Judas Priest | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Judas Priest were one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the 70s, spearheading the New Wave of British Heavy Metal late in the decade. Decked out in leather and chains, the band fused the gothic doom of Black Sabbath with the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin, as well as adding a vicious two-lead guitar attack; in doing so, they set the pace for much popular heavy metal from 1975 until 1985, as well as laying the groundwork for the speed and death metal of the 80s. Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1970, the groups core members were guitarist K.K. Downing and bassist Ian Hill. Joined by Alan Atkins and drummer John Ellis, the band played their first concert in 1971. Atkins previous band was called Judas Priest, yet the members decided it was the best name for the new group. The band played numerous shows throughout 1971; during the year, Ellis was replaced by Alan Moore; by the end of the year, Chris Campbell replaced Moore. After a solid year of touring the U.K., Atkins and Campbell left the band in 1973 and were replaced by vocalist Rob Halford and drummer John Hinch. They continued touring, including a visit to Germany and the Netherlands in 1974. By the time the tour was completed, they had secured a record contract with Gull, an independent U.K. label. Before recording their debut album, Judas Priest added guitarist Glenn Tipton. Rocka Rolla was released in September of 1974 to almost no attention. The following year, they gave a well-received performance at the Reading Festival and Hinch departed the band; he was replaced by Alan Moore. Later that year, the group released Sad Wings of Destiny, which earned some positive reviews. However, the lack of sales was putting the band in a dire financial situation, which was remedied by an international contract with CBS Records. Sin After Sin (1977) was the first album released under that contract; it was recorded with Simon Phillips, who replaced Moore. The record received positive reviews and the band departed for their first American tour, with Les Binks on drums. When they returned to England, Judas Priest recorded 1978s Stained Class, the record that established them as an international force in metal. Along with 1979s Hell Bent for Leather (Killing Machine in the U.K.), Stained Class defined the nascent New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. A significant number of bands adopted Priests leather-clad image and hard, driving sound, making their music harder, faster, and louder. After releasing Hell Bent for Leather, the band recorded the live album Unleashed in the East (1979) in Japan; it became their first platinum album in America. Les Binks left the band in 1979; he was replaced by former Trapeze drummer Dave Holland. Their next album, 1980s British Steel, entered the British charts at number three, launched the hit singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight," and was their second American platinum record; Point of Entry, released the following year, was nearly as successful. At the beginning of the 80s, Judas Priest was a top concert attraction around the world, in addition to being a best-selling recording artist. Featuring the hit single "Youve Got Another Thing Comin," Screaming for Vengeance (1982) marked the height of their popularity, peaking at number 17 in America and selling over a million copies. Two years later, Defenders of the Faith nearly matched its predecessors performance, yet metal tastes were beginning to change, as Metallica and other speed/thrash metal groups started to grow in popularity. That shift was evident on 1986s Turbo, where Judas Priest seemed out of touch with current trends; nevertheless, the record sold over a million copies in America on the basis of name recognition alone. However, 1987s Priest...Live! was their first album since Stained Class not to go gold. Ram It Down (1988) was a return to raw metal and returned the group to gold status. Dave Holland left after this record and was replaced by Scott Travis for 1990s Painkiller. Like Ram It Down, Painkiller didnt make an impact outside the bands die-hard fans, yet the group was still a popular concert act. In the early 90s, Rob Halford began his own thrash band, Fight, and soon left Judas Priest. In 1996, following a solo album by Glenn Tipton, the band rebounded with a new young singer, Tim "Ripper" Owens (formerly a member of a Priest tribute band and of Winters Bane). They spent the next year recording Jugulator amidst much self-perpetuated hype concerning Priests return to their roots. The album debuted at number 82 on the Billboard album charts upon its release in late 1997. Halford had by then disbanded Fight following a decrease in interest and signed with Trent Reznors Nothing label with a new project, Two. In the meantime, the remaining members of Judas Priest forged on with 98 Live Meltdown, a live set recorded during their inaugural tour with Ripper on the mike. Around the same time, a movie was readying production to be based on Rippers rags-to-riches story of how he got to front his all-time favorite band. Although Priest was originally supposed to be involved with the film, they ultimately pulled out, but production went on anyway without the bands blessing (the movie, Rock Star, was eventually released in the summer of 2001, starring Mark Wahlberg in the lead role). Rob Halford in the meantime disbanded Two after just a single album, 1997s Voyeurs, and returned back to his metal roots with a quintet simply named Halford. The group issued its debut in 2000, Resurrection, following it with a worldwide tour that saw the new group open up Iron Maidens Brave New World U.S. tour, and issue a live set one year later (which included a healthy helping of Priest classics) -- Live Insurrection. In 2001 the Ripper-led Priest issued a new album, Demolition, and Priests entire back catalog for Columbia was reissued with remastered sound and bonus tracks. In 2003 the band -- including Halford -- collaborated on the liner notes and song selections for their mammoth career-encompassing box Metalogy, a collaboration that brought Halford back into the fold. Owens split from the group amicably in 2003, allowing the newly reunited heavy metal legends to plan their global live concert tour in 2004, with their sixteenth studio album, Angel of Retribution, to be released the following year. In 2008 the band released Nostradamus, a sprawling, two-disc conceptual piece that charted the life and times of the famous French seer. On December 7, 2010, Priest broke the news that their upcoming Epitaph world tour would be their last. The following month, however, they clarified that they were not disbanding, announcing that they were working on new material. Before the tour began, founding member Downing left the band over differences with the other members and their management; he was replaced by Richie Faulkner. Priest worked on their new album during the tour, which ran until 2012. The albums release was delayed several times, but it was eventually announced that it would see the light of day in July 2014. Entitled Redeemer of Souls, it was described by Priest as a traditional, crowd-pleasing return to their roots, and went on to become the groups first Top Ten album in the U.S., landing at the number six slot on the Billboard 200 chart. A lengthy tour followed, and in early 2016 Priest issued the concert album/DVD/Blu-ray Battle Cry, which featured highlights from their August 1, 2015 performance at Germanys Wacken Festival. Judas Priest began loosely demoing ideas for a studio album in 2016, but didnt enter the studio as a band until a year later. It wasnt until January of 2018 that they announced to the press and social media that theyd completed Firepower, their 18th studio album. They revisited their original, organic way of recording, with the entire band playing together at the same time in the studio. They underscored this by enlisting producers Tom Allom -- who worked on all of the bands records from 1979 through 1988 -- and Grammy-winning veteran Andy Sneap. In a press release, Halford explained, "Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing, and Andy is a bit more of a modern metal producer," adding, "I think to get this balance between that classic old-school metal to what Andys world is was just a remarkable coalescence." In January of 2018, the band announced the March release of Firepower with a teaser video for the single "Lightning Strikes" and news of a forthcoming world tour. In February, guitarist Tipton -- diagnosed with Parkinsons disease a decade earlier -- announced that it had progressed to the point where he had to retire from touring. Sneap would fill his slot on the road. Former guitarist K.K. Downing, who claimed he was shocked that he wasnt asked to replace Tipton on tour, asserted in public that "Sneaps role was actually much more than as a producer on Firepower" -- i.e., he actually played Tiptons parts on the album. Halford took to the media to respond, saying that "everything that you hear from Glenn on Firepower is the amazing Glenn Tipton." He called Downings accusation "completely superfluous" and "a thousand percent false." On March 2, Judas Priest released the lyric video for second single "Never the Heroes." Firepower was issued on March 9. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 44 Title: Rocka Rolla Released: 1974-09-06 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 One for the Road (04:38) 2 Rocka Rolla (03:05) 3 Winter (01:41) 4 Deep Freeze (01:20) 5 Winter Retreat (03:27) 6 Cheater (02:57) 7 Never Satisfied (04:50) 8 Run of the Mill (08:33) 9 Dying to Meet You (06:17) 10 Caviar and Meths (02:02) 11 Diamonds and Rust (03:15) |
| Rocka Rolla : Allmusic album Review : A sketchy and underfocused debut, Rocka Rolla nonetheless begins to delineate the musical territory Judas Priest would explore over the remainder of the decade: frighteningly dark in its effect, tight in its grooves, and capable of expanding to epic song lengths. On the other hand, Rocka Rolla is also murkier, less precise and powerful in its riff attack, and more blues-based; the stylistic debts to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple are obvious at this juncture, although they would become much less apparent on subsequent releases. The compositions alternate between short songs and extended suites; some are decent, but overall they dont establish a real direction and tend to plod aimlessly in many of the longer pieces. Mostly a curiosity for hardcore fans, Rocka Rolla definitely hints at Judas Priests potential and originality, but doesnt always suggest the quantum leap in vision that would occur with their very next record. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 44 Title: Sad Wings of Destiny Released: 1976 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Victim of Changes (07:45) 2 The Ripper (02:51) 3 Dreamer Deceiver (05:53) 4 Deceiver (02:46) 5 Prelude (02:02) 6 Tyrant (04:28) 7 Genocide (05:48) 8 Epitaph (03:20) 9 Island of Domination (04:20) |
| Sad Wings of Destiny : Allmusic album Review : The year 1976 was crucial for the evolution of heavy metal, as landmark albums like Rainbows Rising and Scorpions Virgin Killer began to reshape the genre. Perhaps none was quite as important as Judas Priests sophomore effort, Sad Wings of Destiny, which simultaneously took heavy metal to new depths of darkness and new heights of technical precision. Building on the hard prog of bands like Queen and Wishbone Ash, plus the twin-guitar innovations of the latter and Thin Lizzy, Sad Wings fused these new influences with the gothic doom of Black Sabbath, the classical precision of Deep Purple, and the tight riffery of the more compact Led Zeppelin tunes. Priests prog roots are still readily apparent here, particularly on the spacy ballad "Dreamer Deceiver," the multi-sectioned "Victim of Changes," and the softer sonic textures that appear from time to time. But if Priests style was still evolving, the bands trademarks are firmly in place -- the piercing, operatic vocals of Rob Halford and the tightly controlled power riffing of guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. This foundation sounded like little else on the metal scene at the time, and gave Sad Wings of Destiny much of its dramatic impact. Its mystique, though, was something else. No metal band had been this convincingly dark since Black Sabbath, and that bands hallucinatory haze was gone, replaced by a chillingly real cast of serial killers ("The Ripper"), murderous dictators ("Tyrant"), and military atrocities that far outweighed "War Pigs" ("Genocide"). Even the light piano ballad "Epitaph" sounds like a morbidly depressed Queen rewriting Sabbaths "Changes." Three songs rank as all-time metal classics, starting with the epic "Victim of Changes," which is blessed with an indelible main riff, a star-making vocal turn from Halford, explosive guitar work, and a tight focus that belies its nearly eight-minute length. "The Ripper" and "Tyrant," with their driving guitar riffs and concise construction, are the first seeds of what would flower into the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. More than any other heavy metal album of its time, Sad Wings of Destiny offered the blueprint for the way forward. Whats striking is how deeply this blueprint resonated through the years, from the prog ambitions of Iron Maiden to the thematic echoes in a pair of 80s thrash masterpieces. The horrors of Sad Wings are largely drawn from real life, much like Slayers Seasons in the Abyss, and its all-consuming anxiety is over powerlessness, just like Metallicas magnum opus, Master of Puppets. (Though this latter preoccupation doubtlessly had more psychosexual roots in Rob Halfords case -- witness the peculiar torture fantasy of "Island of Domination.") Unfortunately, Sad Wings of Destiny didnt have as much impact upon release as it should have, mostly owing to the limitations of the small Gull label. It did, however, earn Judas Priest a shot with Columbia, where they would quickly become the most influential band in heavy metal not named Black Sabbath. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 44 Title: The Best of Judas Priest Released: 1977 Tracks: 8 Duration: 35:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dying to Meet You (06:17) 2 Never Satisfied (04:47) 3 Rocka Rolla (03:05) 4 Diamonds and Rust (03:15) 5 Victim of Changes (07:47) 6 Island of Domination (04:20) 7 The Ripper (02:51) 8 Deceiver (02:44) |
 | Album: 4 of 44 Title: Sin After Sin Released: 1977-04 Tracks: 8 Duration: 40:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sinner (06:45) 2 Diamonds and Rust (03:27) 3 Starbreaker (04:52) 4 Last Rose of Summer (05:37) 5 Let Us Prey / Call for the Priest (06:13) 6 Raw Deal (07:11) 7 Here Come the Tears (03:37) 8 Dissident Aggressor (02:56) |
| Sin After Sin : Allmusic album Review : Judas Priests major-label debut Sin After Sin marks their only recording with then-teenage session drummer Simon Phillips, whose technical prowess helps push the bands burgeoning aggression into overdrive. For their part, K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton employ a great deal more of the driving, palm-muted power-chord picking that would provide the basic rhythmic foundation of all but the most extreme heavy metal from here on out. Sin After Sin finds Priest still experimenting with their range, and thus ends up as perhaps their most varied outing. Yet despite the undeniably tremendous peaks here, the overall package doesnt cohere quite as well as on Sad Wings of Destiny, simply because the heavy moments are so recognizable as the metal we know today that the detours stick out as greater interruptions of the albums flow. The proggy ballad "Last Rose of Summer" is the biggest departure here, with florid lyrics and "red blood/white snow" imagery that would be fully at home on any goth rock bands most depressing bedsit dirges. "Here Come the Tears" is musically dissimilar, with heavy guitars and Halfords downcast wailing, but its just as lyrically mopey. These two sit rather uneasily against the viciousness of the more metallic offerings. Classic opener "Sinner" is packed with driving riffs, sophisticated guitar interplay (including a whammy-bar freakout during a slower middle section), a melody that winds snakily upward, and nifty little production tricks doubtless inspired by Queen. A galloping, fully metallic reimagining of the Joan Baez folk tune "Diamonds and Rust" is a smashing success, one of the most effective left-field cover choices in metal history. "Starbreaker" is the first of many "alien monsters from the sky!" tunes in the bands catalog. Proggy, churchy guitar intro "Let Us Prey" quickly leads into the speed-burner "Call for the Priest," which may just be the earliest building block in the construction of speed metal, and features some of Tipton and Downings most impressive twin-guitar harmonies yet. "Raw Deal" is a less immediate metal offering that faintly recalls the bands blues-rock roots, though it may be most interesting for the blatant lyrical references to S&M bars and gay haven Fire Island, not to mention an unmistakable endorsement of gay rights. Things close on a high note with the utterly stunning "Dissident Aggressor," one of the heaviest songs in the bands catalog, so much so that it was covered (and not outdone) by Slayer. Once the bludgeoning main riff abruptly kicks in, Halford screams at what must be the very top of his range; a completely manic Phillips offers some of the earliest double-bass drumming in metal; and the crazed guitar solos prove that Tipton and Downing had more than just pure technique at their disposal. Its not a stretch to say that at the time of its release, "Dissident Aggressor" was probably the heaviest metal song of all time. Its the biggest sign here that as good as Judas Priest already was, they were on the verge of something even greater. In what must seem like a much bigger oddity now, the inaugural American tour that ensued found them opening for REO Speedwagon and Foreigner. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 44 Title: Stained Class Released: 1978-02 Tracks: 9 Duration: 43:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Exciter (05:33) 2 White Heat, Red Hot (04:20) 3 Better by You, Better Than Me (03:25) 4 Stained Class (05:18) 5 Invader (04:11) 6 Saints in Hell (05:29) 7 Savage (03:28) 8 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 9 Heroes End (05:01) |
| Stained Class : Allmusic album Review : Easily one of the most important heavy metal albums ever released, Stained Class marks the peak of Judas Priests influence, setting the sonic template for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal more than any other single recording. This is the point where Priest put it all together, embracing their identity as the heaviest band on the planet and taking the genre to new heights of power, speed, musicality, and malevolence. Not until Painkiller would the band again be this single-minded in its focus on pure heavy metal. Their blues-rock roots have been virtually obliterated; largely gone, too, are the softer textures and gothic ballads of albums past. The lone exception is the morbid masterpiece "Beyond the Realms of Death," on which the band finally finds a way to integrate the depressive balladry of songs like "Epitaph" and "Last Rose of Summer" into their metal side. Starting out with quiet, mournful verses, the songs chorus is ripped open by a blazing guitar riff as Rob Halford shrieks about leaving the world behind, a dramatic climax that sounds like a definite blueprint for Metallicas "Fade to Black." Yet it wasnt this song that inspired the ridiculous 1989-1990 court case involving the suicide pact of two Nevada teenagers; that honor goes to the Spooky Tooth cover "Better by You, Better Than Me" (penned by none other than the "Dream Weaver" himself, Gary Wright), on which the band allegedly embedded the subliminal backwards-recorded message "Do it." Astounding implausibility aside (as the band pointed out, why encourage the suicides of fans who spend money?), it isnt hard to see why Stained Class might invite such hysterical projections. On balance, its the darkest lyrical work of the bands career, thematically obsessed with death, violence, and conquest. Thats not to say its always approving. Sure, there are battle cries like "White Heat, Red Hot," horrific nightmares like "Saints in Hell," and elements of the fantastic in the alien monsters of "Invader" and stone classic opener "Exciter." But the band stays philosophical just as often as not. The twisting, turning title track adopts the biblical view of man as a hopeless, fallen creature preyed upon by his baser instincts; "Savage" foreshadows Iron Maidens "Run to the Hills" in depicting violent colonizers as the real savages; and closer "Heroes End" laments the many legends born from untimely deaths. So in the end, what really cements the celebrated morbidity of Stained Class is the sinister atmosphere created by the music itself. Never before had heavy metal sounded so viciously aggressive, and never before had that been combined with such impeccable chops. Seemingly at will, Tipton and Downing spit out brilliant riffs that cut with knife-like precision, usually several per song. This means that theres a lot to take in on Stained Class, but if theres nothing here as immediate as the bands later hits, theres also a tremendous amount that reveals itself only with repeated listens. While the albums overall complexity is unrivalled in the bands catalog, the songs still pack an enormous visceral impact; the tempos have often been jacked up to punk-level speed, and unlike albums past, theres no respite from the all-out adrenaline rush. Heavy metal had always dealt in extremes -- both sonically and emotionally -- but here was a fresh, vital new way to go about it. Its impossible to overstate the impact that Stained Class had on virtually all of the heavy metal that followed it, from the NWOBHM through thrash and speed metal onward, and it remains Judas Priests greatest achievement. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 44 Title: Killing Machine Released: 1978-10-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 2 Rock Forever (03:19) 3 Evening Star (04:05) 4 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 5 Take on the World (03:01) 6 Burnin Up (04:05) 7 Killing Machine (03:01) 8 Running Wild (02:58) 9 Before the Dawn (03:23) 10 Evil Fantasies (04:14) |
 | Album: 7 of 44 Title: British Steel Released: 1980-04-14 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Rapid Fire (04:06) 3 Metal Gods (04:00) 4 Grinder (03:57) 5 United (03:34) 6 Living After Midnight (03:31) 7 You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise (05:03) 8 The Rage (04:44) 9 Steeler (04:29) |
| British Steel : Allmusic album Review : Predating Metallicas self-titled blockbuster by 11 years, Judas Priests British Steel was a similarly pitched landmark boasting many of the same accomplishments. It streamlined and simplified the progressive intricacies of a band fresh off of revolutionizing the entire heavy metal genre; it brought an aggressive, underground metal subgenre crashing into the mainstream (in Priests case, the NWOBHM; in Metallicas, thrash); and it greatly expanded the possibilities for heavy metals commercial viability as a whole. Of course, British Steel was nowhere near the sales juggernaut that Metallica was, but in catapulting Judas Priest to the status of stadium headliners, it was the first salvo fired in heavy metals ultimate takeover of the hard rock landscape during the 1980s. Packed with strong melodic hooks, British Steel is a deliberate commercial move, forsaking the complexity of the bands early work in favor of a robust, AC/DC-flavored groove. Its a convincing transformation, as Priest prove equally adept at opening up their arrangements to let the rhythms breathe (something Iron Maiden, for all their virtues, never did master). The album is built around the classic singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight," both big hits in the U.K., which openly posit Priest as a party band for the first time. But British Steel is hardly a complete break from the bands past. There are still uptempo slices of metallic mayhem bookending the album in "Rapid Fire" and "Steeler," plus effective moodier pieces in "Metal Gods" (ostensibly about gods literally made of metal, though you know full well the band wanted a nickname) and the crawling menace of "The Rage," which features arguably the best Rob Halford vocal on the album. Not everything on British Steel quite holds up today -- the British hit "United" is a simplistic (not just simplified) football-chant anthem in the unfortunate tradition of "Take on the World," while "You Dont Have to Be OId to Be Wise" wallows in the sort of "eff your parents, man!" sentiments that are currently used to market kids breakfast cereals. These bits of blatant pandering can leave more than a whiff of unease about the bands commercial calculations, and foreshadow the temporary creative slip on the follow-up, Point of Entry. Still, on the whole, British Steel is too important an album to have its historical stature diluted by minor inconsistencies. Rather, it sealed Judas Priests status as genre icons, and kick-started heavy metals glory days of the 1980s. It went Top Five in the U.K. and became their first Top 40 album in the U.S., going platinum in the process and paving the way for countless imitators and innovators alike. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 44 Title: Hero, Hero Released: 1981 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:13:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Prelude (02:02) 2 Tyrant (04:26) 3 Rocka Rolla (04:00) 4 One for the Road (04:40) 5 Victim of Changes (07:40) 6 Dying to Meet You (06:15) 7 Never Satisfied (04:50) 8 Dreamer Deceiver (07:45) 9 Deceiver (02:46) 10 Winter (02:58) 11 Deep Freeze (02:23) 12 Winter Retreat (01:30) 13 Cheater (03:00) 14 Diamonds and Rust (03:15) 15 Run of the Mill (08:30) 16 Genocide (05:47) 17 Caviar and Meths (02:00) |
| Hero, Hero : Allmusic album Review : Another repackaging of material from Judas Priests first two albums, originally done for the Gull label, Hero, Hero contains all of Rocka Rolla, most of the tracks from Sad Wings of Destiny, and the Joan Baez cover "Diamonds and Rust," which appeared on Sin After Sin. Its decent, but its also better to hear this material in its original context, especially given the erratic nature of Rocka Rolla. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 44 Title: Point of Entry Released: 1981-02-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Heading Out to the Highway (03:47) 2 Dont Go (03:17) 3 Hot Rockin (03:17) 4 Turning Circles (03:41) 5 Desert Plains (04:35) 6 Solar Angels (04:03) 7 You Say Yes (03:29) 8 All the Way (03:42) 9 Troubleshooter (04:00) 10 On the Run (03:44) |
| Point of Entry : Allmusic album Review : Having reinvented themselves as an arena metal act with the hugely successful British Steel, Judas Priest naturally opted to stay the course with Point of Entry, keeping things simple while adding a bluesy boogie in places, a sound they hadnt really attempted in quite some time. However, where British Steels simplicity was an effective reworking of the bands sound, Point of Entrys songs arent always up to par, making its less well-crafted tracks sound like lunkheaded, low-effort filler. When Point of Entry works, it works well -- "Heading Out to the Highway," "Solar Angels," and "Desert Plains," for example, are great, driving hard rock songs, but British rock anthem hits "Dont Go" and "Hot Rockin" seem oddly generic given Priests reputation for inventiveness. Even if Point of Entry is somewhat disappointing overall, though, its partly because of the albums genre-transforming predecessors; it does have enough good moments to make it worthwhile to diehards and fans of the groups more commercial 80s output. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 44 Title: Screaming for Vengeance Released: 1982-07-17 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Hellion (00:41) 2 Electric Eye (03:38) 3 Riding on the Wind (03:10) 4 Bloodstone (03:52) 5 (Take These) Chains (03:07) 6 Pain and Pleasure (04:16) 7 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 8 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 9 Fever (05:21) 10 Devil’s Child (04:47) 11 Prisoner of Your Eyes (07:12) 12 Devil’s Child (live) (05:02) |
| Screaming for Vengeance : Allmusic album Review : Judas Priest rebounded from the shaky Point of Entry with Screaming for Vengeance, arguably the strongest album of their early-80s commercial period. Having moved a bit too far into simplistic hard rock, Vengeance found the band refocusing on heavy metal, and achieving a greater balance between commercialism and creativity. The results were catchy and accessible, yet harder-hitting, and without the awkwardly apparent calculation that informed the weakest moments of the albums two predecessors. Ultimately, Screaming for Vengeance hangs together better than even the undeniable landmark British Steel, both thematically and musically. Theres less of a party-down feel here -- the remaining traces of boogie have been ironed out, and the lyrics return to the darkness and menace that gave the band its mystique. Sure, if you stop to read the lyrics, all the references to demons and devils and monsters can look a little gratuitous, but the music here is so strong that there simply arent any seams showing. Even the occasional filler is more metallic this time around -- in place of trite teenage rebellion, listeners get the S&M-themed "Pain and Pleasure." In fact, "Pain and Pleasure" and "Fever" are the only two songs here that have never shown up on a band retrospective, which ought to tell you that Priests songwriting here is perhaps the best its ever been. The midtempo grooves that enlivened British Steel are here in full force on the bands signature tune, "Youve Got Another Thing Comin" (their only American chart single), as well as "Bloodstone," "Devils Child," and unfairly forgotten single "(Take These) Chains," all uniformly great. But theres a nearly equal emphasis on uptempo headbanging, thanks to the classic "The Hellion/Electric Eye," the terrific album track "Riding on the Wind," and the stupendously high-velocity title cut, which is the closest they ever came to thrash metal (at least in the 80s). Despite a one-album misstep in between, Screaming for Vengeance managed to capitalize on the commercial breakthrough of British Steel, becoming the first Priest album to be certified double platinum, and reaching the Top 20 in America and the U.K. alike. Along with British Steel, it ranks as one of the best and most important mainstream metal albums of the 80s. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 44 Title: Heavy Metal Vol. 1 Released: 1984 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:56:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Watcher (04:06) 2 Iron Horse / Born to Lose (05:05) 3 On Parole (05:30) 4 White Line Fever (02:34) 5 Keep Us on the Road (05:25) 6 Leaving Here (03:12) 7 Im Your Witch Doctor (03:08) 8 The Train Kept a Rollin (02:50) 9 City Kids (03:38) 1 Victim of Changes (07:45) 2 The Ripper (02:51) 3 Dreamer Deceiver (05:53) 4 Deceiver (02:46) 5 Prelude (02:02) 6 Tyrant (04:28) 7 Genocide (05:48) 8 Epitaph (03:20) 9 Island of Domination (04:20) 1 War Pigs / Luke’s Wall (07:56) 2 Paranoid (02:48) 3 Planet Caravan (04:26) 4 Iron Man (05:55) 5 Electric Funeral (04:49) 6 Hand of Doom (07:08) 7 Rat Salad (02:30) 8 Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots (06:14) |
 | Album: 12 of 44 Title: Defenders of the Faith Released: 1984-01-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 2 Jawbreaker (03:27) 3 Rock Hard Ride Free (05:35) 4 The Sentinel (05:03) 5 Love Bites (04:47) 6 Eat Me Alive (03:35) 7 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:07) 8 Night Comes Down (04:00) 9 Heavy Duty (02:25) 10 Defenders of the Faith (01:28) |
| Defenders of the Faith : Allmusic album Review : The last quality album from Judas Priests commercial period, Defenders of the Faith doesnt quite reach the heights of British Steel or Screaming for Vengeance, in part because it lacks a standout single on the level of those two records best material. That said, even if theres a low percentage of signature songs here, theres a remarkably high percentage of hidden gems waiting to be unearthed, making Defenders possibly the most underrated record in Priests catalog. Musically, it follows the basic blueprint of Screaming for Vengeance, alternating intricate speed rockers with fist-pumping midtempo grooves and balancing moderate musical sophistication with commercial accessibility. Its a craftsmanlike record from a band that had been in the game for a full decade already, but was still vital and exciting, and decidedly not on autopilot (yet). The record opens high-energy with the terrific "Freewheel Burning" and "Jawbreaker" before moving into lost anthem "Rock Hard Ride Free," the more complex "The Sentinel," the cold, oddly mechanized single "Love Bites," and the slightly darker "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll." Coincidentally (both were released the same year), theres a bit of Spinal Tap creeping into the bands approach on side two -- not just in calling a song "Heavy Duty," but also in the ridiculous rough-sex ode "Eat Me Alive," which comes off like an S&M-themed; "Sex Farm" (albeit without the tasteful subtlety). It wound up getting the band in trouble with Tipper Gores PMRC, though one wonders if it would have helped or hindered their cause that the songs sexual aggression was, in hindsight, not directed at women. At any rate, Defenders of the Faith charted only one spot lower than its predecessor, and was certified platinum. Hereafter, Priest would have significant difficulties adapting to the fast-changing landscape of heavy metal in the latter half of the 80s. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 44 Title: The History of Rock: Volume Thirty Seven Released: 1986 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:17:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (?) 2 Two Out of Three Aint Bad (?) 3 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 4 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 5 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (05:15) 6 Take on the World (03:01) 7 Breaking the Law (02:42) 8 United (03:34) 9 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 10 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 1 Wheels of Steel (04:26) 2 747 (Strangers in the Night) (03:42) 3 Big Teaser (03:55) 4 Rainbow Theme / Frozen Rainbow (05:34) 5 Strong Arm of the Law (04:39) 6 And the Bands Played On (02:47) 7 Motorhead (03:11) 8 City Kids (03:23) 9 Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (03:25) 10 On Parole (05:58) 11 Leaving Here (03:12) |
 | Album: 14 of 44 Title: Turbo Released: 1986-04-14 Tracks: 29 Duration: 2:22:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Turbo Lover (05:33) 2 Locked In (04:19) 3 Private Property (04:30) 4 Parental Guidance (03:26) 5 Rock You All Around the World (03:37) 6 Out in the Cold (06:27) 7 Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days (04:39) 8 Hot for Love (04:11) 9 Reckless (04:20) 1 Out in the Cold (06:35) 2 Locked In (04:21) 3 Heading Out to the Highway (04:53) 4 Metal Gods (04:03) 5 Breaking the Law (02:43) 6 Love Bites (05:19) 7 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:25) 8 The Sentinel (05:02) 9 Private Property (05:11) 10 Desert Plains (04:55) 11 Rock You All Around the World (05:02) 1 The Hellion (00:40) 2 Electric Eye (03:37) 3 Turbo Lover (06:03) 4 Freewheel Burning (05:03) 5 Victim of Changes (08:55) 6 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (05:19) 7 Living After Midnight (04:35) 8 Youve Got Another Thing Coming (09:01) 9 Hell Bent for Leather (05:53) |
| Turbo : Allmusic album Review : Searching for a way to retool their sound, Judas Priest attempted to accentuate their melodic side on Turbo by incorporating synthesizers and 80s pop-metal stylings ("Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days" sounds more like Poison (albeit with synths). The restrained songcraft sometimes pays dividends, especially on the PMRC-bashing "Private Property" and "Parental Guidance," and the synth-driven leadoff track "Turbo Lover," the latter of which is easily the best song on the record, and a successful reimagining of the Priest formula. But often, the band simply sounds directionless, unsure of exactly which path to accessibility it should follow; moreover, the synth-guitar backing and overly polished production give the album an oddly mechanized, processed feel. It certainly doesnt help most of the material, which is often at least competent but rarely inspired enough to make much of an impression. Thats unfortunate because Turbos best moments indicate that with a clearer focus, the album could have been a creative success; however, its overall Judas Priests weakest release since Rocka Rolla. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 44 Title: Ram It Down Released: 1988-05-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ram It Down (04:49) 2 Heavy Metal (05:58) 3 Love Zone (03:58) 4 Come and Get It (04:07) 5 Hard as Iron (04:08) 6 Blood Red Skies (07:51) 7 I’m a Rocker (03:58) 8 Johnny B. Goode (04:39) 9 Love You to Death (04:36) 10 Monsters of Rock (05:30) |
| Ram It Down : Allmusic album Review : After the failed experiment of Turbo, Judas Priest toned down the synths and returned to the basics, delivering a straight-ahead, much more typical Priest album with Ram It Down. The bands fan base was still devoted enough to consistently push each new album past the platinum sales mark, and perhaps thats part of the reason Ram It Down generally sounds like its on autopilot. While there are some well-constructed songs, they tend toward the generic, and the songwriting is pretty lackluster overall, with the up-tempo title track easily standing out as the best tune here. And even though Ram It Down backed away from the territory explored on Turbo, much of the album still has a too-polished, mechanical-sounding production, especially the drums. Lyrically, Ram It Down is firmly entrenched in adolescent theatrics that lack the personality or toughness of Priests best anthems, which -- coupled with the lack of much truly memorable music -- makes the record sound cynical and insincere, the lowest point in the Rob Halford era. Further debits are given for the cover of "Johnny B. Goode." | ||
 | Album: 16 of 44 Title: The Collection Released: 1989 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:16:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 One for the Road (04:38) 2 Rocka Rolla (03:05) 3 Winter / Deep Freeze / Winter Retreat (06:29) 4 Cheater (02:59) 5 Never Satisfied (04:50) 6 Run of the Mill (08:32) 7 Dying to Meet You (06:23) 8 Victim of Changes (07:47) 9 The Ripper (02:51) 10 Dreamer Deceiver (05:53) 11 Deceiver (02:47) 12 Prelude (02:02) 13 Tyrant (04:28) 14 Genocide (05:48) 15 Epitaph (03:17) 16 Island of Domination (04:20) |
 | Album: 17 of 44 Title: Painkiller Released: 1990-09-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Painkiller (06:06) 2 Hell Patrol (03:36) 3 All Guns Blazing (03:57) 4 Leather Rebel (03:34) 5 Metal Meltdown (04:49) 6 Night Crawler (05:45) 7 Between the Hammer & the Anvil (04:49) 8 A Touch of Evil (05:44) 9 Battle Hymn (00:56) 10 One Shot at Glory (06:48) |
| Painkiller : Allmusic album Review : At the dawn of the 90s, Judas Priest were in sad shape: out of touch, seemingly creatively bankrupt, coming off the two worst albums of their career, and left for dead by many observers. Trying to right the ship, Priest jettisoned longtime producer Tom Allom and his tinny 80s sound, as well as the serviceable groove drumming of Dave Holland, and brought in veteran metal producer Chris Tsangarides and onetime Racer X skinsman Scott Travis. Most importantly, though, Priest stopped trying to be a stadium act in the midst of hair metals heyday. All those changes come into sharp focus as soon as the title cut of Painkiller starts -- Travis thunderous (and crisp-sounding) percussive maelstrom lights an immediate fire under the bandmembers asses; Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing tear through a crushing, diabolical riff; and Rob Halford starts shrieking like a wicked witch, giving perhaps the most malevolent-sounding performance of his career. Its a startling statement of musical purpose that arrived seemingly out of nowhere, heralding a comeback that rivals George Foremans. Once the leanest, meanest, darkest metal band on the planet, Priest were clearly giving up on the mainstream and instead embracing the thrash and speed metal underground theyd helped spawn. Not only do they come to terms with it here, they teach those whippersnappers a thing or two, marrying furious instrumental pyrotechnics to an unerring sense of songcraft. Spurred on by Travis jazz-trained double bass assault, Painkiller never once lets up, slowing down only for the elegant menace of the prog-tinged "A Touch of Evil," and without an unmemorable tune in the bunch. That constant, balls-out intensity is a big reason why metals younger generation has come to consider Painkiller perhaps the ultimate speed metal album. Older Priest fans will likely complain that the lyrics are silly, and they wont be wrong -- for all its fury, the title track is about the winged knight riding the monster motorcycle depicted on the front cover. However, theres a convincing argument to be made that this brand of comic book fantasy holds up better over time (and is more fun) than most would care to admit (and it cant be any sillier than, for example, members of Morbid Angel worshipping H.P. Lovecrafts fictional Ancient Ones as actual demonic entities). Thus, Painkillers influence reaches further than many longtime fans might expect: traditionalist power metal bands wanting a harder edge adopted a good chunk of Painkillers approach, yet its blend of chops and aggression also caught the ears of the emerging extreme metal movement, even inspiring a cover version of the title track on Deaths final album, The Sound of Perseverance. In the end, Painkiller secured Judas Priests legacy with the next generation of metal fans; its the point where their contributions make the most sense to modern ears more attuned to metal extremes (and more affectionate towards lyrical clichés). It isnt the most important of the Priest classics, but it is the fastest, the meanest, and, well, the most f***ing metal album they ever released. Simultaneously a stunning revitalization and the last great album they would ever make, thanks to Halfords imminent departure. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 44 Title: Super Best Judas Priest Collection Released: 1990-11-21 Tracks: 16 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rocka Rolla (?) 2 Never Satisfied (?) 3 Dying to Meet You (?) 4 Diamonds and Rust (?) 5 Victim of Changes (?) 6 Island of Domination (?) 7 Deciever (?) 8 The Ripper (?) 9 Epitaph (?) 10 One for the Road (?) 11 Prelude (?) 12 Tyrant (?) 13 Genocide (?) 14 Cheater (?) 15 Run of the Mill (?) 16 Caviar and Meths (?) |
 | Album: 19 of 44 Title: British Steel / Killing Machine Released: 1992 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:11:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Rapid Fire (04:06) 3 Metal Gods (04:00) 4 Grinder (03:57) 5 United (03:34) 6 Living After Midnight (03:31) 7 You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise (05:03) 8 The Rage (04:44) 9 Steeler (04:29) 1 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 2 Rock Forever (03:19) 3 Evening Star (04:05) 4 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 5 Take on the World (03:01) 6 Burnin Up (04:05) 7 Killing Machine (03:01) 8 Running Wild (02:58) 9 Before the Dawn (03:23) 10 Evil Fantasies (04:14) |
 | Album: 20 of 44 Title: Rocka Rolla / Sad Wings of Destiny Released: 1992 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:39:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 One for the Road (04:38) 2 Rocka Rolla (03:05) 3 Winter (02:59) 4 Deep Freeze (02:00) 5 Winter Retreat (01:31) 6 Cheater (02:57) 7 Never Satisfied (04:50) 8 Run of the Mill (08:33) 9 Dying to Meet You (06:17) 10 Caviar and Meths (02:02) 11 Diamonds and Rust (03:15) 1 Victim of Changes (07:47) 2 The Ripper (02:51) 3 Dreamer Deceiver (05:53) 4 Deceiver (02:46) 5 Prelude (02:02) 6 Tyrant (04:28) 7 Genocide (05:48) 8 Epitaph (03:20) 9 Island of Domination (04:20) 10 Halford Finds Priest (interview) (05:33) 11 Priest Finds Audience (interview) (03:33) 12 Dual Guitars (interview) (01:09) 13 Songwriting (interview) (03:02) 14 Whats in a Name (interview) (00:42) 15 Gull Records (interview) (02:03) 16 Whiskey Woman/Victim of Changes (interview) (01:11) 17 Rob Halford (interview) (01:02) |
 | Album: 21 of 44 Title: 241 Double Header Released: 1992 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:18:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 One for the Road (04:38) 2 Rocka Rolla (03:05) 3 Winter / Deep Freeze / Winter Retreat (06:29) 4 Cheater (02:57) 5 Never Satisfied (04:50) 6 Run of the Mill (08:32) 7 Dying to Meet You (06:17) 8 Caviar and Meths (02:09) 9 Victim of Changes (07:47) 10 The Ripper (02:50) 11 Dreamer Deceiver (05:51) 12 Deceiver (02:46) 13 Prelude (02:01) 14 Tyrant (04:27) 15 Genocide (05:46) 16 Epitaph (03:16) 17 Island of Domination (04:18) |
 | Album: 22 of 44 Title: Star Box Released: 1993 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Exciter (05:03) 2 The Sentinel (05:06) 3 Breaking the Law (02:33) 4 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:07) 5 Green Manlishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:22) 6 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 7 Hot Rockin (03:15) 8 Sinner (06:42) 9 Living After Midnight (03:26) 10 Rock You All Around the World (03:37) 11 Dissident Aggressor (03:08) 12 Youve Got Another Thing Comin (05:07) 13 All Guns Blazing (03:58) 14 Heavy Metal (05:59) |
 | Album: 23 of 44 Title: Metal Works ’73–’93 Released: 1993-04-29 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:27:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Hellion (00:41) 2 Electric Eye (03:38) 3 Victim of Changes (07:22) 4 Painkiller (06:06) 5 Eat Me Alive (03:35) 6 Devil’s Child (04:47) 7 Dissident Aggressor (03:07) 8 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 9 Exciter (05:04) 10 Breaking the Law (02:35) 11 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 12 Blood Red Skies (07:51) 13 Metal Gods (04:08) 14 Before the Dawn (03:23) 15 Turbo Lover (05:33) 16 Ram It Down (04:49) 17 Metal Meltdown (04:15) 1 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 2 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 3 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 4 Solar Angels (04:03) 5 Bloodstone (03:52) 6 Desert Plains (04:35) 7 Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days (04:39) 8 Heading Out to the Highway (04:40) 9 Living After Midnight (03:31) 10 A Touch of Evil (05:44) 11 The Rage (04:44) 12 Night Comes Down (04:00) 13 Sinner (06:45) 14 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 15 Night Crawler (05:45) |
| Metal Works ’73–’93 : Allmusic album Review : Although the double-disc Metal Works 73-93 is an intoxicating listen, it isnt quite the definitive Judas Priest retrospective it could have been. Six of the bands 11 U.K. chart singles arent here, and while "Johnny B. Goode" probably wont be missed, Hell Bent for Leathers "Take on the World" and "Evening Star," British Steels "United," and Point of Entrys "Dont Go" and "Hot Rockin" ought to have been included, especially since they were released during the bands influential prime. One could also argue for more material from the Stained Class era and less from the weaker mid- to late-80s albums. Plus, the songs arent arranged in chronological order, which makes it difficult to piece together the bands evolution and (sometimes trend-following) stylistic shifts. But quibbles aside, the collection makes a strong case for Judas Priests versatility, drawing from nearly all of their albums material, encompassing dark, driving riff rockers, melodic heavy metal, radio-ready commercial hard rock, the occasional ballad, and lyrics ranging from street-tough aggression and party anthems to sci-fi/fantasy themes and hints at Satanic posturing. The bands musicianship shines throughout; Priests tightly controlled style was played with a sense of groove that allowed the music to breathe and kept it from sounding too tight-assed. In between the lesser-known tracks, which are often impressive, comes one metal classic after another: "Victim of Changes," "Living After Midnight," "Breaking the Law," "Hell Bent for Leather," "Youve Got Another Thing Comin," "Screaming for Vengeance," and more. Even if it isnt quite a definitive portrait of the band, it is an enjoyable one; many necessary items are here, and it rocks hard from start to finish. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 44 Title: Metal Gods: Best Released: 1995 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:13:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Painkiller (06:06) 2 Ram It Down (04:49) 3 Johnny B. Goode (04:40) 4 Heading Out to the Highway (live) (04:29) 5 Victim of Changes (live) (07:09) 6 Sinner (06:45) 7 Diamonds and Rust (03:24) 8 Grinder (03:57) 9 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 10 Breaking the Law (02:35) 11 Metal Gods (04:00) 12 Steeler (04:29) 13 Living After Midnight (03:31) 14 Desert Plains (04:35) 15 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 16 Turbo Lover (05:33) |
 | Album: 25 of 44 Title: Anthology Released: 1995-02-22 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Ripper (02:50) 2 Tyrant (04:26) 3 Victim of Changes (07:54) 4 Rocka Rolla (03:01) 5 One for the Road (04:33) 6 Dreamer Deceiver (05:53) 7 Deceiver (02:43) 8 Cheater (02:57) 9 Winter (02:59) 10 Deep Freeze (02:00) 11 Winter Retreat (01:32) 12 Genocide (05:46) 13 Dying to Meet You (06:17) 14 Diamonds and Rust (03:15) 15 Epitaph (03:06) 16 Island of Domination (04:24) 17 Never Satisfied (04:48) 18 Caviar and Meths (02:03) |
 | Album: 26 of 44 Title: Prisoners of Pain Released: 1996 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 3 Metal Gods (04:05) 4 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 5 Let Us Prey / Call for the Priest (06:13) 6 Burnin Up (04:05) 7 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:05) 8 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:23) 9 Love Bites (04:47) 10 Living After Midnight (03:31) |
| Prisoners of Pain : Allmusic album Review : For metal fans on a budget, Prisoners of Pain is a worthwhile summation of Judas Priests early Columbia LPs -- most of the eras pivotal tracks are here, including "Living After Midnight," "Screaming for Vengeance," "Hell Bent for Leather," "Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)," and, of course, Beavis and Butt-Heads perennial favorite "Breaking the Law." | ||
 | Album: 27 of 44 Title: The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight Released: 1997 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:06:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:25) 2 Living After Midnight (03:31) 3 Breaking the Law (live) (02:24) 4 Hot Rockin (03:17) 5 Heading Out to the Highway (live) (04:36) 6 The Hellion (00:41) 7 Electric Eye (03:38) 8 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 9 Turbo Lover (05:33) 10 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 11 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:07) 12 Metal Meltdown (04:50) 13 Ram It Down (04:49) 14 Diamonds and Rust (live) (03:39) 15 Victim of Changes (live) (07:10) 16 Tyrant (live) (04:42) |
| The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight : Allmusic album Review : While the 80s may have been littered with many second-rate pop-metal knockoffs of little musical merit, Judas Priest, decked out in leather and studs, always stood tall above the pretenders as the genuine article of metal greatness. Along with Iron Maiden, they helped lead the way of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and are certainly one of the best and most influential metal bands ever. The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight provides fans with a collection of late-70s/early-80s hard-rocking classics by one of the best in the metal business. This collection focuses on the hits of Judas Priests career, which came mostly during the early 80s, their artistic and commercial peak. Tracks like "Living After Midnight" and the MTV favorite "Youve Got Another Thing Comin" showcase one of the bands biggest strengths, which is the ability to be melodic without losing any of their intensity or edge. The band had the ability to make you sing along while they were bludgeoning you over the head with a heavy guitar attack. Live tracks like the fist-pumping "Heading Out to the Highway" and "Tyrant" feature great performances by Rob Halford, who is one of the most gifted and distinct vocalists in heavy metal history. These tracks prove that Halfords soaring vocal range is no studio creation. The brutal "Metal Meltdown" and the epic "Victim of Changes" prominently display the twin guitar attack of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Many of the guitar tracks laid down by this duo throughout its career helped provide a blueprint for many shredders that followed. In true metal form, this album rarely gives you a chance to come up for air, and despite the fact that some early classic cuts are missing from this album, The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight is a fine collection of top-rate British heavy metal by one of the true masters. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 44 Title: Jugulator Released: 1997-10-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 58:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jugulator (05:51) 2 Blood Stained (05:26) 3 Dead Meat (04:44) 4 Death Row (05:04) 5 Decapitate (04:39) 6 Burn in Hell (06:42) 7 Brain Dead (05:24) 8 Abductors (05:49) 9 Bullet Train (05:11) 10 Cathedral Spires (09:17) |
| Jugulator : Allmusic album Review : Expectations were high for Jugulator, the first release from Judas Priest since Rob Halford left to form Fight in 1993. Indeed, the album debuted at an impressive number 82 on the Billboard album chart. New singer Ripper Owens, formerly of Winters Bane, almost lives up to the hype as a ballsy singer, but he lacks the upper octave range that made Halfords voice distinctive. The lack of distinction is primarily what makes this album a lukewarm rehash of 1990s Painkiller. The title song itself is merely a weak rewrite of "Painkiller," while musically the band has become derivative where once it was innovative. This is particularly true in the case of guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, who unashamedly ape the soloing style of the boys from Slayer. Also failing to impress are the lyrics on Jugulator, which are juvenile by even the crudest standards of heavy metal (though lyrics have never been the bands ace in the hole). Judas Priest may deserve praise for refusing to abandon heavy metal in its time of need, but that doesnt excuse this rather pedestrian affair from sounding entrenched in late-80s thrash. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 44 Title: Priest Live & Rare Released: 1998-04-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 53:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beyond the Realms of Death (07:03) 2 White Heat, Red Hot (live) (04:32) 3 Starbreaker (live) (07:19) 4 Breaking the Law (live) (02:37) 5 Living After Midnight (live) (04:18) 6 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (live) (05:03) 7 Breaking the Law (live) (02:44) 8 Youve Got Another Thing Coming (07:34) 9 Private Property (live) (05:12) 10 Turbo Lover (Hi-Octane mix) (07:26) |
| Priest Live & Rare : Allmusic album Review : Like their Brit-metal peers Iron Maiden and Motorhead, Judas Priest issued quite a few singles in England during their heyday. And like the others, Priest would include non-album B-sides with many of the singles, to entice fans who already had the A-side on their full-length to splurge for the single. The 1999 release Priest, Live & Rare is just what the title says -- a ten-track compilation of their B-sides (nine of which are live recordings, one a remix). For fans of Priests late-70s/early-80s work (the groups "heaviest" period), Priest, Live & Rare is quite a find, since it includes great live takes of forgotten classics. Included are such molten heavies as "Beyond the Realms of Death," "White Heat, Red Hot," and "Starbreaker," as well as the better-known compositions "Living After Midnight," "The Green Manalishi," "Youve Got Another Thing Coming," and two versions of "Breaking the Law." But not all of Priest, Live & Rare is top notch, especially the inclusion of Turbo-era material (Priests brief stab at more mainstream rock) -- as evidenced by a bland live version of "Private Property" and a preposterous remix of "Turbo Lover," the latter bordering on dance music! Still the good definitely outweighs the bad on Priest, Live & Rare. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 44 Title: Tyrant Released: 1999-07-05 Tracks: 13 Duration: 57:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rocka Rolla (03:01) 2 Run of the Mill (08:33) 3 Victim of Changes (07:47) 4 Ripper (02:50) 5 Prelude (02:02) 6 Tyrant (04:26) 7 Epitaph (03:20) 8 Island of Domination (04:11) 9 Diamonds and Rust (03:16) 10 One for the Road (04:34) 11 Deceiver (05:57) 12 Dreamer Deceiver (02:40) 13 Never Satisfied (04:49) |
 | Album: 31 of 44 Title: The Remasters Released: 2001 Tracks: 47 Duration: 3:29:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sinner (06:45) 2 Diamonds and Rust (03:27) 3 Starbreaker (04:49) 4 Last Rose of Summer (05:37) 5 Let Us Prey / Call for the Priest (06:13) 6 Raw Deal (06:00) 7 Here Come the Tears (04:36) 8 Dissident Aggressor (03:07) 9 Race With the Devil (03:06) 10 Jawbreaker (live) (04:02) 1 Exciter (05:33) 2 White Heat, Red Hot (04:20) 3 Better by You, Better Than Me (03:25) 4 Stained Class (05:18) 5 Invader (04:11) 6 Saints in Hell (05:29) 7 Savage (03:28) 8 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 9 Heroes End (05:01) 10 Fire Burns Below (06:58) 11 Better by You, Better Than Me (live) (03:58) 1 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 2 Rock Forever (03:19) 3 Evening Star (04:05) 4 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 5 Take on the World (03:01) 6 Burnin Up (04:05) 7 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:23) 8 Killing Machine (03:01) 9 Running Wild (02:58) 10 Before the Dawn (03:23) 11 Evil Fantasies (04:14) 12 Fight for Your Life (04:06) 13 Riding on the Wind (live) (03:15) 1 Exciter (05:38) 2 Running Wild (02:53) 3 Sinner (07:31) 4 The Ripper (02:44) 5 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:16) 6 Diamonds and Rust (03:30) 7 Victim of Changes (07:12) 8 Genocide (07:19) 9 Tyrant (04:32) 10 Rock Forever (03:27) 11 Delivering the Goods (04:07) 12 Hell Bent for Leather (02:40) 13 Starbreaker (05:59) |
 | Album: 32 of 44 Title: Demolition Released: 2001-07-14 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:22:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Machine Man (05:35) 2 One on One (06:44) 3 Hell Is Home (06:18) 4 Jekyll and Hyde (03:19) 5 Close to You (04:28) 6 Devil Digger (04:45) 7 Bloodsuckers (06:18) 8 In Between (05:41) 9 Feed on Me (05:28) 10 Subterfuge (05:12) 11 Lost and Found (04:57) 12 Cyberface (06:45) 13 Metal Messiah (05:14) 1 Whats My Name (03:44) 2 The Green Manalishi (live) (03:53) 3 Rapid Fire (04:09) |
| Demolition : Allmusic album Review : The second studio release with "Ripper" Owens, Demolition is an intriguing album. Listening to this one sometimes makes you wish that they had decided to go with a moniker other than Judas Priest. The reason is that, although this album is very strong, it really does not fit in with the historical sound of the band. It seems like a completely new group might have released it. Such a distinction almost seems to deserve a different band name. There are moments that do feel like older Priest, but the overall texture is harder and more modern. At times Owens comes across like Rob Halford (listen to the first verse of "Blood Suckers"), but he is really working to carve out his own identity. If you are a fan of classic Priest, maybe you should hear this one first, but if you are into more modern dark metal, by all means, pick it up. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 44 Title: Breaking the Law Released: 2001-10-22 Tracks: 13 Duration: 50:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Living After Midnight (03:28) 2 Breaking the Law (02:35) 3 Painkiller (06:05) 4 Dont Go (03:17) 5 All Guns Blazing (03:57) 6 Parental Guidance (03:26) 7 Rock Forever (03:19) 8 Night Crawler (05:38) 9 Evening Star (04:03) 10 Before the Dawn (03:23) 11 Diamonds and Rust (03:35) 12 Jawbreaker (03:27) 13 Freewheel Burning (04:23) |
 | Album: 34 of 44 Title: Ram It Down / British Steel / Screaming for Vengeance Released: 2002 Tracks: 29 Duration: 2:04:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ram It Down (04:49) 2 Heavy Metal (05:58) 3 Love Zone (03:58) 4 Come and Get It (04:07) 5 Hard as Iron (04:08) 6 Blood Red Skies (07:51) 7 I’m a Rocker (03:58) 8 Johnny B. Goode (04:39) 9 Love You to Death (04:36) 10 Monsters of Rock (05:30) 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Rapid Fire (04:06) 3 Metal Gods (04:00) 4 Grinder (03:57) 5 United (03:34) 6 Living After Midnight (03:31) 7 You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise (05:03) 8 The Rage (04:44) 9 Steeler (04:29) 1 The Hellion (00:41) 2 Electric Eye (03:38) 3 Riding on the Wind (03:10) 4 Bloodstone (03:52) 5 (Take These) Chains (03:07) 6 Pain and Pleasure (04:16) 7 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 8 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 9 Fever (05:21) 10 Devil’s Child (04:47) |
| Ram It Down / British Steel / Screaming for Vengeance : Allmusic album Review : This three-fer from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends rounds up a trio of long-players from the 1980s. The magnificent British Steel (1980) featured two of the bands most enduring singles ("Breaking the Law" and "Livin After Midnight"), as did their 1982 commercial breakthrough Screaming for Vengeance ("Youve Got Another Thing Comin" and "Electric Eye"), while 1988s Ram It Down, despite arriving near the end of the pre-grunge metal boom, managed to go gold on the strength of songs like "Blood Red Skies," "Hard as Iron," and the blistering title cut. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 44 Title: Deliverin the Goods Released: 2003 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Youve Got Another Thing Coming (05:05) 2 Rapid Fire (04:08) 3 Steeler (04:30) 4 Diamonds and Rust (03:35) 5 Dissident Aggressor (03:07) 6 Savage (03:28) 7 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 8 Heading Out to the Highway (03:47) 9 Desert Plains (04:36) 10 Metal Meltdown (04:47) |
 | Album: 36 of 44 Title: Metalogy Released: 2004-05-10 Tracks: 65 Duration: 5:03:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Never Satisfied (04:50) 2 Deceiver (02:44) 3 Tyrant (04:28) 4 Victim of Changes (live) (07:15) 5 Diamonds and Rust (live) (03:29) 6 Starbreaker (live) (07:19) 7 Sinner (06:45) 8 Let Us Prey / Call for the Priest (06:13) 9 Dissident Aggressor (03:07) 10 Exciter (05:33) 11 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 12 Better by You, Better Than Me (03:25) 13 Invader (04:11) 14 Stained Class (05:18) 15 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (live) (04:45) 1 Killing Machine (03:01) 2 Evening Star (04:07) 3 Take on the World (03:01) 4 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 5 Evil Fantasies (04:14) 6 Hell Bent for Leather (02:41) 7 Breaking the Law (live) (02:44) 8 Living After Midnight (03:31) 9 Rapid Fire (04:06) 10 Metal Gods (04:00) 11 Grinder (live) (04:42) 12 The Rage (04:44) 13 Heading Out to the Highway (03:47) 14 Hot Rockin (live) (03:29) 15 Troubleshooter (04:00) 16 Solar Angels (04:03) 17 Desert Plains (04:35) 18 The Hellion / Electric Eye (live) (04:17) 19 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 1 Riding on the Wind (03:10) 2 Bloodstone (03:52) 3 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 4 Devil’s Child (04:47) 5 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 6 Jawbreaker (03:27) 7 The Sentinel (05:03) 8 Love Bites (live) (05:21) 9 Eat Me Alive (03:35) 10 Some Heads Are Gonna Roll (04:07) 11 Rock Hard Ride Free (05:35) 12 Night Comes Down (04:00) 13 Turbo Lover (05:33) 14 Private Property (04:30) 15 Parental Guidance (03:26) 16 Out in the Cold (06:27) 17 Heart of a Lion (demo) (03:53) 1 Ram It Down (04:49) 2 Heavy Metal (05:58) 3 Come and Get It (04:07) 4 Blood Red Skies (07:51) 5 Painkiller (06:06) 6 Between the Hammer & the Anvil (04:49) 7 A Touch of Evil (05:44) 8 Metal Meltdown (04:49) 9 Night Crawler (05:45) 10 All Guns Blazing (03:57) 11 Jugulator (05:51) 12 Blood Stained (05:26) 13 Machine Man (05:35) 14 Feed on Me (05:28) |
| Metalogy : Allmusic album Review : Few bands captured the kinetic energy of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal as effortlessly as Judas Priest. In an era that saw the decreasing popularity of bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, the Birmingham quintet saw opportunity. Their volatile mix of searing metal, progressive rock, new wave, and blue-collared bar band brutality drew fans from every genre. While their influence on the hair metal renaissance of the mid- to late 80s is undeniable, its this early work that helped mold seminal groups like Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Mötley Crüe. Sony/Legacys career-spanning, four-CD box set Metalogy -- nestled in a dog collar-studded case -- is the first collection to chronicle the entire history of the band, from its 1974 debut to the Tim "Ripper" Owens-led Demolition. Discs one and two of the 65-track onslaught focus on the groups electrifying metamorphosis from chiffon-wearing, Gull Records recording artists to the leather-and-gun metal force of nature that redefined heavy metal during the late 70s/early 80s. The differences between the forgettable Rocka Rolla and the prog rock epic Sad Wings of Destiny are jarring, showcasing a band that couldnt decide whether or not it wanted to emulate Nazareth or Queen. Thankfully, its the latter that prevailed, and what followed was a Bowie-esque transformation that united both rockers and mods with a hidden fetish for the glam rock sensibilities of the era, and it wasnt long before the fantasy-rock musings of songs like "Tyrant" evolved into motorcycle/sex rave-ups like "Breaking the Law" and "Livin After Midnight." 1980s British Steel and its predecessor, the often overlooked Hell Bent for Leather, were milestone recordings for the group as well as the genre. Hell Bent was the more diverse of the two, yielding Zeppelin-esque fury on "Evil Fantasies" and a healthy dose of Roxy Music on the almost danceable "Killing Machine," but it was British Steel that broke the band in America, a success that was doubled by 1982s Screaming for Vengeance. Producer Tom Allom knew the groups strengths and focused his attention on the blistering twin-guitar assault of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, as well as harnessing Rob Halfords netherworld shriek, wrapping it in a laser precision coat of flange and delay. Its that delay-heavy vocal sound mixed with Halfords peerless scream that can be heard emitting from the throats of successive artists such as Perry Farrell and the late Jeff Buckley. The 80s were good to Priest, providing them with the fame and fortune they so richly deserved, but it wasnt long before their fans began to question their motives. Metalogy earns points for including two discs of material from these later records, and there is a great deal of bounty to be had; however, the downward spiral that saw Halford and longtime drummer Dave Holland leaving the group at the dawn of the 90s hurt both their fans and their music. While "Freewheel Burning," "Parental Guidance" -- still a surprisingly sweet teenage anthem -- and "Ram It Down" rank among their finest works, tired filler like "Come and Get It" and "Jugulator" -- the latter features Halfords replacement, former Priest cover-band frontman Owens -- have no place on this collection despite their fulfillment of a linear time line. Also, the inclusion of "rare" live tracks of monumental recordings like "The Hellion/Electric Eye" and "Breaking the Law" should have found themselves on an all-live disc five, leaving room for the original recordings. These gripes aside, Metalogy is a fully realized body of work, and the remastering alone is worth the occasional indulgence. Priest were always more science fiction than hellbound, and this remarkable retrospective does a lot to dispel the P.M.R.C. accusations of "deviltry" and suicide-enabling that they suffered in the 80s. The accompanying booklet tells a different story, one that concerns five young men from an industrial town in England, who, like Black Sabbath before them, wrote and played in a style that reflected what they saw when they looked out their windows: smoke, rain, and an endless sea of metal. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 44 Title: Angel of Retribution Released: 2005-02-23 Tracks: 10 Duration: 52:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Judas Rising (04:13) 2 Deal With the Devil (03:54) 3 Revolution (04:42) 4 Worth Fighting For (04:18) 5 Demonizer (04:37) 6 Wheels of Fire (03:46) 7 Angel (04:24) 8 Hellrider (06:23) 9 Eulogy (02:52) 10 Lochness (13:29) |
| Angel of Retribution : Allmusic album Review : Described by the newly reunited band as "the second (and final) part of 1976s pseudo-conceptual Sad Wings of Destiny," 2005s Angel of Retribution is a halfhearted attempt at recapturing the bands pre-Turbo heydays. The only thing that these two records have in common, though, is the winged avatar that graces their respective covers -- Retributions angel is adorned with gun metal instead of flesh. Judas Priests 16th studio album will be a frustrating one for fans, as the leadoff track, "Judas Rising," promises great things -- the swirling guitar intro that slowly reveals a mammoth, multi-tracked Rob Halford scream is positively goosebump-inducing -- but what follows is textbook heavy metal played with precision by a group that doesnt have the slightest interest in challenging anybody, least of all itself. Priest have never been poets, but their lyrics were always far removed from the Dungeons & Dragons musings of similar artists like Dio or Manowar, so when these New Wave of British Heavy Metal pioneers offer up a 12-minute epic about the Loch Ness monster ("Lochness"), complete with the chorus "Lochness protects monstrosity/Lochness confess to me," it all feels a little too Spinal Tap. This is a shame because Halford is still a force of nature and Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing are still the most underrated dual-guitar attack in the genre. These are not "bad" songs, however, especially for a band in its 28th year, so never mind that "Revolution" is essentially a rewrite of Janes Addictions "Mountain Song" or that "Eulogy," a ballad that makes references to numerous songs from the groups past, ends up sounding like its directed at the band itself rather than the listener. Angel of Retribution does indeed rock just hard enough to please longtime fans and convert a few new ones along the way. "Here they come, these Gods of steel/Megatron/devouring whats concealed." | ||
 | Album: 38 of 44 Title: The Essential Judas Priest Released: 2006-04-11 Tracks: 34 Duration: 2:34:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Judas Rising (04:13) 2 Breaking the Law (02:35) 3 Hell Bent for Leather (02:43) 4 Diamonds and Rust (03:27) 5 Victim of Changes (07:45) 6 Love Bites (04:47) 7 Heading Out to the Highway (03:47) 8 Ram It Down (04:49) 9 Beyond the Realms of Death (06:52) 10 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 11 Jawbreaker (03:27) 12 A Touch of Evil (05:44) 13 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 14 United (03:34) 15 Turbo Lover (05:33) 16 Painkiller (06:06) 17 Metal Gods (04:00) 1 The Hellion (00:41) 2 Electric Eye (03:38) 3 Living After Midnight (03:31) 4 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 5 Exciter (05:33) 6 The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (03:23) 7 Blood Red Skies (07:51) 8 Night Crawler (05:45) 9 Sinner (06:45) 10 Hot Rockin’ (03:18) 11 The Sentinel (05:03) 12 Before the Dawn (03:23) 13 Hell Patrol (03:36) 14 The Ripper (02:51) 15 Screaming for Vengeance (04:43) 16 Out in the Cold (06:27) 17 Revolution (04:42) |
| The Essential Judas Priest : Allmusic album Review : Sonys The Essential Judas Priest collection is the perfect middle ground for those who found 2004s four-disc Metalogy box a bit too daunting. Each and every one of the 34 tracks is indispensable, chronicling the groups rise from Queen-worshipping debutantes to revolutionary metal gods. Its often the case that when career retrospectives take a non-linear approach to their sequencing, the resulting play list becomes a mess of clashing recording techniques and jarring style changes, but Priest has always held true to its vision, experimenting early on with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in ways that seamlessly bridged the gap between their Gull and Columbia years. From the opening avatar scream of 2005s comeback single "Judas Rising" to the introductory guitar swells of Screaming for Vengeances "The Hellion/Electric Eye" -- no live cuts or Tim "Ripper" Owens-era tracks were included -- this is one compilation thats worthy of its moniker. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 44 Title: Hit Collection Released: 2007-12-28 Tracks: 13 Duration: 50:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Living After Midnight (03:31) 2 Breaking the Law (02:35) 3 Painkiller (06:06) 4 Dont Go (03:17) 5 All Guns Blazing (03:57) 6 Parental Guidance (03:26) 7 Rock Forever (03:19) 8 Night Crawler (05:38) 9 Evening Star (04:05) 10 Before the Dawn (03:23) 11 Diamonds and Rust (03:35) 12 Jawbreaker (03:27) 13 Freewheel Burning (04:24) |
| Hit Collection : Allmusic album Review : Its a bit of a head scratcher to title a Judas Priest compilation Hit Collection and omit such headbanging classics as "Youve Got Another Thing Coming," "Green Manalishi," "Electric Eye," and "Hell Bent for Leather." But thats exactly what you get (or perhaps more fittingly, dont get) on this 13-track collection. That said, if youre searching for a Priest comp that includes a few classics with overlooked album cuts, then Hit Collection is worth a listen. No other single-disc Priest collection on the market contains such selections as "Jawbreaker," "Before the Dawn," "Rock Forever," or "Dont Go," but you can find them here, alongside such certified classics as "Living After Midnight," "Breaking the Law," and "Diamonds and Rust." And a few tracks show the groups extreme stylistic side -- from an obvious attempt to cross over with a melodic anthem ("Parental Guidance") to a track that is the groups all-time most intensely metallic ("Painkiller"). Certainly not the most expertly assembled Priest collection, but probably the most interesting from a track-listing standpoint. | ||
 | Album: 40 of 44 Title: Greatest Hits (Steel Box Collection) Released: 2008-02-25 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Living After Midnight (03:31) 3 Out in the Cold (06:27) 4 Love Bites (04:49) 5 Rock You All Around the World (03:37) 6 Diamonds and Rust (03:35) 7 Rock Hard Ride Free (05:35) 8 Turbo Lover (05:33) 9 Deal With the Devil (03:56) 10 Worth Fighting For (04:19) |
 | Album: 41 of 44 Title: Nostradamus Released: 2008-06-13 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:42:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dawn of Creation (02:31) 2 Prophecy (05:26) 3 Awakening (00:52) 4 Revelations (07:05) 5 The Four Horsemen (01:35) 6 War (05:04) 7 Sands of Time (02:36) 8 Pestilence and Plague (05:08) 9 Death (07:33) 10 Peace (02:21) 11 Conquest (04:42) 12 Lost Love (04:28) 13 Persecution (06:34) 1 Solitude (01:22) 2 Exiled (06:32) 3 Alone (07:50) 4 Shadows in the Flame (01:10) 5 Visions (05:24) 6 Hope (02:09) 7 New Beginnings (04:56) 8 Calm Before the Storm (02:05) 9 Nostradamus (06:43) 10 Future of Mankind (08:29) |
| Nostradamus : Allmusic album Review : On 2005s (almost) divine comeback album Angel of Retribution, Judas Priest fans got a modern day update of the bands genre-bending 1976 classic, Sad Wings of Destiny. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends return to the mines for 2008s Nostradamus, though this time its another bands treasure theyre looting, specifically Iron Maidens 1988 concept album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Heavy metals obsession with seers, sorcery, and anything else that falls under the nebulous blanket of the "dark arts" is legendary, and Maidens loosely knit tale of a visionary "chosen one" provided listeners with one of the last great albums of the pre-grunge, epic metal era, due in part to some truly memorable songs that remain fan favorites even to this day. Nostradamus, on the other hand, manages to live up to nearly every Spinal Tap cliché (non-deliberate, laugh-inducing cover art; melodramatic spoken word interludes; rhyming "fire" with desire). At nearly two hours long, one expects a certain amount of filler, but the dated keyboard strings, soft piano, and bluesy, minor-key guitar licks that populate every nook and cranny in between (and often throughout) each track sound like discarded incidental music from The X-Files or an RPG video game "cut scene." The songs themselves are hit or miss, with the emphasis falling on the latter, due mostly to an over-reliance on three-chord, midtempo filler, but as is the case with nearly every Priest offering, when theyre on theyre dead on. Disc one closer "Persecution," after a lengthy organ/guitar intro, unleashes Nostradamus finest six minutes, boasting one of the best choruses the band has produced since 1988s "Hard as Iron" (few things sound as natural and satisfying as Rob Halfords metallic voice running through a phaser, and his signature scream, when it arises, still has no equal). The predictable but effectively apocalyptic "War" (taking a cue from Holsts Mars, Bringer of War) spawns one of the few great orchestral breakdowns on the record, while both "Death" and the nearly seven-minute title track feature stunning guitar work from Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing. None of this, however, can save Nostradamus from the fact that even if it were reduced to a single album (it should have been), its flaws would far outweigh its triumphs. Excess and metal go together like blood and guts, but even gore loses its ability to draw a reaction after the umpteenth beheading. | ||
 | Album: 42 of 44 Title: Playlist: The Very Best of Judas Priest Released: 2008-06-17 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Breaking the Law (02:35) 2 Living After Midnight (03:31) 3 Screaming for Vengeance (04:46) 4 Judas Rising (04:16) 5 Painkiller (06:08) 6 Heading Out to the Highway (03:46) 7 Ram It Down (04:51) 8 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 9 The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown) (03:22) 10 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 11 Dissident Aggressor (03:07) 12 Delivering the Goods (04:16) 13 Revolution (04:44) 14 All Guns Blazing (03:57) |
| Playlist: The Very Best of Judas Priest : Allmusic album Review : Playlist: The Very Best of Judas Priest features 14 tracks defined on the back jacket as "the life-changing songs, the out-of-print tracks, the hits, the fan favorites everyone loves, and the songs that make the artists who they are." For the most part, this 2008 compilation is a highlight reel of 2006s Essential Judas Priest, which remains the best entry point for listeners unwilling to dive into the catalog headfirst. Key tracks like "Breaking the Law," "Living After Midnight," and "Youve Got Another Thing Comin" are the bait, while newer cuts like "Ram It Down" and "Judas Rising" from 2005s Angel of Retribution are the kill, but theres far too much missing here to recommend over previous compilations. | ||
 | Album: 43 of 44 Title: Redeemer of Souls Released: 2014-07-08 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:23:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dragonaut (04:26) 2 Redeemer of Souls (03:58) 3 Halls of Valhalla (06:04) 4 Sword of Damocles (04:54) 5 March of the Damned (03:56) 6 Down in Flames (03:55) 7 Hell & Back (04:46) 8 Cold Blooded (05:25) 9 Metalizer (04:37) 10 Crossfire (03:51) 11 Secrets of the Dead (05:41) 12 Battle Cry (05:18) 13 Beginning of the End (05:07) 1 Snakebite (03:14) 2 Tears of Blood (04:19) 3 Creatures (04:25) 4 Bring It On (03:18) 5 Never Forget (06:25) |
| Redeemer of Souls : Allmusic album Review : "Welcome to my world of steel" sneers Rob Halford on the punchy, surprisingly spartan "Dragonaut," the opening salvo of the venerable New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends 17th studio long-player, and their first outing without founding guitarist K.K. Downing, who left the group in 2011. The antithesis to 2008s overblown Nostradamus, Redeemer of Souls feels quaint in comparison, eschewing the largely fantasy-driven conceptual style of the ambitious, yet undeniably cumbersome, two-disc set in favor of a more refined, classic rock approach that edges closer to the groups late-70s offerings like Sin After Sin and Stained Class. New guitarist Richie Faulkner, with his golden mane and tight, controlled riffing, suggests a wax Downing just sprung to life and simply walked out of Madam Tussauds museum and into the bands rehearsal space, and his tasteful, yet undeniably meaty playing alongside Glenn Tipton goes a long way in helping to restore some of the classic Judas Priest luster, especially on standout cuts like the aforementioned "Dragonaut," the nervy and propulsive "Metalizer," and the rousing title track. Still, this is a band thats well into its fifth decade of being "Hell Bent for Leather"; theyve explored, both successfully and occasionally at great cost, nearly every shadowy nook and suspicious looking crevice of the genre, and the albums stalwart yet shopworn 13 tracks reflect that journey. That said, Redeemer of Souls is also the loosest (attitude-wise), leanest (arrangement-wise), and most confident-sounding collection of new material the band has released in ages, and while it will forever tread beneath high-water marks like British Steel and Sad Wings of Destiny, it most certainly deserves to be ranked alongside albums from that era. | ||
 | Album: 44 of 44 Title: Firepower Released: 2018-03-07 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Firepower (03:27) 2 Lightning Strike (03:29) 3 Evil Never Dies (04:23) 4 Never the Heroes (04:24) 5 Necromancer (03:33) 6 Children of the Sun (04:00) 7 Guardians (01:06) 8 Rising From Ruins (05:23) 9 Flame Thrower (04:34) 10 Spectre (04:25) 11 Traitors Gate (05:43) 12 No Surrender (02:53) 13 Lone Wolf (05:09) 14 Sea of Red (05:51) |
| Firepower : Allmusic album Review : Judas Priests 18th studio album, FIREPOWER began under inauspicious circumstances. First, guitarist Glenn Tipton, diagnosed with Parkinsons disease a decade ago, found it necessary to retire from the road; second, they lost out to Bon Jovi for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and finally, former drummer Dave Holland passed on before this sets issue. But the sound of FIREPOWER remains unbowed. Its undiminished power and assaultive mayhem are somewhat tempered in its slower moments by slowly unfurling rage, loss, and menace. It was begun in 2016 by Rob Halford, Tipton, and new guitarist Richie Faulkner. They chose two veteran producers to bring it home: Tom Allom, who helmed every JP album between 1979s Unleashed in the East (Live in Japan) and 1988s Ram It Down, and Andy Sneap, master producer/engineer of modern metal. He began his career in 1994 and has worked with everyone from Accept and Exodus to Megadeth, Masterplan, and Testament. He is also a formidable guitarist who is replacing Tipton on the road. FIREPOWER is meaner and leaner than Redeemer of Souls; the songwriting is more diverse and exceptionally tight. JP recorded all together from the studio floor; overdubs were added in post-production. It creates a kinetic energy and unified sense of purpose not heard consistently since Screaming for Vengeance. The opening title track thunders with double-timed drums, a classic dual-guitar riff, and Halfords scream. He may not be able to reach glass-shattering pitches at age 67, but his midrange wail and baritone growl remain among the mightiest forces in rock. His venomous attack righteously informs this anthemic call to arms. The grooving "Lightning Strike" is led by Scott Travis kit swinging hard over an angular guitar vamp, which erupts two-thirds of the way through with wonderfully tasty dual leads and solos. While some might wish all 14 tracks were bonecrushers, thats not Judas Priest. The midtempo "Never the Heroes" kicks off with a moody synth line and reverbed kick drums and tom-toms. It breaks down into menacing drama as Halford unfurls a hostile paean for the dead foot-soldiers of wars created by politicians and profiteers. The knotty chug in "Necromancer" recalls the Judas Priest of yore, while "Children of the Sun" offers a riff worthy of early Black Sabbath before reentering the bands boot-stomping sphere. The structure, drama, and production on the taut "Rising from Ruins" recalls "Blood Red Skies" from Ram It Down -- especially with Ian Hills thrumming bassline and chant-along chorus. Slower tempos prevail on "Flame Thrower" and "Spectre," but heaviness is never sacrificed. The spiky, raucous "Lone Wolf" is another groover possessing all of Judas Priests iconic swagger and stomp. "Sea of Red" offers the other side of "Never the Heroes." An homage to the war dead, soldiers and civilians alike, it commences as a power ballad and builds into a rousing metal hymn. Closing in on their 50th anniversary, Judas Priest still possess the musical rigor, showmanship, and force that make other bands bow down. FIREPOWER smokes. | ||