1 star is nonsense

This album may not be a 5 star but it is certainly not a 1 star. Great, great songs are on this effort. Maybe party till you puke could have been left on the cutting floor but there is Saxon signature all over this thing. I rated a 5 to help balance out the uninformed non saxon fan who rated it a 1. It is a 4 at best or a 3 at the very worst. If you like saxon get this CD it is great. Too many really good tunes on here to miss.

Don't Compare - Just Listen

Let's get one thing straight from the start - DO NOT try to compare this album to Dogs Of War, Unleash The Beast (Saxon's best album), Metalhead or Killing Ground.
This album was recorded by a different Saxon line up at a different time. The mid '80s was the time of experimentation for most metal bands and Saxon was no exception. Rock the Nations sees Saxon trying a more commercial sounding approach whilst still trying to be true to their roots, and I think they got the mix right.
However "Party 'til you puke" is one of the worst songs they've ever done. A lighter, humours moment? maybe, but I skip it every time.
Northern Lady does not sound like any other Saxon song but I still think it's great.
They took the commercial approach too far on their following album "Destiny" which is the worst album they've ever made, not this one.
Don't try to compare Rock The Nations to modern metal, just remember the mid 80's and consider and appreciate this album in it's own right.
I think it's a winner.

I'm One of the Few Folks Who Like This CD

I'm surprised to find out how many Saxon fans dislike this album. I'm one of the few who like it. Some have lumped it in the embarrasing "hair metal" genre, but only one song, the sub-par "Waiting For The Night" fits into the category. The rest of the album is good hard rock/heavy metal.

"Rock the Nations," "Battle Cry," "We Came Here to Rock," "Empty Promises" and "You Ain't No Angel" rank among some of the better songs the band has put out. "Battle Cry" is an especially good song showcasing Nigel Glockler's double bass drumming. Heck, I'd put it on a Greatest Hits!

"Northern Lady" was actually the song that brought me to the album. I remember hearing this back in the mid-80's on Z-Rock. I already had the "Crusader" album and had been saving up my allowance to buy any other Saxon albums I could get my hands on. I heard this song and had to get the album. The unlikely addition of Elton John on piano makes the song really come to life. Another addition to my version of Greatest Hits!

Now the band's image at this time definitely was a LOW POINT. They hit ROCK BOTTOM trying to pretty themselves up a-la Def Leppard. It just didn't fit their image... in fact, it looked rather stupid. But the music was there and that superceded any image problem the band may have had at this time. As for the music on this CD, I love it!