheen, new direction — but many UK fans were baffled, still wanting Wheels of Steel part two. Yet musically, the band delivered some of the strongest AOR‑leaning material ever recorded by a British act of the era.
Their bold cover of Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind” became the album’s standout moment: tougher guitars, huge backing vocals, and a slick production that pushed Saxon into full melodic‑rock territory. Tracks like “I Can’t Wait Anymore,” “We Are Strong,” “S.O.S.” and “Where the Lightning Strikes” showed just how naturally the band could handle clean guitars, big choruses, and American‑style arrangements. Biff Byford proved he could be a smooth, tuneful vocalist when the material demanded it.
Not everything hit the same heights, but the playing throughout is superb — melodic solos, tight arrangements, and a level of polish far beyond their earlier work. Ironically, the album’s biggest weakness was simply being released by Saxon. Had “Destiny” come from a U.S. band in 1988, it would likely be remembered as a minor AOR classic.
Commercially, the album didn’t deliver the U.S. breakthrough EMI hoped for, and it became Saxon’s final release for the label. Over time, some fans mocked it as the “album that shouldn’t be named,” but that reputation is undeserved. “Destiny” is a strong, accessible melodic hard rock record with several genuinely excellent songs — and one of the most interesting chapters in Saxon’s career.
The remastered digipak reissue adds bonus tracks and gives the album the crisp sound it always deserved.