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Posts tagged Glenn Tipton
Judas Priest – A Touch Of Evil (Live 2005-2008) (@256)
06 Oct 2009
(Review from amazon, popmatters.com)
Made of song recordings scattered across the Angel of Vengeance 2005 and Nostradamus 2008 tours this is not such much a complete live show rather a greatest live moments of those tours, a collection of live souvenirs if you will. Indeed the songs have not been connected to run as one show and all of these recordings are stellar as is the band performance in delivering them. It’s an interesting decision, one that might stick in the craw of those fusspots who would rather hear a complete show uninterrupted, but for all its various locales and fade-outs after tracks, this album turns out to be quite the revelation.
With four of the 11 tracks from the last two albums – Angel of Retribution and the vastly underrated Nostradamus – and seven cuts dipping deep into the back catalog — to some more obscure songs, there is an eclectic mix that generates powerful electricity. Avoiding concert staples (which are always present in live albums), this makes for a much-welcomed and refreshing song list.
“Judas Rising” and “Hellrider” are faithful, energetic renditions that mine the classic Priest sound of 1982-1984, while the two cuts from last year’s Nostradamus are much more revelatory — “Prophecy” deliciously theatrical and “Death” transformed into a powerful doom metal dirge.
The real treat, though, is the older material, on which the entire band sounds rejuvenated. 1977’s “Dissident Aggressor” is a pummeling rendition, the rhythm section of drummer Scott Travis and bassist Ian Hill anchoring the track with a formidable bottom end. Originally appearing on 1978’s influential Stained Class, the new version of the epic “Beyond the Realm of Death” is reinvented, Halford smartly avoiding trying to replicate the multi-octave screeches of the original, playing to his current strengths, his more mid-range delivery lending the song a more somber, less bombastic air. The more straightforward “Riding on the Wind”, from 1982′s Screaming For Vengeance, is great fun, Halford’s high-pitched snarl belying his age, Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing trading leads as slickly as they’ve ever done. The lascivious “Eat Me Alive”, from 1984′s Defenders of the Faith, is dusted off and given a good spit and polish here, as is Painkiller’s “Between the Hammer and the Anvil”.
Interestingly, “A Touch of Evil Live” is limited to just an hour-long running time, and while it makes for a good, concise listen that’s never for a moment dull, fans will be wondering why such recently performed rarities as “Devil’s Child”, “Hell Patrol”, and “Rock Hard, Ride Free” were not included, but when we hear the band roar through the classic “Painkiller”, Halford turning in one of his most ferocious, maniacal vocal performances on record, it’s hard to complain.
Rarely do live albums drift away from the comfort zone of cranking out fan favorites while easily (lazily?) helping to fulfill the number of titles required in the contractual deal with the record company. Judas Priest breaks that mold.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford – vocals
* K. K. Downing – guitar
* Glenn Tipton – guitar
* Ian Hill – bass
* Scott Travis – drums
Track List:
01. Judas Rising – 4:23
02. Hellrider – 5:37
03. Between The Hammer & The Anvil – 4:34
04. Riding On The Wind – 3:28
05. Death – 7:52
06. Beyond The Realms Of Death – 6:51
07. Dissident Aggressor – 3:03
08. A Touch Of Evil – 6:10
09. Eat Me Alive – 4:35
10. Prophecy – 6:07
11. Painkiller – 7:12
Link in comments.
Judas Priest – Live in Concert 25th June 1980 (@256)
26 May 2009
(Review from amazon)
There was a time when British Steel was the hottest, hardest, and most awesome substance on the planet. This concert by the mighty Judas Priest was performed and recorded at the The Rainbow Music Hall, Denver, Colorado, 25th of June 1980. Judas Priest had just released the ‘British Steel’ album in April of 1980 and were once again touring the great expanse of North America. This concert is the bands first ever performance in Colorado and they make sure it is a special night for the sold-out audience.
This album captures Judas Priest on a night when they were “on” as they say in the ‘biz. The show opens with the famous “thunder” intro to “Metal Gods”. The band then rips not into “Metal Gods” but “Hell Bent For Leather”. The band then proceeds into “The Ripper” and “Running Wild”. Halford then introduces their new single at the time “Living After Midnight” and Tipton exhorts the rabid audience to “come on!”
The renditions of “Sinner” and “Beyond The Realms Of Death” are great but the real winners here are the new songs off of ‘British Steel’; “You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise”; “Grinder” and especially “Steeler” really rock. Getting to hear the band perform “Steeler” live is a real treat because they rarely play this song live!
Amazingly, Judas Pries manages to up the energy even more with a fantastic back-to-back performance of “Genocide” and “Tyrant”! The ‘explosions’ heard at the end of “Tyrant” occured when Halford came on stage with a faux machine gun and pretended to spray the audience with bullets! The night closes out with the Peter Green penned “Green Manalishi”.
The audio quality of this album is generally good; yes, there are some minor audio fluctuations in the very beginning but this occurs during the echo portions of Halford’s vocals when he is singing “The Ripper” and “Running Wild”. The audio dips slightly during “Living After Midnight” but is brought to equilibrium halfway through.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford – vocals
* K.K. Downing – guitars
* Glenn Tipton – guitars
* Ian Hill – bass guitar
* Dave Holland – drums
Track List:
01. Hell Bent for Leather – 2:54
02. The Ripper – 2:51
03. Running Wild – 3:30
04. Living After Midnight – 3:44
05. Sinner – 7:50
06. Beyond the Realms of Death – 6:50
07. You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise – 5:42
08. Grinder – 4:00
09. Victim of Changes – 7:50
10. Steeler – 5:34
11. Genocide – 10:43
12. Tyrant – 6:06
13. Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) – 3:20
Link in comments.
Glenn Tipton – Baptizm of Fire (1997) (@256)
15 Dec 2008
(Review from draven99, metalexcess)
“Baptizm of Fire” is a finely honed example of what metal can do. From chugging riffs to driving drums, to screaming solos, they’re all here. Glenn Tipton surrounded himself with a group of talented musicians that helped him spread his wings and step away from the band mentality. Tipton is really showing himself here as a great vocalist showing a lot of different styles. The album is definitely metal, but album covers many subgenres such as punk, alternative and thrash but it still manages to sound Priest-like at times.
The album opens with a chunky guitar riff, followed by a nice double bass drum fill leading us into “Hard Care”. A decent track which introduces you to an altered Priest sound, and the interesting and unique, if unspectacular voice of Glenn Tipton. This initial offering is followed by a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black”. Tipton does a sped up metalized version which works surprisingly well.
“Enter the Storm” opens with a nice progression leading into the mellow vocals, which in turn leads to a slow chugging guitar riff. The first couple of minutes actually remind of some of Type O Negatives slower songs. This leads into an incredible, blood pumping, guitar/drum progression. That is followed by another chunky rocker in “Fuel Me Up”.
The title track is the lone instrumental representation from our metallic ringleader. The guitars are haunting and very reminiscent of raw Priest. The song comes together with some great bass and drum work. The solos are Tipton cutting loose without having to work around vocals, instead using his guitar to take the listener on an emotional journey.
Other standout tracks include “Kill or be Killed” and “Voodoo Brother”. The former kicking up the speed a few notches and including some nice riffs. The latter moves along at an old school pace, sounds great. Then the album ends with the country/acoustic flavored “Left for Dead” which closes the album on a strange note but is an enjoyable change of pace.
Line-up:
* Glenn Tipton – Guitars, Vocals
with
* Robert Trujillo / Bass (1, 2, 10)
* C.J. de Villar / Bass (3, 4, 8, 9, 11)
* Billy Sheehan / Bass (5, 6)
* John Entwistle / Bass (7)
* Brooks Wackerman / Drums (1, 2, 10)
* Shannon Larkin / Drums (3, 4, 8, 9, 11)
* Cozy Powell / Drums (5, 6, 7, 11)
* Don Airey / Keyboards (6)
* Whitfield Crane / Back Vocals (10)
Track List:
01. Hard Core – 4:39
02. Paint It Black – 2:53
03. Enter The Storm – 5:56
04. Fuel Me Up – 3:02
05. Extinct – 5:33
06. Baptizm Of Fire – 5:16
07. The Healer – 4:54
08. Cruise Control – 4:08
09. Kill Or Be Killed – 3:21
10. Voodoo Brother – 5:36
11. Left For Dead – 3:45
Link in comments.
Tipton, Entwistle & Powell – Edge Of The World (1994-96) (@256)
14 Dec 2008
(Review from about.com, seaoftranquility.org)
After Rob Halford left Judas Priest, guitarist Glenn Tipton recorded an album with bassist John Entwhistle (The Who) and drummer Cozy Powell (Black Sabbath, Rainbow). After submitting it to the record company, they didn’t think it sounded modern enough and the material was shelved, not to be released until a decade later.
All 3 are fantastic musicians and they have an excellent chemistry together. Edge of the World has a more old school feel to it. The songs are very melodic and less heavier sounding than Judas Priest or Glenn Tipton’s later solo work. In addition to wielding his legendary axe, Tipton also sings lead on the album. He’s no Rob Halford but his voice lends itself well to this material. His range is rather limited, but he realizes that and sticks to singing in the range that sounds best.
There’s some crunchy and rockin’ material here, like the bombastic “Friendly Fire”, complete with lightning lead work, or the symphonic “Never Say Die” which has some catchy hooks and plenty of keyboards. There are also some tunes that have a Magnum or Ten kind of feel, like “Resolution” and “The Holy Man”. There’s even a few acoustic based numbers, like “Crime of Passion” and “Searching”, it’s quite frankly surprising these guys put as many mellow tracks as they did on this album.
It’s a shame that Tipton was the only one of these three brilliant talents still alive when the recordings saw the daylight. It would have been great to see those three play these songs live.
Line-up:
- Glenn Tipton / guitar, vocals
- John Entwistle / bass
- Cozy Powell / drums
with
- Don Airey / keyboards
Track List:
01. Unknown Soldier
02. Friendly Fire
03. The Holy Man
04. Never Say Die
05. Resolution
06. Searching
07. Give Blood
08. Crime Of Passion
09. Walls Cave In
10. Edge Of The World
11. Stronger Than The Drug
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Nostradamus (2008) (@256)
12 Dec 2008
(Review from blabbermouth.net, metal-archives.com)
Enter Priest’s first concept album, and a trip into a realm they seem to be visiting for purely artistic (or perhaps legacy) reasons. It’s not like these big metal operas are new to the underground (in fact Avantasia did this exact same concept album a few years back).
This is a huge departure, one only hinted at on previous songs like “Loch Ness” and “Cathedral Spires” — slower, more stately, with lots of acoustics and very little denim-and-leather sparks a-flyin’. It’s a more dignified Priest — one concerned with weighty and mystical concepts and theatrical pacing, rather than three-minute compact song flair. The band uses some very unconventional (for Priest-hood) features like choirs and strings. This of course creates a very epic mood to the album.
The album flows smoothly from one song to another and at no point does the music pause. This is achieved with guitars fading out from one riff or melody to another that starts a new song, the aforementioned strings, or a combination of both. Almost half the songs are interludes that progress the music from one song to another.
Nostradamus is no doubt an album that has split Priest fans in half. Some loved the new ground the band is exploring, others thought it was music that any other band could have made.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / vocals
- K.K. Downing / guitars, synthesized guitars
- Glenn Tipton / guitars, synthesized guitars
- Ian Hill / bass
- Scott Travis / drums
with
- Don Airey / keyboards
Track List:
CD1
01. Dawn Of Creation – 2:31
02. Prophecy – 5:26
03. Awakening – 0:52
04. Revelations – 7:05
05. The Four Horsemen – 1:35
06. War – 5:04
07. Sands Of Time – 2:36
08. Pestilence And Plague – 5:08
09. Death – 7:33
10. Peace – 2:21
11. Conquest – 4:42
12. Lost Love – 4:28
13. Persecution – 6:34
CD2
01. Solitude – 1:22
02. Exiled – 6:32
03. Alone – 7:50
04. Shadows In the Flame – 1:10
05. Visions – 5:24
06. Hope – 2:09
07. New Beginnings – 4:56
08. Calm Before The Storm – 2:05
09. Nostradamus – 6:43
10. Future of Mankind – 8:29
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Angel of Retribution (2005) (@256)
11 Dec 2008
(Review from rollingstone.com, wikipedia)
After almost twelve years apart, as well as an ever-growing demand for a reunion, Tim Owens parted amicably, Judas Priest and original lead vocalist Rob Halford announced they would reunite in July 2003. The band toured in 2004 and out the door came “Angel of Retribution” in 2005.
The quintet celebrates its return on the throttling opener “Judas Rising”, revisits its 80s heyday on the speedy “Deal With the Devil” and alludes to vintage song titles throughout. Instead of trend-hopping, there’s “Lochness”, a grinding thirteen-and-a-half-minute metal-folk tune devoted to the mythical Scottish water beast. You cannot get any more old-school than that.
On “Hellrider”, guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing revive the well-conceived solos that most heavy bands avoid these days. Halford is in excellent form, particularly on the ballads. His gayness has for decades given semihidden weight to the group’s outlaw lyrical metaphors (not to mention its leather dress code). Here it baldly informs “Angel”, where Halford calls out to a gender-indeterminate spirit he prays will bring him to a better place. It’s an honest power ballad from a band that understands power like few others, the centerpiece to an album that holds up well next to Priest’s strongest, most sustained recordings. Now that’s retribution.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford / Vocals
* Glenn Tipton / Guitar
* K. K. Downing / Guitar
* Ian Hill / Bass
* Scott Travis / Drums
Track List:
01. Judas Rising – 4:12
02. Deal With The Devil – 3:54
03. Revolution – 4:42
04. Worth Fighting For – 4:18
05. Demonizer – 4:37
06. Wheels Of Fire – 3:46
07. Angel – 4:24
08. Hellrider – 6:23
09. Eulogy – 2:52
10. Lochness – 13:29
Link in comments.
Judas Priest – Live in London (2001) (@320)
11 Dec 2008
(Review from blogcritics.org)
Touring to support their 2001 album Demolition, Judas Priest blow the roof off London’s Brixton Academy during a 90-minute performance. Live In London is a two-disc set recorded that night.
The album leans heavy into Priest’s older stuff playing a lot of songs from “British Steel”. It also manages to blend in solid versions of post-Vengeance/Defender Priest which many fans say was when things started to go downhill for them musically with “Touch of Evil” and “Turbo Lover”. They even mixed in a little more brutal fanfare with Painkiller.
“Point of Entry” fans will get their fix with “Live in London” because there are compelling versions of “Heading Out to the Highway” and “Desert Plains”. Also satisfying are classics like “Victim of Changes”, “Green Manalishi (with the two pronged crown)”, “Running Wild”, “Hell Bent for Leather”, “Hellion/Electric Eye”, “You Got Another Thing Comin’” (of course!), “The Sentinel”, and the “what’s my name?” song: Ripper. in for sur-prise … you’re in for a sho-OCK!
Tim Owens’ obvious deep admiration and passion for the band can be heard and felt in his amazingly similar vocals. Priest excels when they are jamming heavy, two-guitar melodies played an octave apart like Victim of Changes.
“Live in London” is as familiar and somewhat predictable as the signature Priest Harley riding in for a whipping encore performance of Hell Bent for Leather. It isn’t quite the same caliber as Unleashed in The East or even the later Priest Live, but it shouldn’t taint Ripper Owens’ resume nor leave heavy metal Priest fans screaming for vengeance.
Line-up:
* Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens / Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars
* Ian Hill / Bass
* Scott Travis – drums
Track List:
CD1
01. Metal Gods – 4:37
02. Heading Out to the Highway – 4:13
03. Grinder – 4:04
04. A Touch of Evil – 5:58
05. Blood Stained – 5:11
06. Victim of Changes – 10:08
07. The Sentinel – 5:31
08. One on One – 6:05
09. Running Wild – 3:19
10. The Ripper – 3:31
11. Diamonds & Rust – 4:13
12. Feed on Me – 5:25
13. The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) – 4:51
CD2
01. Beyond the Realms of Death – 7:15
02. Burn in Hell – 5:22
03. Hell Is Home – 5:47
04. Breaking the Law – 2:47
05. Desert Plains – 4:25
06. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ – 5:20
07. Turbo Lover – 5:39
08. Painkiller – 7:17
09. The Hellion – 0:36
10. Electric Eye – 3:35
11. United – 2:55
12. Living After Midnight – 5:13
13. Hell Bent for Leather – 5:47
Link in comments.
Judas Priest – Demolition (2001) (@256)
10 Dec 2008
(Review from rollingstone.com, wikipedia)
It’s such a great story, they’ve made a movie out of it – ultra-fan and cover-band singer gets opportunity to sing lead for his idols. For Ohioan metalhead Ripper Owens, that dream came true; Owens stepped up for the British hard-rock legends full of enthusiasm and vigor, and the Priest of 1997′s Jugulator was a re-energized and, praise Satan, an unevolved one.
“Demolition”, produced by guitarist Glenn Tipton himself, has a clean and direct sound, all red meat and bare arms, sinister choruses, chugging pace and those hysterical lake-of-fire vocal harmonies emblematic of vintage metal. Owens is four years better – he slides from talk-singing on “Hell Is Home” to blood-chilling high notes; his solid wail activates the loamy, chunking pace of “Cyberface”. His default mode is a bouncy, enormous bellow, slinking into the music’s bare spaces like stage fog. At times he comes across like Rob Halford but he is really working to carve out his own identity. Tipton and K.K. Downing provide intelligent, pertinent solos, and drummer Scott Travis only seems to play faster as he ages. If there’s such a thing as unpretentious titanic, blood-of-the-goat-style metal, Judas Priest prove they are still making it.
The album is an amalgam of Jugulator-style riffs, references to 80s Priest, and sporadic nu-metal additions such as quasi-rapping, samples, and industrial-style beats. Yep, it’s not the 70s Priest nor the 80s Priest. Judas Priest is renown for re-inventing themselves — they do it again to be more modern, darker and harder.
While the ostensible aim was to offer something for every possible fan, in the end, the album received an even poorer reception than “Jugulator” by most fans.
Line-up:
* Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens / Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars
* Ian Hill / Bass
* Scott Travis – drums
Track List:
01. Machine Man – 5:35
02. One On One – 6:44
03. Hell Is Home – 6:18
04. Jekyll And Hyde – 3:19
05. Close To You – 4:28
06. Devil Digger – 4:45
07. Bloodsuckers – 6:18
08. In Between – 5:41
09. Feed On Me – 5:28
10. Subterfuge – 5:12
11. Lost And Found – 4:57
12. Cyberface – 6:45
13. Metal Messiah – 5:14
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Live Meltdown (1998) (@256)
09 Dec 2008
(Review from metal-archives.com)
Judas Priest takes a catalog of (at that point) twenty-three years worth of music and gives it a good, swift kick. Everything is tuned down, turned up, and injected with a heavy dose of amphetamines – it’s the grand heavy metal traditional.
“Rapid Fire”, long suspected as possibly the first thrash metal song, is turned into a skin-shredder worthy of Exodus (except with better vocals) here. Ripper’s version of “Touch of Evil” is great, as is “The Ripper.” The cut-down “Death Row” is a great enhancement and “Bullet Train” translates one of the best Owens-era tracks to an even more effective live setting.
The second CD also has its moments; “Night Crawler” is an absolute beast, with Ripper throwing in primal screams and growls until that song rips and tears. “Victim of Changes” really highlights his vocal abilities, and “Painkiller,” while not quite vocally matching the original, is even heavier musically. That brings up the oft-forgotten superstar of the disc, drummer Scott Travis. Travis keeps up a solid beat throughout while tossing off high-speed and highly difficult drum parts like “Bullet Train” and “Painkiller” with ease; judging on his work on the songs where Downing and Tipton let him really cut loose.
So no, this album is not the Judas Priest of old – it’s something different. Something heavier, harder, faster, and in some ways better. “Live Meltdown” remains as a milestone in Priest’s history, when they were fresh, rejuvenated, and ready to show the world that nobody was getting old in this camp.
Line-up:
* Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens / Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars
* Ian Hill / Bass
* Scott Travis – drums
Track List:
CD1
01. The Hellion – 1:08
02. Electric Eye – 3:47
03. Metal Gods – 4:09
04. Grinder – 4:26
05. Rapid Fire – 4:24
06. Blood Stained – 5:08
07. The Sentinel – 5:46
08. Touch Of Evil – 5:51
09. Burn In Hell – 5:34
10. The Ripper – 3:51
11. Bullet Train – 5:58
12. Beyond The Realms Of Death – 7:13
13. Death Row – 4:22
CD2
01. Metal Meltdown – 5:02
02. Night Crawler – 6:11
03. Abductors – 5:54
04. Victim of Changes – 8:31
05. Diamonds and Rust – 3:54
06. Breaking The Law – 2:36
07. The Green Manalishi – 4:53
08. Painkiller – 6:28
09. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming – 8:35
10. Hell Bent for Leather – 3:48
11. Living After Midnight – 6:01
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Jugulator (1997) (@256)
08 Dec 2008
(Review from metal-archives, wikipedia)
In 1996, Tim “Ripper” Owens, who had previously sung in a Judas Priest tribute band, was hired as Judas Priest’s new singer. Expectations were high for the next year’s “Jugulator”, the first release from Judas Priest since Rob Halford left.
“Jugulator” is Judas Priest’s heaviest album. Often criticized for trading in melody for brutality, this album trades in Priest’s traditional guitar harmonies and upbeat metal anthems for a darker, meaner, and heavier sound which clearly takes influences from bands such as Slayer and Pantera. Still, their aptitude for writing concise, effective and interesting metal songs keeps this album as a praiseworthy example of how a band can successfully depart from their typical sound without screwing things up.
The entire album seems to describe the end of the world, from the coming of the Jugulator (“Jugulator”) to the actual ending of it (“Cathedral Spires”). The Jugulator itself seems to be a metaphor for the evil that is done in the world. Songs like “Dead Meat”, “Decapitate” and “Burn in Hell” all describe the evils that humans do. In the end, the evil deeds are so great in number that it consumes and destroys the world.
Tim Owens has a very similar range and voice to Rob Halford, but has his own vocal style. His vocals are one of the highlights of this album, and his varied and passionate singing keeps things interesting. His voice seems almost perfectly suited to the music, and vice versa. It plays up his strengths, which are his ability to add a lot of aggression to his voice at any range, his powerful high screams, and his flawless transitions between vocal registers.
Other than the obvious result of having to bring in another singer to replace him, there is also the fact that Halford was responsible for much of Judas Priest’s lyrics. On this album, Glenn Tipton takes over, and his apparent fascination with death, violence, and anger seems to fit the music, but comes off as immature in comparison to Halford’s often cheesy yet eloquent lyrics. At times his lyrics are very cleverly written but sometimes, they’re just bad. Still, Ripper saves the day, singing lines like “Jugulator killing time now, reaches in and rips your spine out” like he really means it.
There are definite similarities with some of the stuff Judas Priest were doing on Painkiller. A simple way to describe this album would be as a combination of Painkiller, Slayer’s South of Heaven and Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power. The album never reaches the speeds of Painkiller’s title track, but tends to stay at a comfortable pace, with the heavy, downtuned guitars and Scott Travis’s clever drumming combining to form a well-oiled machine. The production emphasises the heaviness in the guitars and brings in a lot of sound effects and echoes, etc. which, along with some occasional “evil” sounding clean guitar parts help give the album a very dark atmosphere.
Reaction to the album was roughly divided among those who enjoyed the album on its own terms, those who liked the music but preferred that Rob Halford would sing it, and those who disliked it on all counts. However, “Cathedral Spires” is generally regarded as a classic, even by some critics who disliked the rest of the album.
Line-up:
* Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens / Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars
* Ian Hill / Bass Guitar
* Scott Travis / drums
Track List:
01. Jugulator – 5:51
02. Blood Stained – 5:26
03. Dead Meat – 4:44
04. Death Row – 5:04
05. Decapitate – 4:39
06. Burn In Hell – 6:42
07. Brain Dead – 5:24
08. Abductors – 5:49
09. Bullet Train – 5:11
10. Cathedral Spires – 9:17
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Painkiller (1990) (@256)
03 Dec 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic, metal-archives.com, wikipedia)
“Painkiller” marked the debut of current drummer Scott Travis. Judas Priest dropped the 80s-style synths (except one track), returned to their classic 70s style, while borrowing contemporary speed metal techniques, resulting in their most critically acclaimed album in a decade. The album is viewed by some as the quintessential speed metal album and the style proved highly influential to European power metal bands such as Gamma Ray and Primal Fear.
The band’s performance of this album is incredible. Rob Halford’s singing is very diverse, ranging from high pitched screams (Painkiller or All Guns Blazing) to a mix of slightly high but more noticeably low pitched singing (Between the Hammer and the Anvil or Leather Rebel). K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton go crazy with their solos on the album, and often are not satisfied with just one. Ian Hill’s bass follows the guitars to create the perfect sound for the album. Scott Travis proves to be an amazing drummer on his debut here, most noticeably on the title track.
Songs like the title track, “Leather Rebel” and “Metal Meltdown” thrash like mad; Halford’s shrieking and growling is positively frightening, as he uses his incredible vocal range to an almost King Diamond-like effect. But it isn’t just the rediscovered power that makes “Painkiller” a great musical effort: the elegant “A Touch of Evil”, for example, is reminiscent of the progressive, intricately arranged pieces of their ’70s work. Seasoned keyboardist, Don Airey provided the beautiful keyboards on it, which greatly added to the atmosphere of the song.
Following the tour for this album, singer Rob Halford left the band and maintained little contact with his former bandmates throughout the 1990s. Judas Priest declared that they did not exist anymore after Halford had left.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Scott Travis / Drums
Track List:
01. Painkiller – 6:06
02. Hell Patrol – 3:36
03. All Guns Blazing – 3:57
04. Leather Rebel – 3:35
05. Metal Meltdown – 4:48
06. Night Crawler – 5:45
07. Between The Hammer & The Anvil – 4:48
08. A Touch Of Evil – 5:45
09. Battle Hymn – 0:56
10. One Shot At Glory – 6:47
Link in comments.
Judas Priest – Ram It Down (1988) (@256)
01 Dec 2008
(Review from wikipedia, metal-archives.com, allmusic)
In 1986, Judas Priest had intended to record a double album called Twin Turbos of which half would be lighter, more commercial rock, and the other half would be similarly polished but heavier and less synth-driven. The first half of this album was released as “Turbo”. The heavier Twin Turbos material was relegated to this later album.
In this album, Judas Priest tones down the synths and returns to the basics, delivering a straight-ahead, much more typical Priest album with “Ram It Down” with elements such as the more technical drumming, high speeds and sci-fi themes. 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.
The essential speed classics are present in all of their blazing glory, incarnate in the triumphant and unforgettable title track and the equally blazing cooker “Hard as Iron. From start to finish these tracks ratchet up the technical prowess of the guitars and drums, and showcase Halford back where he belongs, breaking the sound barrier with his high frequency banshee cries. Other tracks such as “Love Zone” and “Blood Red Skies” are a bit more mid tempo, but are still riff monsters loaded with themes and sci-fi inspired lyrics in the case of the latter.
Other tracks on here are still more in the 80s rock vain, particularly the somewhat Deep Purple inspired tracks “Come and Get it” and “I’m a Rocker”. We get something a bit slower yet menacing sounding in “Monster of Rock”, almost to the point of having a doom quality to it. “Heavy Metal” showcases further the technical excellence of Downing and Tipton, in addition to the heavier tendencies of this total album. “Love you to Death” is a bit more in the turbo vain, though it highlights the more positive riff driven aspects of it.
The guitar work in the Chuck Berry cover is a lot less primitive than the original version, venturing well outside of the repetitive blues riffs that Chuck Berry elected to play a little bit too fast for the mainstream of his day. Essentially metal can trace some of its roots back to this music, but when one compares this version with the original, it is obvious that evolution has created a completely different song.
This would be the final album involving long-time drummer Dave Holland and producer Tom Allom.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Dave Holland / Drums
Track List:
01. Ram It Down – 4:49
02. Heavy Metal – 5:58
03. Love Zone – 3:58
04. Come And Get It – 4:07
05. Hard As Iron – 4:08
06. Blood Red Skies – 7:51
07. I’m A Rocker – 3:58
08. Johnny B. Goode – 4:39
09. Love You To Death – 4:36
10. Monsters Of Rock – 5:31
11. Night Comes Down (Bonus Live) – 4:32
12. Bloodstone (Bonus Live) – 4:05
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Judas Priest – Priest, Live and Rare (1978-86) (@256)
30 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic)
Like their Brit-metal peers Iron Maiden, 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.
“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 Priest’s late-’70s/early-’80s work (the group’s “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”, “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” and two versions of “Breaking the Law”.
As usual for an archival compilation, not all of “Priest, Live & Rare” is top notch. Especially the inclusion of Turbo-era material — as evidenced by a preposterous remix of “Turbo Lover”, bordering on dance music!
Still the good definitely outweighs on “Priest, Live & Rare”.
Track List:
01. Beyond The Realms Of Death (Live) – 7:04
02. White Heat, Red Hot (Live) – 4:32
03. Starbreaker (Live) – 7:21
04. Breaking The Law (Live) – 2:35
05. Living After Midnight (Live) – 4:21
06. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) (Live) – 5:01
07. Breaking The Law (Live) – 2:44
08. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (Live) – 7:37
09. Private Property (Live) – 5:15
10. Turbo Lover (Hi-Octane Mix, Studio) – 7:21
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Judas Priest – Turbo (1986) (@256)
29 Nov 2008
(Review from wikipedia, amazon, allmusic, metal-archives)
Following the success of their previous album, Defenders of the Faith, Judas Priest initially recorded a double album called “Twin Turbos”, which was never released due to their record company’s rejection. Instead, the material was split, with the more commercial songs appearing on 1986′s Turbo.
Always 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. The album marked the band’s first use of guitar synthesizers which makes the whole album sound very 80s like. There is more of an emphasis on the mid-paced rock type songs and less of one on the speed metal type stuff present on most of their other releases.
The lead off track, “Turbo Lover”, is undoubtedly the masterpiece of the album, and a lost classic in the priest catalogue. The melding of the synths, guitar, and Halford’s robotic vocals give this song a unique feel that may be hard to appreciate for the average metal head. It is a very simple song, but the way it is constructed is mind blowing and the solo is one of the catchiest ever forged by Mr. Tipton.
The next song, “Locked In”, is much more in the vein of the classic Priest that we all know and love, with great inventive riffing and soaring vocals. The three songs that follow it are really the first signs of hair metal here, but the strength of the riffs, melodies, and as always, the solos, are enough to make them worth while.
The three closing songs are again in the vein of classic priest, with “Hot for Love” and “Reckless” standing out in particular with leads and dark riffs on the former. “Reckless” was asked to be on the Top Gun soundtrack, but Judas Priest declined, both because they thought the film would flop and because it would have meant leaving the song off Turbo.
The album got mixed reactions, because “Turbo” didn’t sound enough like Judas Priest to most fans. Their live album from the Turbo tour, “Priest… Live!” has more classic sounding and faster versions of the first six tracks.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Dave Holland / Drums
Track List:
01. Turbo Lover – 5:33
02. Locked In – 4:19
03. Private Property – 4:29
04. Parental Guidance – 3:26
05. Rock You All Around The World – 3:38
06. Out In The Cold – 6:27
07. Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days – 4:39
08. Hot For Love – 4:11
09. Reckless – 4:20
10. All Fired Up (Bonus) – 4:45
11. Locked In (Bonus Live) – 4:24
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Judas Priest – King Biscuit Flower Hour (Live 1984) (@256)
28 Nov 2008
(Review from wolfgangsvault.com)
One of several shows recorded on the band’s 1984 U.S. tour for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, this red-hot Priest performance illustrates why they will always be one of metal’s best and most successful bands. Recorded during their commercial heyday, this show, and others like it, formulated the standard that future Priest and other metal shows have long been judged by.
Opening with “Love Bites,” Halford leads Priest through a blistering set of the music that would make them one of the most popular hard rock bands of all time. “Rock Hard Rock Free”, “Victim of Changes” and “Hellion – Electric Eye” are balanced with the band’s biggest radio hits: “Breaking The Law,” “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll,” “Living After Midnight,” “Hell Bent For Leather,” and the show closer “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”.
One of the great things about radio broadcasts is the quality of the recording. The album sounds great and Judas Priest rocks hard.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Dave Holland / Drums
Track List:
01. KBFH Intro – Love Bites – 4:59
02. Breakin’ The Law – 2:22
03. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll – 4:22
04. Rock Hard Ride Free – 5:53
05. Hellion – Electric Eye – 4:14
06. Heavy Duty – Defenders Of The Faith – 5:09
07. Victim Of Changes – 7:46
08. Livin’ After Midnight – 4:26
09. Motorcycle Intro – 1:29
10. Hell Bent For Leather – 4:42
11. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming – 7:40
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Judas Priest – Defenders of the Faith (1984) (@256)
26 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic.com, amazon.com, metal-archives.com)
Having recaptured their heavyweight status with “Screaming for Vengeance”, Judas Priest stuck with their successful formula for the follow-up, “Defenders of the Faith”.
Sporting a darker, more violent side than “Screaming for Vengeance”, it nevertheless continued the same tradition of fast, rat-a-tat-tat drumming from Dave Holland, K.K. Downing/Glenn Tipton twin-Stratocaster guitar solos that intertwined with each other at blistering speeds, and high-pitched screeching courtesy of Rob Halford. It’s a solidly constructed, unapologetically commercial metal record.
Though the album didn’t produce any massive hits; there are more highlights than many previous albums. “Freewheel Burning” starts the album on a fast up tempo pace that never relents. Jawbreaker, Rock Hard Ride Free, The Sentinel, Love Bites, Some Heads Are Gonna Roll, … it’s hard to narrow the list of highlights.
This album may not be as popular as “British Steel” or “Screaming for Vengeance” but it just as influential and powerful as the two.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Dave Holland / Drums
Track List:
01. Freewheel Burning – 4:25
02. Jawbreaker – 3:27
03. Rock Hard Ride Free – 5:35
04. The Sentinel – 5:04
05. Love Bites – 4:47
06. Eat Me Alive – 3:35
07. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll – 4:07
08. Night Comes Down – 4:01
09. Heavy Duty – 2:25
10. Defenders Of The Faith – 1:28
11. Turn On Your Light – 5:23
12. Heavy Duty / Defenders Of The Faith (Bonus Live) – 5:26
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Judas Priest – Point of Entry (1981) (@256)
26 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic.com, metal-archives.com)
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 hadn’t really attempted in quite some time. It is more laid back, has a sader overall feeling.
“Heading Out to the Highway”, “Solar Angels” and “Desert Plains” are great, driving hard rock songs. British rock anthem hits “Don’t Go” and “Hot Rockin’” are typical Priest.
It’s like listening to an entire album of the lesser known songs off “British Steel” but without anything that leaps out and grabs you as immediately and effectively as the distinctive riffs from “Breaking the Law” or “Electric Eye”.
Sandwiched between the band’s great commercial successes in the form of “British Steel” and “Screaming for Vengeance”, “Point of Entry” seems to have ended up as the forgotten cousin in the Priest discography.
Line-up:
- Rob Halford / Vocals
- K.K. Downing / Guitar
- Glenn Tipton / Guitar
- Ian Hill / Bass
- Dave Holland / Drums
Track List:
01. Heading Out To The Highway – 3:47
02. Don’t Go – 3:18
03. Hot Rockin’ – 3:17
04. Turning Circles – 3:41
05. Desert Plains – 4:36
06. Solar Angels – 4:03
07. You Say Yes – 3:29
08. All The Way – 3:42
09. Troubleshooter – 4:00
10. On The Run – 3:47
11. Thunder Road (Bonus) – 5:11
12. Desert Plains (Bonus Live) – 5:05
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Judas Priest – British Steel (1980) (@256)
24 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic, amazon, wikipedia)
With “Hell Bent for Leather”, Judas Priest had begun the task of developing their image for increased mainstream attention, reveling in leather-and-motorcycle trappings while beginning to simplify and streamline their sound. After Les Binks quit, in part because of the band’s direction, the band replaced him with Dave Holland, formerly from the band Trapeze.
“British Steel” brings that process full circle, offering the band’s catchiest, most accessible set of tunes yet, while retaining the precision guitar assault and quasi-operatic vocals that had come to define their sound. It was the simplest music Priest had yet attempted, but thanks to the (mostly) top-notch songwriting and AC/DC-like willingness to allow the songs’ grooves room to breathe, the record is a smashing success overall.
There are a couple of trends beginning here that would take their toll later on — the lyrics are a bit more juvenile, and the music seems to prize commercialism over complexity — but in this context, neither really matters, as Priest display a real penchant for stadium-ready anthems. The guitar riff from “Breaking the Law” is one of the most recognizable from early 1980s heavy metal. “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight” became genuine hit singles and deservedly so, while the album went platinum.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford – vocals
* K.K. Downing – guitars
* Glenn Tipton – guitars
* Ian Hill – bass guitar
* Dave Holland – drums
Track List:
01. Rapid Fire – 4:07
02. Metal Gods – 4:01
03. Breaking the Law – 2:35
04. Grinder – 3:57
05. United – 3:33
06. You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise – 5:04
07. Living After Midnight – 3:31
08. The Rage – 4:44
09. Steeler – 4:31
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Judas Priest – Unleashed in the East (Live 1979) (@256)
24 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic.com)
Judas Priest’s first official live recording has always been met with equal amounts of acclaim and controversy: acclaim from those who consider it an excellent summation of the egend’s 1970s output, and controversy from the critics and industry insiders who criticized what they believed to be a heavily overdubbed and studio-enhanced performance, mockingly naming it “Unleashed in the Studio” at times.
The track listing here is quite impressive. Along with powerful versions of such storming anthems as “Exciter” and “Running Wild”, the band delivers the definitive version of the progressive metallic “Sinner” and competent versions of their popular covers tunes, “Diamonds and Rust” and “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)”. In most of the tracks from the classic “Sad Wings of Destiny” the band forfeit heaviness at the expense of speed.
This edition of the album includes 4 bonus tracks, they were recorded at the same time as the original nine tracks. All the extra songs are fully produced and are of the same quality.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford / Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars
* Ian Hill / Bass
* Les Binks / Drums
Track List:
01. Exciter – 5:38
02. Running Wild – 2:53
03. Sinner – 7:31
04. The Ripper – 2:44
05. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) – 3:16
06. Diamonds And Rust – 3:30
07. Victim Of Changes – 7:12
08. Genocide – 7:19
09. Tyrant – 4:32
10. Rock Forever (Bonus) – 3:27
11. Delivering The Goods (Bonus) – 4:07
12. Hell Bent For Leather (Bonus) – 2:40
13. Starbreaker (Bonus) – 6:00
Links in comments.
Judas Priest – Hell Bent for Leather (1979) (@256)
23 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic, wikipedia, metal-archives.com)
The band’s 1979 studio album, “Killing Machine” was retitled “Hell Bent for Leather” for US release, as the US branch of Columbia/CBS did not like the “murderous implications” of the album title. Additionally, the track “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)”, an early Fleetwood Mac cover, was added to the running order; it was not on the UK release.
Judas Priest’s earlier albums so far had all been quite epic and melodic, but now they change sound completely, making shorter, punchier and more straight-forward heavy metal songs, while still remaining a great sense of melody. The bluesy sound that was very present on the first four albums is entirely gone now.
The songs are very memorable and catchy (with maybe one or two exceptions) and the entire album is a really fun listen. Halford’s vocals have changed a lot too. He doesn’t do the high-pitched vocals as often as on, say, “Stained Class” where he sung the verses on several song in high-pitched vocals only, although he still does some higher singing. His voice has gone a bit darker pitched, and he’s gained alot of attitude to fit the mood of the album.
Although gothic themes are present on such treasures as “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) — originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac — “Evil Fantasies” and “Before the Dawn”, the album generally isn’t as dark or morbid as “Stained Class” or “Sin After Sin”. But musically, the band is as aggressive and brutally intense as ever. The
two-guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing is characteristically blistering, and lead singer Rob Halford never sounded more inspired.
This edition of the album also includes two bonus tracks. “Fight For Your Life” is an older version of “Rock Hard Ride Free” from the album “Defenders of the Faith”. The older version was actually recorded as a demo in 1978, but remained in the vault until 1983 when the band found it again on a tape. Thus, the song (now known as “Rock Hard Ride Free”) ended up on “Defenders of the Faith” album. The other bonus track is a quite out-of-place live recording from 1983.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford / Lead Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars, Back Vocals
* Ian Hill / Bass Guitar
* Les Binks / Drums
Track List:
01. Delivering The Goods – 4:16
02. Rock Forever – 3:19
03. Evening Star – 4:06
04. Hell Bent For Leather – 2:41
05. Take On The World – 3:00
06. Burnin’ Up – 4:07
07. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) – 3:23
08. Killing Machine – 3:01
09. Running Wild – 2:58
10. Before The Dawn – 3:23
11. Evil Fantasies – 4:15
12. Fight For Your Life (Bonus Demo 1978) – 4:06
13. Riding On The Wind (Bonus Live 1983) – 3:15
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Judas Priest – Stained Class (1978) (@256)
22 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic)
An indisputable metal masterpiece, “Stained Class” is the apex of 70s Judas Priest, a sinister, muscular collection that ties the disparate strands of their style together while jacking the adrenaline rush up to previously undreamed-of levels. Even the lone slow-tempo track, “Beyond the Realms of Death,” has an exciting, visceral intensity, and the whole band is
at the absolute peak of its powers in terms of technical execution.
Lyrically, “Stained Class” is probably the darkest moment in a career filled with them; the whole second half of the record is positively obsessed with death. The air of malevolence about “Stained Class”, and the sheer power of its jackhammer guitar riffs, was unrivaled in heavy metal upon its release (even in Priest’s own catalog), stamping the album an instant classic and solidifying Judas Priest’s status as arguably the most original and musical metal band of its time.
More than any other Priest album, the style of “Stained Class” also laid the groundwork for the thrash and speed metal that would rise to dominance in the mid- to late 80s, making it a defining moment for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement and one of the genre’s all-time landmarks.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford / Lead Vocals
* K.K. Downing / Guitars
* Glenn Tipton / Guitars, Back Vocals
* Ian Hill / Bass Guitar
* Les Binks / Drums
Track List:
01. Exciter – 5:34
02. White Heat, Red Hot – 4:20
03. Better By You, Better Than Me – 3:24
04. Stained Class – 5:20
05. Invader – 4:15
06. Saints In Hell – 5:31
07. Savage – 3:27
08. Beyond The Realms Of Death – 6:54
09. Heroes End – 5:03
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Judas Priest – Sin After Sin (1977) (@256)
21 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from allmusic)
Although “Sad Wings of Destiny” wasn’t a huge seller, it did land Judas Priest a major-label, Columbia. The band experimented fearlessly with their third studio album, “Sin After Sin”.
Retaining the progressive elements of its predecessor, “Sin After Sin” upped the levels of instrumental technique and melody while incorporating a greater variety of influences. It’s possible to hear touches of Jimi Hendrix, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Southern rock, not to mention one of the most effective left-field cover choices in metal history on the Joan Baez tune “Diamonds and Rust”.
As a result, it isn’t the most metallic or musically cohesive Priest album, but overall, it’s extremely close to the same level of brilliance as most of their 70s output. Every track is worthwhile, although “Sinner” and “Dissident Aggressor” (later covered by Slayer, a real testament to its heaviness) are two particular highlights.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford / vocals
* K.K. Downing / guitars
* Glenn Tipton / guitars, piano
* Ian Hill / bass guitar
* Simon Phillips / drums
Track List:
01. Sinner – 6:45
02. Diamonds And Rust – 3:27
03. Starbreaker – 4:49
04. Last Rose Of Summer – 5:37
05. Let Us Prey – Call For The Priest – 6:12
06. Raw Deal – 6:00
07. Here Come The Tears – 4:36
08. Dissident Aggressor – 3:07
09. Race With The Devil (Bonus) – 3:06
10. Jawbreaker (Bonus Live) – 4:02
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Judas Priest – Rock a Rolla (1974) (@256)
20 Nov 2008
(Review from wikipedia, metal-archives.com,allmusic)
Judas Priest was one of the influential bands back in the 70s, fusing the gothic doom of Black Sabbath with the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin, as well as adding a vicious two-lead guitar attack.
K. K. Downing and Ian Hill knew each other since their early childhoods. They shared similar musical interests (Jimi Hendrix, Who, Cream, Yardbirds) and learned to play instruments. After a local ensemble named Judas Priest broke up, the band’s singer Al Atkins approached Downing and Hill, who were playing as a power trio with drummer John Ellis and asked to be their vocalist. With Atkins now in the band, Downing desired to use the Judas Priest moniker, having been a fan of the name for years.
With Downing as leader, the band moved from their original bluesy tunes towards heavy rock. The band played around with various drummers until 1974, financial difficulties led the departure of their original vocalist. At the time, Ian Hill was dating a woman who suggested her brother, “Rob Halford”. Halford joined the band, bringing drummer John Hinch from his previous band. Before the band eventually entered the studio to record their first album, the record company suggested the band add another musician. As Downing was reluctant to add a keyboard player or horn player, he chose to add another lead guitarist, Glenn Tipton. Tipton reworked existing material and took over as main song writer.
Having established a large local fan-base with their loud, melodic, masculine rock, the burgeoning Judas Priest were quickly manhandled into a studio and assigned the famous local record producer Rodger Bain, whose results with the early albums of their contemporaries Black Sabbath are justifiably praised. Gull Records were confident that Bain would capture the heavy sound they were hoping to promote and gave him totalitarian control of the recording process.
Dominating the production of the album, Rodger Bain made decisions with which the band did not agree. He also chose to leave fan favorites from the band’s live performances, such as “Tyrant”, “Genocide”, and “The Ripper”, off the album (which were eventually included in the band’s groundbreaking second album). He cut the song “Caviar and Meths” from a 14-minute song down to a 2-minute instrumental.
The result is an odd ball in Judas Priest’s lengthy catalog, even for a debut. It is very bluesy and is based on a number of groovy, catchy riffs and is supported by solid and unpredictable drumming courtesy of John Hinch, and some of Ian Hill’s most evident and well emphasized basswork throughout their career. On top of it, we have Rob Halford’s vocals but he sounds more laid-back and calm here, which suits the overall mood on the album.
The best stuff on here is the two epic masterpieces. “Run of the Mill” is long, slow, dark, and absolutely beautiful. The song displays a pure emotion. Rob Halford shows that in every moment of the song, but especially during the absolutely out of this world ending section, where he screams his heart out in an insane falsetto. “Dying To Meet You” follows, another ballad in the same vein, which is not quite as mesmerizing but great nonetheless and goes into a speeded-up ending section which goes straight back into the groovy rocking songs.
Mainly because of the production issues surrounding this debut, the band’s next album, “Sad Wings of Destiny” is commonly seen as the first “real” Priest album. “Rocka Rolla” should not be easily written off though. It is 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.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford – lead vocals, harmonica
* K.K. Downing – guitar
* Glenn Tipton – guitar, back vocals
* Ian Hill – bass
* John Hinch – drums
Track List:
01. One For The Road – 4:38
02. Rocka Rolla – 3:06
03. Winter – 1:41
04. Deep Freeze – 1:20
05. Winter Retreat – 3:27
06. Cheater – 2:57
07. Never Satisfied – 4:50
08. Run Of The Mill – 8:32
09. Dying To Meet You – 6:18
10. Caviar And Meths – 2:02
11. Diamonds And Rust (Bonus) – 3:12
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Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance (1982) (@256)
26 Oct 2007
(Review from amazon)
In the early ’80s, a new musical movement, dubbed “The New Wave of British Metal”, swept across England. Judas Priest is often credited as the originator and leader of the pack. Rob Halford’s vocal histrionics and the dual guitar attack of K.K. Downing and Glen Tipton mesmerised metal-heads everywhere. While the band has been around since the early-’70s, the band’s big breakthrough in the USA came with 1982′s “Screaming for Vengeance”.
Screaming For Vengance finds Judas Priest running on all cylinders. The album opens with the driving “Hellion/Electric Eye”, one of their greatest tracks, and still remains their opening song on their live tours. “Riding on the Wind” and the title track continue the fury with the relentless guitar work of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton and Rob Halford’s powerful vocals. Tracks such as “Bloodstone”, “Devil’s Child”, and “(Take These) Chains” all contain great riffs and memorable melodies. But the big hit of the time was “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”, getting heavy radio and TV play.
With its perfect balance of heavy riffing and melodicism, “Screaming for Vengeance” stands out as one of the best of Priest albums.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford: Vocals
* K.K. Downing: Guitars
* Glenn Tipton: Guitars
* Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
* Dave Holland: Drums
Track List:
01. The Hellion – 0:41
02. Electric Eye – 3:39
03. Riding on the Wind – 3:07
04. Bloodstone – 3:51
05. (Take These) Chains – 3:07
06. Pain and Pleasure – 4:17
07. Screaming for Vengeance – 4:43
08. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ – 5:09
09. Fever – 5:20
10. Devil’s Child – 4:48
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Judas Priest – Priest… Live! (1987) (@256)
07 Jun 2007
(Review from amazon.com)
Priest…Live! was recorded during two shows in their World Tour of 1986.
When it comes to the live albums, this one generally takes a beating from the fans because it doesn’t contain any of the 70′s Priest classics. Instead, this live album picks up after Hell Bent for Leather and showcases their best hits from British Steel to Turbo. It is missing some key songs such as ‘Grinder’ and ‘Hot Rockin’, but the songs that they do have here prove that the Priest is still the best when they’re live.
The album opens with the Turbo productional ballad ‘Out In The Cold’. It does get the crowd going, although I would have rather them open with ‘Electric Eye’. Next is ‘Heading Out To The Highway’ which proves to be much better than the original with the added guitar solos. Then it breaks into ‘Metal Gods’ which is heavier than the original, but missing the sound effects. ‘Breaking the Law’ is where the band starts kicking it into overdrive, as it is played faster and with more screaming than the original. ‘Love Bites’ was a very haunting Priest song in the studio, but it manages to play well in an arena setting. ‘Some Heads Are Gonna Roll’ is alright, but I prefer the original. Next is ‘The Sentinel’ played with sheer intensity as Halford screams out, “Condemn to Hell!!”. Even the more quiet bridge setting is excellent. The last track on the first disc is Turbo’s ‘Private Property’ which does rock, but isn’t epic like the last the last song.
Next up, ‘Rock You All Around The World’. I didn’t like the studio version much because it felt out of place, but in a live setting it fares much better. Now we get to ‘Electric Eye’ which contains cannons firing during ‘The Helion’. ‘Turbo Lover’, despite what everyones says, rocks the arena withh a passionate intensity not found in any other Turbo songs. I prefer the original, but Glenn and K.K. hold well with all the guitar synthesizer parts being played. Next is my favorite track on here:’Freewheel Burning’ opening with Halford driving in on a Harley! ‘Parential Guideance’ is the only song I think that shouldn’t be here. The album ends perfectly with sped up versions of ‘Living After Midnight’ and ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.
As a whole, this is a well-rounded live album. It has more variety in the song order than ‘Unleashed’, but ‘Unleashed’ is still the heavier of the two. Don’t listen to those who say that this album “has the heartless soul of Turbo”, when in fact they simply don’t have open minds due to their love for 70′s metal and hatred for 80′s metal. Priest is a metal band all about versitality, and this live show displays it perfectly. They rocked hard in the 70′s and still rocked in the 80′s.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford: Vocals
* K.K. Downing: Guitars
* Glenn Tipton: Guitars
* Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
* Dave Holland – Drums
Track List:
01. Out In The Cold
02. Heading Out To The Highway
03. Metal Gods
04. Breaking The Law
05. Love Bites
06. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
07. The Sentinel
08. Private Property
09. Rock You All Around The World
10. Electric Eye
11. Turbo Lover
12. Freewheel Burning
13. Parental Guidance
14. Living After Midnight
15. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
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Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) (@192)
22 Mar 2007
(Review from wikipedia.com, allmusic.com)
Judas Priest are a heavy metal band formed in 1968 in the northwest midlands of England, near Birmingham. Originally formed by K.K. Downing and Ian Hill, Judas Priest’s classic line-up consists of vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, and bassist Ian Hill.
Their debut album Rocka Rolla (1974) suffered management problems; according to the band, producer Rodger Bain, (who was an established professional, having produced numerous albums for famous groups such as Black Sabbath) had too big a say in the production of the album. He left out stage classics “Tyrant”, “Genocide”, and “The Ripper”, and cut another, “Caviar And Meths”, from a 10-minute song to a 2-minute instrumental.
With their next album, the band gained some more experience and confidence, fully participating in the production, as well as choosing the producers. The result was Sad Wings of Destiny (1976). This album featured mostly old material, including the aforementioned stage favorites and an epic “Victim Of Changes” – a song combining “Whiskey Woman”, a stage classic since the era of the first Judas Priest (Al Atkins’ band) and “Red Light Lady” brought by Halford from his previous group, Hiroshima.
The groundbreaking Sad Wings of Destiny was the first great Judas Priest album, simultaneously taking the entire heavy metal genre to new depths of darkness and new heights of technical precision and musicality. Sad Wings of Destiny sounded like little else on the metal scene in 1976: it was heavy and chillingly bleak, in an almost unrelenting way that hadn’t been seen since Black Sabbath’s heyday, but its arrangements were much more intricately crafted, its sonic textures more varied, its grooves tight and menacing, yet tinged with a gothic elegance under the raging torrent of guitar riffs.
Line-up:
* Rob Halford: Vocals
* K.K. Downing: Guitars
* Glenn Tipton: Guitars, Piano, Backing Vocals
* Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
* Alan Moore – drums
Track List:
01. Victim of Changes
02. The Ripper
03. Dreamer Deceiver
04. Deceiver
05. Prelude
06. Tyrant
07. Genocide
08. Epitaph
09. Island of Domination
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