Four on the Floor – Judas Priest.

This one will be slightly different as I do intend to pass comment on all of the albums but these first four are my favourites……TODAY!

 Stained Class – 9/10.

My introduction to the Priest, although I heard Sin after Sin about a week later, this simply turbo charged music for me at the age of 13, I loved the cover art, loved the pounding production, some amazing songs including Exciter Les Binks knocking seven bells out of his kit still the best drummer they ever had, Beyond the realms of death and Savage, Halfords stuttering vocal in Savage is probably my favourite of the whole back catalogue, I even liked the cover, although I didn’t realise that it was a cover at the time, I couldn’t wait for my next dose of this metal behemoth.

Killing Machine 8.5/10.

A slightly lower rating simply because I thought the production wasn’t as intense as their previous album, and a couple of weaker songs (Evening Star and Burning up) the rest of the album hit the mark and yes, I had it on red vinyl, it took me ages to find a black vinyl version, I got there in the end, for once I even liked the singles Before the dawn and take on the world, and again an awesome cover.

Firepower - 9.5/10.

To be honest I love this album and although haven’t played it as much as the others in the main part of the blog, I keep coming back to it, I played it yesterday and its simply awe inspiring, one of the best hour long albums there is the only one track that disappoints me is Sea of Red, maybe if it was elsewhere in the track listing of the album it might impress me more, but this is my favourite Judas Priest album, who knew?

Sad Wings of Destiny – 9/10.

Simply stunning when you consider how crap the first album was, a huge step up in every department, playing, singing, songwriting just everything, its quite a raw album and that’s probably why its not my favourite, I bought this a week after buying Unleashed as I wanted to hear the studio versions, this was definitely the shape of things to come! Oh, and a decent cover, it was the most expensive Judas Priest album I bought as the others were always on offer but the first two (on Gull records) were always full price.

Maybe a surprise, maybe not, but those are my favourite four of the current moment, although the ratings would not change sometimes, I simply go to an album that I haven’t played in a while and get a pleasant surprise!

Rock n Rolla – 2/10 I’m glad I didn’t buy this album until 1982 as I probably wouldn’t have gone any further, I bought it for a pound at a record fair, I still think I was robbed the only track I care for is the tile track.

Sad wings of destiny – See above.

Sin after Sin – the only thing I don’t care for is Roger Glovers production, 5.5 /10.

Stained Class – See above.

Killing Machine – See Above, I also bought a USA copy “Hell bent for leather” and I was never a fan of the Green Manalishi, they had better originals.

Unleased in the east – 8/10. Its well documented that Halfords vocals were rerecorded due to an issue with the original, see if you can find Unleased in the West a bootleg, a lot rawer but virtually the same track listing.

British Steel – 8/10. This is when they stepped up into the big leagues, although I hate the singles (simply because they are overplayed) a great album and the last of the actual great album/ original art work.

Point of Entry – 8/10. The band have always been pretty consistent I didn’t care for the album at the time of purchase, but I do go back to it more than some of the others and Solar Angels was one of the best opening tracks I saw by them!

Screaming for Vengeance – 8.5/10. Where the hell did this album come from, erm exactly stunning production, great performances, I wasn’t keen on the actual cover, there’s a similar version of it drawn freehand online and its much better, again why the scoring if I never hear the single from the album I would be quite happy, it’s a good song but singles tend to be overplayed, this was them getting a bit big for their boots as they didn’t play home for a few years after this, well unless you count The Tube.

Defenders of the Faith – 8/10.

They worked to hard and jumped back into the studio and it shows its like a Screaming part two even down to thankfully the unsuccessful single, some good songs but a couple of fillers.

Turbo – 7/10.

I know you have to change from time to time but I think they went a little too far and a little too fast on this album, I hated the two singles, simply boring the rest of the album would have fitted onto Point of Entry, some good tunes spoilt by the supposedly modern production, I do still play it but the first two tracks are played through gritted teeth.

 

 

Ram It Down – 8/10.

Why do they do covers this was horrendous (Johnny B Goode) and I don’t care for the last track on the album, however what saves the album big style is Blood Red Skies possibly one of the best tracks the band has ever released, maybe they were simply finding their feet again, I hated the album cover, even though I do like the artist, better things were around the corner.

Painkiller - 8.5/10.

After the court case maybe, they thought that they had something to prove, and they certainly did with this album, same artist for the cover same thoughts on the cover, could do better, but musically Scott Travis kicked the band into overdrive, simply the band doing what they do best, playing Heavy Metal!

Jugulator – 7.5/10.

I love Ripper, I simply think the band took too long to record and went to brutal to match the others in the scene, something was missing and they were second guessing themselves, the production is poor as is the artwork, some good songs but nothing standing out and although I do have the album, I rarely play its not bad simply could do better!

Demolition – 8/10.

Back on the front foot the band doing what they do best playing their style of metal, great production I was glad to see them heading in the right direction.

Angel of Retribution - 8.5/10.

 This could have been great but I don’t care for the last track (Loch Ness) 13 minutes of drivel, and I didn’t care much for Roy Z’s production which is a shame as just about everything else he has done has been damn good!

Nostradamus – 7.5/10.

I find this to be a dense album, I can’t think of many metal bands that can get away with a double album, is it good yes, but I can’t play it all in one sitting, and there isn’t for me (probably because I don’t play it that much) a stand out track, I get what they were trying to do and applaud them for it, but a single album might have been better.

Redeemer of Souls – 8.5/10.

The first without KK Downing and it was again like a kick in the butt they got back to their roots and simply played Heavy bloody Metal!

Firepower – See Above, I don’t think that this can be beaten, no bad tracks just ferocious songs from start to finish.

Invincible Shield – 8.5/10.

I’m too close this one as I’m still trying to get a handle on it, I love it, I simply haven’t played it enough, having said that I like cover I like the production, there’s nothing to dislike but I’m still trying to get to grips with the tracks.

Now you may have noticed I haven’t done any of the live albums apart from Unleased, there’s a reason for that I don’t care for them, Priest live seems like a stop gap filler crap cover poor production, lets just get some product out, I do like the Jap only release Live and Rare, the first three tracks are from b -sides from the singles from killing machine tour in the USA and they are raw like the band that I saw live sounded like, now if any of their live albums sounded like those three tracks well might simply have the greatest live album of all time, Metal Meltdown 98 is a good introduction to Ripper live, again though simply released to some product out, Live in London a better live album, but some strange tracks (united) and a lot of the same tracks from the previous album, again simply to have product out. A touch of evil Live, is ok Halfords back but again I don’t see the point of it, it does simply feel like to get product out, to this day I don’t think that they have ever released the definite live Priest album they came close to it with Unleashed but that should have been a double! Battle Cry another tour another live album, have I played it yes I have but its simply just another per functionary release.

I’m a fan, I have been since the age of 13 and I couldn’t tell you how many times I saw the band live (more than 30 gigs) I have seen good shows I have seen terrible shows but I have always enjoyed them, I have never come away not enjoying the gig, remember this is my opinion for today, next week it could be different, probably not but you never know all hail the metal gods, until the next blog ……………Toodles.