Tag: judas priest (Page 2 of 2)

Back in the mists of time, well ’78 to be exact, there wasn’t a whole lot of heavy metal bands around. Remember, this was before the NWOBHM had hit, Motorhead had just put out Overkill, and other than UFO and the Scorps, that was about it. So when Priest put out a new album it was an event. This was before cheesy Priest made an appearance, with Living After Midnight, United and Breaking The Law. For our American friends, this album was released as Hell Bent For Leather because of a controversy with a school shooting at the time. This version is the limited Mobile Fidelity audiophile release, and it sounds superb.

One thing you will notice if you follow Priest’s career, is how the guitar sound has changed to go with the times. This album, for instance, has that very seventies sound. Move on a few albums to Screaming For Vengeance and the difference is very striking, with what would be the ultimate Priest sound.

Within these grooves is what would eventually be Priest classics in their later Live sets. Their version of Fleetwood Mac’s, Green Manaleshi, is a great cover and a standard Live offering in most gigs they play today. The title track is classic Priest, short, sharp, and to the point – a great tune. Delivering The Goods is the opening track and possibly my favourite. Halford’s voice never got better than on this album. The screams were oh so high, and Rob’s knack at writing great melodies and hooks is so evident throughout the album. Killing Machine is the track that sees the band trying something a little different with the groove of the song. They would expand this more when it came to the Turbo album.

A classic Priest album that I still listen to quite often.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Right from the majestic instrumental opening of The Hellion, this album means business. There is not one bad groove on this whole album, that is unless you listen to nothing but jazz, then I’m afraid you’re beyond saving (if you know, you know).

The Priest were on a roll when it came to the recording of this, their 8th studio album, and it turned out to be the pinnacle of their career. This is my Mobile Fidelity version, and it sounds amazing. I mean, it sounded great anyway, but this version is the cherry on the top. The big single was You Got Another Thing Coming, which (with the help of MTV) cracked the band in the US and they became mega huge.

Every song is killer with the riff-o-meter being off the scale for most of the album. My personal favourites are: Bloodstone with its monster riff and groove, Screaming For Vengeance is Priest at their very best, and the close out track Devils Child, which I’ve always had a soft spot for. There is nothing complicated here, it’s all quite simple – and that’s the beauty of it. Catchy riffs, big hooks, and sing-a-long chorus – I’ve said that enough times it should be my mantra. Sometimes the simple things are the best, and this album is testimony to that.

Defenders was an attempt to replicate this album but it fell short, and then it was a steady decline until now, where they have recaptured some of their past glories.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

For me, this is the album that started and cemented the modern Priest legacy. Before this, all of the albums were a bit patchy, and the full-on Judas Priest Heavy Metal Experience manifested itself fully on this album. There is not one bad second on this album and it is a classic of the genre. All tracks are original compositions, apart from the cover of Better By You Than Me, which was a Spooky Tooth tune.

The album opens with Exciter, and you could say this was the genesis of the whole speed metal movement as the seeds were sown with this gem. All the elements of future classic Priest are here in this one track. Killer tune! White Heat Red Hot follows and Halford’s vocals are incredible, they have the full on range mixed with a great riff – it’s classic British metal. The aforementioned Spooky Tooth cover follows, and it sounds nothing like the original as it’s been given the JP treatment. The title track is next up and it starts with a good old gallop (which Maiden would steal to great effect a couple of years later), mixed with some great guitar dueling from KK and Glenn – we have a winner! Invader closes out Side 1 and the riff has a very seventies feel to it mixed with a super catchy chorus – it has more of a hard rock vibe than metal.

Saints In Hell opens up Side 2 and Halford’s vocals are superb, what a range he had in his prime, I don’t think anyone could touch him back then – plus this song has a great middle section as well. Savage is next up and it has a very Ian Gillan era Deep Purple vibe to the whole thing, which never struck me before. An all time classic Priest tune in Beyond The Realms Of Death is next up, and all of the elements of every great rock song ever are all here. The slow acoustic intro, the big build up, the explosion of power, and the solo section – the template to every great metal epic is right here folks. Heroes End closes out the album and is, what I would call, a stock Judas Priest song, a pretty simple riff elevated by the outlandish vocal.

This would be the beginning of a six album run culminating in Defenders Of The Faith where Priest could do no wrong.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.