Rock the Nations, Saxon's eighth studio album, originally came out in October 1986 and was recorded at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum with producer Gary Lyons. Biff Byford, who had started out as both singer and bass player, played all the bass parts himself because the band was between bassists at the time; Paul Johnson is credited on the sleeve because he joined before the release. The most striking guest is Elton John, who plays piano on 'Northern Lady' and 'Party Til You Puke'. Beyond that the album keeps to the arena-facing course Saxon followed in the mid-eighties, with 'Rock the Nations', 'Battle Cry' and 'Waiting for the Night'.

This edition is a 2-LP on translucent purple 180-gram vinyl in a gatefold sleeve, with radio edits, live B-sides and three BBC recordings from Reading 1986 as bonus material.