Before we get down to the music, I have a few observations here. It was KK’s decision to leave Judas Priest as he no longer believed in the music and the direction they were going – he was going to sit down and open his golf course. The Priest got a great replacement in Ritchie Faulkner, who is a much better player than KK. KK saw that him leaving had no impact on the band, and he then seemed to bash the band at every opportunity. When they announced their 50th anniversary and he was not asked to take part, I think that drove him over the edge. When he announced he was doing a solo project (calling it KK’s Priest), I was a bit dismayed to say the least.
I have to say it’s as heavy – if not heavier – than anything he did whilst he was in Judas Priest, and with really good production. All the clichés are here in full, and he’s trying to tick all the boxes to please as many metal lovers as possible. We have songs about bikers and truckers, and we have anthems like Raise Your Fists and Metal Through And Through – there even are digs at his former band with Return Of The Sentinel. For a guy pushing his 70’s, he sure acts like a teenage schoolboy. It’s all a shame really, as the songs are really good and it’s a great old school metal record – he just needs to move on. My favourite on the album is Wild And Free – a great old school romp with fists in the air lyrics, and a great riff.
It gets 9/10 from The Grooveman for the tunes.
