THE Judas Priest thread - v. new album and tour in 2024

[KevShmev]

Big fan of both Run of the Mill and Dying to Meet You.  One for the Road is a bad ass opener as well.  I like that album a lot.  Not as great as a lot of the other albums they did in the 70's or early 80's, but definitely better than anything they've done in the last 30 years.

[EPICVIEW]

Rocka Rolla-


Disclaimer..this is NOT a first time reaction! I have heard it before, but it's just not really in my realm..at all. Been ages since I listened to it.

I think for 1974, it's really cool. The best track IMO is Run Of The Mill...I'd live to hear a modern day powerful version of this. The second half of Dying To Meet You is really cool. Not sure I totally get the first half.

I dig that album for sure

[wolfking]

That's one I didn't give many listens to.  Might dig it out.

[jammindude]

Thoughts:

Rocka Rolla - I nailed down a CD with the original Coca-Cola cover...one of my collectors items. Not a bad album.

Favorite albums: #1 is Defenders, #2 is Stained Class. I’m not a HUGE JP fan but I’m very familiar with the classic material (cousin was a mega fan and we would go back and forth about who was better because I was a bit more into Maiden....I’ve never heard any reunion material). So I couldn’t really rate the rest.

Screaming is way over rated. Very high highs, but there are tracks I consider to be filler. (Fever, Pain and Pleasure, Take These Chains) whereas I love every song from Defenders.

Point of Entry is underrated and Solar Angels SLAYS.

Grew to love Turbo after hating it at first.

The opposite happened with Ram it Down. Loved it at first, now it seems like a bottom feeder. I guess the title track (which is still awesome) kicked my ass after not initially caring for the synth sounds of Turbo.

More to come if I think of it. But this has whet my appetite to revisit some JP.

[Mladen]

What makes Rocka rolla work for me is the B side, which is awesome throughout. Side A, however, is so and so.

[Zydar]

My favourite track on Rocka Rolla is Never Satisfied. I was watching a show on Youtube from the Epitaph tour a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised that they played that one.

[Mladen]

I was in the crowd observing how many fans were just staring at the stage waiting for the next song as the band was nailing it with Never satisfied. It was a great moment for me, yet not a lot of people appreciated it.

[Stadler]

I'm a BIG fan of Rocka-Rolla.  I have one of those "bottle cap" versions as well; I remember getting it as an import from Karl Graf's, my local record store.

Other than the Winter Suite - which isn't BAD, it's just the "Deep Freeze" part is boring - there's not a duff song on that album, and that Side 2 is KILLER.   I think "Run Of The Mill" is a top five, maybe top three Priest tune.  The conventional wisdom is that Victim Of Changes is the "great" epic in the band's catalogue, and for me, "Run Of The Mill" crushes that.  That ending vocal is just breath-taking.

I like Sad Wings, but I like Rocka Rolla way better as it's more consistent.

[pg1067]

I listened to the first seven songs on my commute home last night and into the office this morning.

I listened to the rest of POE on the way home last night.  The last three songs are not very good.  I think I'd rank the album thusly:

Desert Plains
Heading out to the Highway
Hot Rockin'
Turning Circles
Solar Angels
You Say Yes
All the Way
Don't Go
Troubleshooter
On the Run


As far as British Steel, it's MILES more consistent than POE.  Ranking the songs:

Steeler
Rapid Fire
Grinder
Metal Gods
United
Living After Midnight
Breaking the Law
The Rage
YDHTBOTBW

Combining the two:

Desert Plains
Steeler
Rapid Fire
Heading out to the Highway
Grinder
Metal Gods
United
Living After Midnight
Hot Rockin'
Turning Circles
Breaking the Law
Solar Angels
The Rage
YDHTBOTBW
You Say Yes
All the Way
Don't Go
Troubleshooter
On the Run

[KevShmev]

I'm a BIG fan of Rocka-Rolla.  I have one of those "bottle cap" versions as well; I remember getting it as an import from Karl Graf's, my local record store.

Other than the Winter Suite - which isn't BAD, it's just the "Deep Freeze" part is boring - there's not a duff song on that album, and that Side 2 is KILLER.   I think "Run Of The Mill" is a top five, maybe top three Priest tune.  The conventional wisdom is that Victim Of Changes is the "great" epic in the band's catalogue, and for me, "Run Of The Mill" crushes that.  That ending vocal is just breath-taking.

I like Sad Wings, but I like Rocka Rolla way better as it's more consistent.

Sad Wings is a tough one, as I can look at the track listing and think, "Oh yeah, that is one of their best, if not their best," but then I listen to it and am reminded that those original versions of Genocide and Victim of Changes are nothing special; the later live versions of both wipe the mat with those originals. 

[kirksnosehair]

When I want a fix of early Judas Priest I usually listen to Unleashed In The East.  Rocka-Rolla is OK, I can take it or leave it.  I almost never listen to it.  Sad Wings of Destiny was my first Judas Priest album so it's always going to be special to me.  I love the open/airy production.  Stained Class has that same kind of sound and though it sounds a bit dated now, I still like that clean, kind of stripped down vibe.

[Stadler]

Because, why not?

Run Of The Mill
Dreamer Deceiver
Dying To Meet You/Hero Hero
Victim Of Changes
Caviar And Meths
Rocka Rolla
Deceiver
Never Satisfied
Cheater
Winter
One For The Road
The Ripper
Prelude
Island Of Domination
Winter Retreat
Tyrant
Genocide
Deep Freeze
Epitaph

[kirksnosehair]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

[ozzy554]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs


Come at me     

I agree. That song alone is why stained class is in my top 3 JP albums. The fact that I like the rest of the album is just a bonus.

Side note I hope when they finally get touring again they put saints in hell back in the set. Sounded surprisingly good when they busted it out on the firepower tour.

[pg1067]

The Sentinel >>> Beyond the Realms of Death.

 

[KevShmev]

I like The Sentinel quite a bit, but nearly everyone I know in real life (what's that??) who is a Priest fan thinks it is a top 5-10 Priest tune, and that is too big of a leap for me.  It's not even a top 3 tune from Defenders for me.

[Mladen]

It's top one for me. That's a great song right there.

[Mister Gold]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

Honestly? I'm inclined to agree. I do love Painkiller and The Sentinel, but lyrically Beyond the Realms of Death is miles ahead of both.

[wolfking]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

I might be on board with this.

The only blight it has is the chorus riff copying Feel Like Making Love.  Otherwise, a perfect song.

[Dream Team]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

Not controversial at all. One of the greatest metal songs and solos.

[Dream Team]

Because, why not?

Run Of The Mill
Dreamer Deceiver
Dying To Meet You/Hero Hero
Victim Of Changes
Caviar And Meths
Rocka Rolla
Deceiver
Never Satisfied
Cheater
Winter
One For The Road
The Ripper
Prelude
Island Of Domination
Winter Retreat
Tyrant
Genocide
Deep Freeze
Epitaph

Got to give you props for being your own man. You are literally the first person I’ve seen in 54 years that thinks Rocka Rolla is better than Sad Wings.

[emtee]

Love it when a thread prompts me to dig back into a discography. Last one was Dokken and Lynch Mob. Now JP. Fun ride!

[TAC]

When I was younger, I got into Judas Priest with Point Of Entry, and their videos on MTV. From there I heard British Steel, both of which I had on 8 track. I got Unleashed In The East in a Columbia House hall.
I remember liking it. Screaming came out around this time as well. I was probably 13 at the time..

The first old Priest tape I got was Hell Bent For Leather. I remember being fairly disappointed with it. At some point in my teenage years, I got Stained Class. I thought it was better, but 70's Priest just never appealed to me the way 70's UFO or Thin Lizzy did. Heck, even Scorpions. They just never "hooked me in".

I have their 70's CDs that I've gotten over the years. I have no good reason why I don't listen to them more, other than I just..don't. I give them a cursory run through every couple of years, but this time around, I really wanted to take my time with them..

I mentioned Rocka Rolla the other night..

Sad Wings Of Destiny

This album starts out with the double shot of Victim Of Changes and The Ripper. These both make my 70's JP Top 10.

Dreamer Deceiver is nice enough. Seems to get a lot of love around here. The second half is pretty epic. But why name the next song Deceiver?? Sounds a bit Black Sabbathy.

Tyrant has a great solo starting around 2:49, feels a little Blackmore-ish to start.

Genocide is ok, and Epitaph...that's interesting and quite a change of pace. In a vacuum, it's actually really nice, but man, it's on an island here.

And speaking of islands, Island Of Domination is really cool.



If I'm comparing it to Rocka Rolla, I just think it's a step up in what they do. That said, for 1974, Rocka Rolla is pretty damned strong.

[Stadler]

Because, why not?

Run Of The Mill
Dreamer Deceiver
Dying To Meet You/Hero Hero
Victim Of Changes
Caviar And Meths
Rocka Rolla
Deceiver
Never Satisfied
Cheater
Winter
One For The Road
The Ripper
Prelude
Island Of Domination
Winter Retreat
Tyrant
Genocide
Deep Freeze
Epitaph

Got to give you props for being your own man. You are literally the first person I’ve seen in 54 years that thinks Rocka Rolla is better than Sad Wings.

I like what I like.  Haha.  It's not really a choice, and it helps/hurts that growing up I didn't have a ton of friends that liked the music I do. 

[TAC]

Not much has changed.

[TAC]

Sin After Sin

Sinner is a great opener. That whole section at 2:50 is amazing. Love the solo that seems to be going against the beat. That breakdown is fantastic. Great songwriting and arrangement.

Diamonds And Rust..No idea how they decided to cover a Joan Baez song, but they knocked it out.

Believe it or not, I have never sat through the Joan Baez original...until now. Holy shit that is powerful. WOW. I think I like her version better. Wow. Seems Priest skipped the second verse.

I love the guitar line from Starbreaker. That's a great tune. Could probably do without the hand clapping, but great tune nonetheless.

Last Rose Of Summer...it isn't bad, but it totally kills the killer vibe of Side 1.

Call For The Priest is amazing. You can hear its influence on bands like Saxon, Accept, and Riot. That part at 3:09 leading into a great vocal part is fantastic. It's a vocal line that Rob seemed to build upon over the next half dozen albums. So powerful. That twin solo at 4:48 is the basis for power metal twin guitar solos. Huge impact for a band like Helloween.

Raw Deal..Not a huge fan of the first 4 minutes, but goddamn, the last two minutes are great. What a groove.

Here Come The Tears is cool Yes.

Dissident Aggressor is heavy AF. No wonder Slayer covered it.


The bonus track, Race With The Devil is really interesting. It's a cover by a band called The Gun. Anyone check out the original? I did, from 1968, and it's really good.
Also seems to have influenced Sabbath's Sabra Cadabra.
Around 2:15, this seems to be the solo Mark Reale was channeling on his epic outro solo to Here We Come Again.

[pg1067]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

I might be on board with this.

The only blight it has is the chorus riff copying Feel Like Making Love.  Otherwise, a perfect song.

To say nothing of the intro guitar figure being nearly identical to that of Styx's Suite Madame Blue.

[wolfking]

Beyond The Realms of Death > all other Judas Priest songs




Come at me     

I might be on board with this.

The only blight it has is the chorus riff copying Feel Like Making Love.  Otherwise, a perfect song.

To say nothing of the intro guitar figure being nearly identical to that of Styx's Suite Madame Blue.

I'll have to listen, don't know the song.

[wolfking]

Here Come The Tears is cool Yes.

Could be a top 10 Priest song for me.

[KevShmev]

Nice write-ups, Tim. 

Sin after Sin is an odd album for me in the sense that it's killer at the start and the end, but the middle tracks are kinda average.  Sinner is a top 5 Priest song for me, though, along with Beyond the Realms of Death, the live Victim of Changes, Desert Plains and either Bloodstone or A Touch of Evil.

[devieira73]

I bought last year the Judas Priest box set with all albums minus Owens era and the last 2. But I really need to hear properly the 70's Priest. The older album that I listened was Sin After Sin, since it has Simon Philips on drums (again me, Tim  ) and I was curious to hear how he sounded with the band. And it's very similar the way he sounded in the first MSG album, where I love his drumming! My first impression of the album was closer to KevShmev's, but it was positive, it has potential to be better.

[Stadler]

This is for El Barto if he's reading:  Did you see Priest on the Fuel For Life tour in '86?  I'm watching the "Priest... Live" DVD (the "Electric Eye" version, which has one or two more songs, but still skips "Victim Of Changes") which was filmed in Dallas (the album is I think taken from four different shows).    Halford sounds REALLY good, and I'm wondering how much post-production work was done, if you get my drift. 

Sorry if this is mean, but KK Downing looks ridiculous in that video.   He looks like a cross between Tawny Kitaen (RIP) and a parody of every metal guitar player ever.  It's interesting; I haven't seen Priest in person lately, but in the video, it seems as if Tipton is doing a LOT of the heavy lifting.

[TAC]

I haven't listened to Priest Live in decades. It never really sounded legit to me. Just pulled it up on Spotify. The crowd noise sounds so fake.

[TAC]

Last Rose Of Summer...it isn't bad, but it totally kills the killer vibe of Side 1.

I just ran through Sin After Sin again this morning, and I wanted to amend this to say that while musically, it still kills the vibe of Side 1, lyrically, this song is amazing. Great words.






Also, I just sat through the Joan Baez version of D&R again. That shit is strong. What a performance. So haunting.

I love the final verse:

"Now you're telling me
You're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You who are so good with words
And at keeping things vague
Because I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly
Yes I loved you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust
I've already paid"


WOW!





Of course, I'm probably the last guy to really check it out, but here's the link to the lyric video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ST9TZBb9v8

[wolfking]

This is for El Barto if he's reading:  Did you see Priest on the Fuel For Life tour in '86?  I'm watching the "Priest... Live" DVD (the "Electric Eye" version, which has one or two more songs, but still skips "Victim Of Changes") which was filmed in Dallas (the album is I think taken from four different shows).    Halford sounds REALLY good, and I'm wondering how much post-production work was done, if you get my drift. 

Sorry if this is mean, but KK Downing looks ridiculous in that video.   He looks like a cross between Tawny Kitaen (RIP) and a parody of every metal guitar player ever.  It's interesting; I haven't seen Priest in person lately, but in the video, it seems as if Tipton is doing a LOT of the heavy lifting.

Hasn't that always been the case?