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

[El Barto]

Just doing the classic albums, as I'm not qualified to judge the latter ones, this is what I came up with. Sad Wings and Stained Class are pretty much interchangeable for me. It's really amazing how much difference the drummer makes with Priest albums.

1    Stained Class
2    Sad Wings of Destiny
3    Sin After Sin
4    Defenders of the Faith
5    Screaming for Vengeance
6    Rocka Rolla
7    Painkiller
8    Point of Entry
9    Ram it Down
10    British Steel
11    Killing Machine
12    Turbo

[Zydar]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

[El Barto]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

I can see that. Some songs might well be turnoffs for people; Invader, Savage, White Heat. For me there's just a sound to it that really works. Priest was always changing with the times, so their albums are often quite different, and that particular iteration of the band was what I wanted to hear. Les Binks was a big part of it, and he also brought a groove I really dug. Looking at Saints in Hell and the title track there.

[MirrorMask]

With a little help from PubMeeble....

1   Painkiller
2   Defenders of the Faith
3   Sad Wings of Destiny
4   Screaming for Vengeance
5   Sin after Sin
6   Firepower
7   Nostradamus
8   British Steel
9   Invincible Shield
10   Angel of Retribution
11   Killing Machine
12   Redeemer of Souls
13   Stained Class
14   Ram it Down
15   Jugulator
16   Turbo
17   Demolition
18   Point of Entry
19   Rocka Rolla

Yeah, count me in as well among those who never got the love for Stained Class.

As always, just as I've seen with the Dream Theater top 100, the ranker gets my top 3 or 4 right, but it's down in the middle where the lines get blurred.

[EPICVIEW]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

well   to me  the love for it was how mind blowing it was when it was released

[Stadler]

With a little help from PubMeeble....

1   Painkiller
2   Defenders of the Faith
3   Sad Wings of Destiny
4   Screaming for Vengeance
5   Sin after Sin
6   Firepower
7   Nostradamus
8   British Steel
9   Invincible Shield
10   Angel of Retribution
11   Killing Machine
12   Redeemer of Souls
13   Stained Class
14   Ram it Down
15   Jugulator
16   Turbo
17   Demolition
18   Point of Entry
19   Rocka Rolla

Yeah, count me in as well among those who never got the love for Stained Class.

As always, just as I've seen with the Dream Theater top 100, the ranker gets my top 3 or 4 right, but it's down in the middle where the lines get blurred.

I'll do it tomorrow when I get home, but as much as I respect your list, mine will be quite different in some respects.

[El Barto]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

well   to me  the love for it was how mind blowing it was when it was released

It was before my time, but a few years later it was the album that got me into Priest. Screaming and Defenders were more my era, but I wasn't really big into them based on those.

[EPICVIEW]

For now, I'm gonna just say I'm enjoying this VERY much

(actually, random comment - I've read someone say the beginning of Panic Attack sounds like a mix of Tom Sawyer and DT's New Millennium...can't say I disagree I think someone here on DTF noted a Tom Sawyer reference in the instrumental section too)

I thought I heard that also and I thought I was tripping... lol   

[Glasser]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

[EPICVIEW]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

Z,   check out Saints in Hell from Glasgow on youtube  ,,,,  wow  just wow,,,,

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I thought Firepower was a great step in the right direction for Priest and just overall a good album, but this new one is on a whole other level. I don't know how Rob does the things he does at his age, but I'm impressed. The album isn't as good as Painkiller, but it's really close.

[wolfking]

I thought Firepower was a great step in the right direction for Priest and just overall a good album, but this new one is on a whole other level. I don't know how Rob does the things he does at his age, but I'm impressed. The album isn't as good as Painkiller, but it's really close.

Now that is a controversial call.

[NoseofNicko]

As much as I love Firepower, I think Invincible Shield is much better. In fact I think it’s probably one of their best albums.

[Dream Team]

For some reason I don't get the love for Stained Class. There's only three songs there that interests me - Exciter, Better By You Better Than Me, and Beyond The Realms Of Death. The rest are just average.

I can see that. Some songs might well be turnoffs for people; Invader, Savage, White Heat. For me there's just a sound to it that really works. Priest was always changing with the times, so their albums are often quite different, and that particular iteration of the band was what I wanted to hear. Les Binks was a big part of it, and he also brought a groove I really dug. Looking at Saints in Hell and the title track there.

It's not poppy or "catchy", it's heavy and dark (especially for its time) but man I love everything about it. You have to love how real all the instruments sounded back then, no modern over-processed guitar tones which I can't stand and that includes JP's tone.

Just listened to Halford's "Live Insurrection" concert and that fights for my #1 live show with Unleashed in the East, Score, and Breaking the Fourth Wall. Just inhuman vocals the entire show. INHUMAN.

[Stadler]

1   Screaming for Vengeance
2   Point of Entry
3   Defenders of the Faith
4   Invincible Shield
5   Rocka Rolla
6   Stained Class
7   Sad Wings of Destiny
8   Sin after Sin
9   British Steel
10   Nostradamus
11   Redeemer of Souls
12   Angel of Retribution
13   Killing Machine
14   Painkiller
15   Turbo
16   Ram it Down
17   Demolition
18   Jugulator
19   Firepower


Firepower is last, because I've never heard it.  One two and three are in a dog-fight, and it can change depending on the day.  Not positive yet how much Invisible Shield is because I've just spent a week binging on it.  YES, Rocka Rolla is top five; I LOVE that record (and think "Run Of The Mill" is a top three Rob performance). 

[Glasser]

1   Screaming for Vengeance
2   Point of Entry
3   Defenders of the Faith
4   Invincible Shield
5   Rocka Rolla
6   Stained Class
7   Sad Wings of Destiny
8   Sin after Sin
9   British Steel
10   Nostradamus
11   Redeemer of Souls
12   Angel of Retribution
13   Killing Machine
14   Painkiller
15   Turbo
16   Ram it Down
17   Demolition
18   Jugulator
19   Firepower


Firepower is last, because I've never heard it.  One two and three are in a dog-fight, and it can change depending on the day.  Not positive yet how much Invisible Shield is because I've just spent a week binging on it.  YES, Rocka Rolla is top five; I LOVE that record (and think "Run Of The Mill" is a top three Rob performance).

I think Firepower would be in your top 10 if you listen to it. Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather is definitely up there for me as well. I like Nostradamus in your top 10 but I think Firepower will knock it out. Rocka Rolla is excellent, it seems a lot of fans dismiss the older stuff. Nice list! 

[Stadler]

1   Screaming for Vengeance
2   Point of Entry
3   Defenders of the Faith
4   Invincible Shield
5   Rocka Rolla
6   Stained Class
7   Sad Wings of Destiny
8   Sin after Sin
9   British Steel
10   Nostradamus
11   Redeemer of Souls
12   Angel of Retribution
13   Killing Machine
14   Painkiller
15   Turbo
16   Ram it Down
17   Demolition
18   Jugulator
19   Firepower


Firepower is last, because I've never heard it.  One two and three are in a dog-fight, and it can change depending on the day.  Not positive yet how much Invisible Shield is because I've just spent a week binging on it.  YES, Rocka Rolla is top five; I LOVE that record (and think "Run Of The Mill" is a top three Rob performance).

I think Firepower would be in your top 10 if you listen to it. Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather is definitely up there for me as well. I like Nostradamus in your top 10 but I think Firepower will knock it out. Rocka Rolla is excellent, it seems a lot of fans dismiss the older stuff. Nice list! 

I'm going to pick up Firepower; given what's on either side of it, I know it's not going to suck.  Killing Machine/HBFL... it's got some highlights, but there are just too many songs that don't land - Delivering The Goods, Rock Forever, Evil Fantasies.  I love parts of it - the alternate title track , Evening Star, Before The Dawn, Green Manalishi, but it's not enough.

[Glasser]

1   Screaming for Vengeance
2   Point of Entry
3   Defenders of the Faith
4   Invincible Shield
5   Rocka Rolla
6   Stained Class
7   Sad Wings of Destiny
8   Sin after Sin
9   British Steel
10   Nostradamus
11   Redeemer of Souls
12   Angel of Retribution
13   Killing Machine
14   Painkiller
15   Turbo
16   Ram it Down
17   Demolition
18   Jugulator
19   Firepower


Firepower is last, because I've never heard it.  One two and three are in a dog-fight, and it can change depending on the day.  Not positive yet how much Invisible Shield is because I've just spent a week binging on it.  YES, Rocka Rolla is top five; I LOVE that record (and think "Run Of The Mill" is a top three Rob performance).

I think Firepower would be in your top 10 if you listen to it. Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather is definitely up there for me as well. I like Nostradamus in your top 10 but I think Firepower will knock it out. Rocka Rolla is excellent, it seems a lot of fans dismiss the older stuff. Nice list! 

I'm going to pick up Firepower; given what's on either side of it, I know it's not going to suck.  Killing Machine/HBFL... it's got some highlights, but there are just too many songs that don't land - Delivering The Goods, Rock Forever, Evil Fantasies.  I love parts of it - the alternate title track , Evening Star, Before The Dawn, Green Manalishi, but it's not enough.

I'm very curious what you think of Firepower.

[EPICVIEW]

1   Screaming for Vengeance
2   Point of Entry
3   Defenders of the Faith
4   Invincible Shield
5   Rocka Rolla
6   Stained Class
7   Sad Wings of Destiny
8   Sin after Sin
9   British Steel
10   Nostradamus
11   Redeemer of Souls
12   Angel of Retribution
13   Killing Machine
14   Painkiller
15   Turbo
16   Ram it Down
17   Demolition
18   Jugulator
19   Firepower


Firepower is last, because I've never heard it.  One two and three are in a dog-fight, and it can change depending on the day.  Not positive yet how much Invisible Shield is because I've just spent a week binging on it.  YES, Rocka Rolla is top five; I LOVE that record (and think "Run Of The Mill" is a top three Rob performance).

I think Firepower would be in your top 10 if you listen to it. Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather is definitely up there for me as well. I like Nostradamus in your top 10 but I think Firepower will knock it out. Rocka Rolla is excellent, it seems a lot of fans dismiss the older stuff. Nice list! 

I'm going to pick up Firepower; given what's on either side of it, I know it's not going to suck.  Killing Machine/HBFL... it's got some highlights, but there are just too many songs that don't land - Delivering The Goods, Rock Forever, Evil Fantasies.  I love parts of it - the alternate title track , Evening Star, Before The Dawn, Green Manalishi, but it's not enough.

I'm very curious what you think of Firepower.

Loved Firepower   pretty close to a perfect cd to me,  it hits hard and has some fun stuff and some songs with real color to them..  loved it first listen.   IS is a bit more  traditional metal formula underpinning with amazing playing over it IMO

[nick_z]

Firepower is last, because I've never heard it. 

O rly? May I ask why? Did it just pass you by? no matter, you are in for a treat, I think. It’s certainly “classic” Priest, but not in a contrived way. Really good record.

Look at your list, PoE is not one you typically see that high. There are a few good ones on it, but it never wowed me…

[Stadler]

Firepower is last, because I've never heard it. 

O rly? May I ask why? Did it just pass you by? no matter, you are in for a treat, I think. It’s certainly “classic” Priest, but not in a contrived way. Really good record.

Look at your list, PoE is not one you typically see that high. There are a few good ones on it, but it never wowed me…

No real reason, other than I don't stream, and I probably didn't find it at a reasonable price somewhere.   I'll get it. 

As for PoE, I LOVE that record.  The only songs I don't like on it are Hot Rockin' and maybe All The Way.  Heading Out To The Highway, Don't Go (LOVE the guitars in that song), Desert Plains and Solar Angels are all top Priest songs for me. 

[EPICVIEW]

 7) Screaming for Vengeance
 4) Point of Entry
 6) Defenders of the Faith
 5)  Invincible Shield
 12) Rocka Rolla
 8) Stained Class
 11) Sad Wings of Destiny
 2) Sin after Sin
 1) British Steel
 17) Nostradamus
 15) Redeemer of Souls
 16) Angel of Retribution
 9) Killing Machine/Hellbent for Leather
14) Painkiller
10)Turbo
13) Ram it Down
19) Demolition
18) Jugulator
 3) Firepower

my lazy list using Stads list  : )

[pg1067]

Just doing the classic albums, as I'm not qualified to judge the latter ones

1    Stained Class
2    Sad Wings of Destiny
3    Sin After Sin
4    Defenders of the Faith
5    Screaming for Vengeance
6    Rocka Rolla
7    Painkiller
8    Point of Entry
9    Ram it Down
10    British Steel
11    Killing Machine
12    Turbo

Same, except for Firepower (I bought Invincible Shield but haven't had a chance to listen yet), and excluding Rocka Rolla.

1. Defenders of the Faith
2. Screaming for Vengeance
3. Painkiller
4. Firepower
5. Hell Bent for Leather
6. Ram It Down
7. British Steel
8. Point of Entry
9. Stained Class
10. Sad Wings of Destiny (I'd rank it higher if Tyrant sounded like it does on Unleashed in the East)
11. Sin after Sin
12. Turbo

If you gave me the extended version of Unleashed (including Realms), minus the HBFL tracks, in lieu of Wings, Sin and Class, I'd take it in a heartbeat and rank it at #3.

As for PoE, I LOVE that record.  The only songs I don't like on it are Hot Rockin' and maybe All The Way.  Heading Out To The Highway, Don't Go (LOVE the guitars in that song), Desert Plains and Solar Angels are all top Priest songs for me.

If you ignore the video, Hot Rockin' is pretty awesome ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3xj8NePqdY ).  I'll take tracks 1-6 all day (the last 4 don't do much for me).

[TAC]

The solo in Devil In Disguise is amazing.


Listened to both Firepower and Invincible Shield today. I do think Invincible Shield is a stronger album in total. In this run of Redeemer through Shield, it feels like each successive album is building upon the previous one. I will say that The Richie Faulkner Era is proving quite formidable.

He's fucking smoking on the new album.

[TAC]

My ranking is something like this...


Screaming for Vengeance
Stained Class
Painkiller
Sad Wings of Destiny
Invincible Shield
Firepower
Defenders of the Faith
Sin after Sin
British Steel
Redeemer of Souls
Nostradamus
Point of Entry
Jugulator
Angel of Retribution
Killing Machine
Rocka Rolla
Turbo
Ram it Down
Demolition

[Grappler]

I'm less of a fan of 70's Priest than the 80's/90's/reunion era.  And yes Jugulator deserves to be that high.   

Painkiller
Screaming for Vengeance
British Steel
Defenders of the Faith
Invincible Shield
Firepower
Jugulator
Stained Class
Redeemer of Souls
Sad Wings of Destiny
Angel of Retribution
Killing Machine
Turbo
Sin after Sin
Point of Entry
Ram it Down
Rocka Rolla
Demolition
Nostradamus

[wolfking]

The solo in Devil In Disguise is amazing.


Listened to both Firepower and Invincible Shield today. I do think Invincible Shield is a stronger album in total. In this run of Redeemer through Shield, it feels like each successive album is building upon the previous one. I will say that The Richie Faulkner Era is proving quite formidable.

He's fucking smoking on the new album.

Yeah, he really rips on this album.  Maybe slightly overplaying sometimes, but I think the songs still call for it and it was what they were going for.

I'm not sure if the new one is stronger than Firepower but it's probably more consistent.  I think with Firepower this highs are higher but the lows are lower.  I mean, the new album doesn't have a Traitors Gate or Rising From Ruins, but it also doesn't have a Flame Thrower.

[nick_z]

I haven't decided yet which one I like better, but I agree the solos  - and more generally the songs' instrumental sections - are fantastic...

[TAC]

The solo in Devil In Disguise is amazing.


Listened to both Firepower and Invincible Shield today. I do think Invincible Shield is a stronger album in total. In this run of Redeemer through Shield, it feels like each successive album is building upon the previous one. I will say that The Richie Faulkner Era is proving quite formidable.

He's fucking smoking on the new album.

Yeah, he really rips on this album.  Maybe slightly overplaying sometimes, but I think the songs still call for it and it was what they were going for.

I'm not sure if the new one is stronger than Firepower but it's probably more consistent.  I think with Firepower this highs are higher but the lows are lower.  I mean, the new album doesn't have a Traitors Gate or Rising From Ruins, but it also doesn't have a Flame Thrower.

Yeah, I love the run of Spectre/Traitor's/No Surrender, but Invincible Shield feels more consistent. 

[wolfking]

The solo in Devil In Disguise is amazing.


Listened to both Firepower and Invincible Shield today. I do think Invincible Shield is a stronger album in total. In this run of Redeemer through Shield, it feels like each successive album is building upon the previous one. I will say that The Richie Faulkner Era is proving quite formidable.

He's fucking smoking on the new album.

Yeah, he really rips on this album.  Maybe slightly overplaying sometimes, but I think the songs still call for it and it was what they were going for.

I'm not sure if the new one is stronger than Firepower but it's probably more consistent.  I think with Firepower this highs are higher but the lows are lower.  I mean, the new album doesn't have a Traitors Gate or Rising From Ruins, but it also doesn't have a Flame Thrower.

Yeah, I love the run of Spectre/Traitor's/No Surrender, but Invincible Shield feels more consistent.

that's cause I think it is, and you take the bonus tracks out, it's not bloated at all.  While the last few songs are a dip in quality, there's really no bloat or filler but Firepower seemed like they were trying to fit in as much as they could no matter what.  If Firewpower was say a 9-10 song album, it would be up there as good as any classic Priest album.

[emtee]

The solo in Devil In Disguise is amazing.


Listened to both Firepower and Invincible Shield today. I do think Invincible Shield is a stronger album in total. In this run of Redeemer through Shield, it feels like each successive album is building upon the previous one. I will say that The Richie Faulkner Era is proving quite formidable.

He's fucking smoking on the new album.

Definitely! Everything guitar related on this album is 10/10. Tone, riffs, solos...perfection. I won't attempt to rank yet but there's a great chance this is a top 3 album. Having this and Firepower be so strong back-to-back, at this stage of their career is mind blowing.

[Stadler]

My ranking is something like this...


Screaming for Vengeance
Stained Class
Painkiller
Sad Wings of Destiny
Invincible Shield
Firepower
Defenders of the Faith
Sin after Sin
British Steel
Redeemer of Souls
Nostradamus
Point of Entry
Jugulator
Angel of Retribution
Killing Machine
Rocka Rolla
Turbo
Ram it Down
Demolition

I'm surprised that Rocka Rolla is so low. It's a very late 60's, early 70's British heavy metal record, ala Sabbath and Zeppelin, IMO. I'd even compare it to the first two Kiss records; they're not British, but same influences.

Bought Firepower; waiting for it to be delivered...

[Samsara]

I'm not familiar enough with the whole back catalog yet to give a ranking. I really just started heavily getting into Priest probably in 2000, with Halford's solo record. I sort of went through this period where I told myself I was going to familiarize myself with all the influences of Queensryche and dive in. I got Maiden first, became a total hardcore. Then it was Pink Floyd, and while they took me longer, and I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore, they have albums I absolutely love (DSotM, WYWH, Animals, The Wall). Priest took longer. I've seen them a couple times (2005, and then again in 2010 on the British Steel anniversary trek). I knew the hits. But it was just over the past decade or so that I started buying the back catalog and listening. And for my money, I think after repeated listens, the regular version of Invincible Shield is one of the best albums they ever recorded.

Again, I'm not an expert. I have most, but not all, of their albums (I don't have Turbo, Demolition, or Point of Entry yet). But Invincible Shield is just so damn good. Very impressed. Sadly, the only date they are playing remotely near me is a festival, and I'm not a festival guy, so I'm pretty bummed I may not get to see them on this tour.

[Stadler]

I'm not familiar enough with the whole back catalog yet to give a ranking. I really just started heavily getting into Priest probably in 2000, with Halford's solo record. I sort of went through this period where I told myself I was going to familiarize myself with all the influences of Queensryche and dive in. I got Maiden first, became a total hardcore. Then it was Pink Floyd, and while they took me longer, and I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore, they have albums I absolutely love (DSotM, WYWH, Animals, The Wall). Priest took longer. I've seen them a couple times (2005, and then again in 2010 on the British Steel anniversary trek). I knew the hits. But it was just over the past decade or so that I started buying the back catalog and listening. And for my money, I think after repeated listens, the regular version of Invincible Shield is one of the best albums they ever recorded.

Again, I'm not an expert. I have most, but not all, of their albums (I don't have Turbo, Demolition, or Point of Entry yet). But Invincible Shield is just so damn good. Very impressed. Sadly, the only date they are playing remotely near me is a festival, and I'm not a festival guy, so I'm pretty bummed I may not get to see them on this tour.

I am almost itchy in anticipation of your opinion of Point Of Entry.  I suspect I know where you'll land, but I'm a glass half full guy, so I'm holding out hope you'll see the progressiveness and not the pop-ishness. 

[Samsara]

Ha! Yeah, the two bands I'm still acquiring albums from are Priest and Thin Lizzy. I have most from both, but still need some acquisitions. I haven't heard a note of Priest's Point of Entry. I'm just finishing Invincible Shield for another time. I'll fire up Spotify and put on Point of Entry next. Again, never heard a note from it, unless one of the big singles is from it.