Ram it Down (1988)
There are a lot of parallels with Point of Entry / Screaming for Vengeance and Turbo / Ram it Down. The former albums were commercial in nature whereas the latter of each pair starts off (literally) screaming that "we're back, and heavier than ever!". I've already noted the great memories I have with Screaming for Vengeance, and that nostalgia factor bumps it into the collection. With Ram it Down I have no such feelings. And for 1988, it's almost comical what they're attempting to do here. The title track and 'Hard as Iron' are great, the perfect remedy for what ailed Turbo. But some of these songs are ridiculously simple during arguably heavy metal's great era of innovation. With track names that were cliché in 1981, much less 1988, you have to wonder what they were thinking. 'Heavy Metal', 'Love Zone', 'I'm a Rocker', 'Love You to Death' and a useless cover of 'Johnny B. Goode'. Really? Gee, I'm a Rocker! Dee Snider made a career out of that. Judas Priest isn't a novelty act like Twisted Sister. And they didn't necessarily run away from Turbo like they did Point of Entry. There's still much use of synthesizer as if the band thought they had a winning formula going. Just goes to show how clueless they were in recognizing their own place in metal history. To this day, it seems they never did get plugged in right. Whatever the case, they nailed it on their next album Painkiller - only to subsequently breakup and give up the momentum they had going. Ram it Down has some fine moments, but I hear it at the same level as Turbo. Nothing I need to keep.
Source: 1988 Columbia (LP)
5/21/23 (review)
Turbo (1986)
Point of Entry (1981)
Turbo (1986)
I didn't have high hopes for Turbo, vaguely recalling its contents from my college days. And my low expectation was met. The metal world had changed drastically throughout the 80s, and Judas Priest appeared to throw in the towel and join those seeking cash versus artistic - or underground - credibility. Defenders of the Faith was already pushing their reputation by 1984, but they really sealed the deal with Turbo two years later. Consider that Metallica had already released Master of Puppets, which followed Ride the Lightning and Kill 'Em All. These were the children that Judas Priest bore. Metallica didn't fall out of the same metal tree as Poison and Motley Crue. I don't think anyone expected Priest to try and emulate Metallica, but they could have (or should have) focused on the metal sounds that were responsible for the Iron Maiden's of this world. Instead they looked to the likes of Def Leppard for inspiration. I agree with those that state that Turbo is better than Point of Entry, which was the last time Judas Priest made a conscious attempt to move away from the underground. There are some good tracks here like A2, B3, and B4, and overall I'd give it a good rating (in retrospect). As noted here quite a bit (especially recently for whatever reason), by 1986 I was either deep into my Euro prog discovery or the heaviest metal I could hear. So I scoffed - perhaps even laughed at - Turbo when it was released. "Kiddie Metal" was a term us grizzled veterans were using back then. Hey, I was 21 - one of the "old guys" of metal in 1986. Funny to recall that all these years later. In any case, Priest would gather themselves by 1990, but it was a day late and a dollar short (real time, its legacy is now stellar).
Source: 1986 Columbia (LP)
4/7/23 (review)
Point of Entry (1981)
I bought this immediately upon release and was very disappointed. I was almost certain I wouldn't keep this revisit LP, but maybe my views have softened, so I gave it a shot anyway. Well those views have softened to some extent. This is one of those rare albums where I appended a +2 and it's still nowhere near at a keepable level. That's how much I hated it on initial impact. On the plus side I can now accept that it's more of a hard rock album than metal, something that disappointed me when I was 16. On the other, most of the songwriting here is 3rd rate. So much filler. Even the big hit 'Heading Out to the Highway' is a rewrite of 'Living After Midnight', one of my least favorite tracks on British Steel. The three tracks I liked back in the day are still very worthy: 'Hot Rockin', 'Desert Planes', and 'Solar Angels'. Otherwise average at best.
Former ownership: 1981 Columbia (LP)
1981 (first acquired); 3/29/23 (review) 
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Now we’re getting serious about personal history. As noted a few places already, my heavy metal journey began with Judas Priest’s Hell Bent for Leather real time in 1979. I consider Unleashed in the East the greatest live album ever – again recalling that I have so much history with it. British Steel was mixed, but still very good. And then they laid a major egg with Point of Entry. No idea what the band were thinking, but they clearly weren’t plugged into why they were so popular. However, I saw them live in the summer of 1981, and I’m not even sure they played one song from their new album, realizing their mistake. The show consisted of the tunes from Unleashed in the East with a generous helping of British Steel. Now it’s time to get back in the studio, would Judas Priest deliver? Heck yea! Those opening three tracks are as fine a start to a Priest album as any they ever did. And sure they mixed in some other lighter styles, just as they did with British Steel. It’s probably never going to transcend that "very good" level for me. But the nostalgia rating is off the charts. When we were partying with a group of cute girls on the beach at Port Aransas – and they’re playing ‘You Got Another Thing Comin’ nonstop in the background – it was destined that I would always treasure this album. Our time had arrived. It was March 1983 – 18 years old. And real heavy metal was going mainstream. I mean... Cute Girls!Ownership: 1982 CBS Netherlands (LP). Lyric inner bag.1982 (acquired); 8/14/12; 2/20/23 (review)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Sin After Sin is Judas Priest's 3rd album, and the one where they really began to shape their sound of the future. As for me personally, once I acquired Hell Bent For Leather as an impressionable 14 year old, I went about looking for all the Priest I could find. Sin After Sin was readily available and may have been the second one I heard by the band (either this or Stained Class, I can't remember for certain). So it's an album that's part of my DNA at this point. But going back to 1979 on that first exposure, Sin After Sin was a bit lesser in the metal crunch department than what I'd hoped at the time. But of course I didn't realize that I was sitting on the metal revolution. With an historical lens, Judas Priest were way ahead of the pack in 1977 - branching far off mainstream hard rock, and beginning to hone what ultimately became known as "the riff". They were also beginning to trim off the prog tendencies of Sad Wings of Destiny. Blessed with one of the most perfect vocalists in history in Rob Halford, Judas Priest slowly but surely began to cultivate a cult audience that lasts until this day. 'Sinner', 'Let Us Prey / Call For the Priest', and 'Raw Deal' each took the idea of revolving the songwriting around the almighty riff. The truly groundbreaking moment, though, comes at the end with the jaw dropping 'Dissident Aggressor', arguably the heaviest and fastest track recorded to tape up to that time. The beginning of power metal and even thrash. As for the other tracks, Priest's cover of Joan Baez's 'Diamonds and Rust' was a fan favorite and concert staple for years. 'Starbreaker' is a solid mid album hard rocker, and 'Here Comes the Tears' is a strong power ballad, one that sets up the smashing 'Dissident Aggressor' perfectly. Only 'Last Rose of Summer' hasn't aged well, a dull ballad that doesn't play to any of Judas Priest's strengths. Overall Sin After Sin is a must own for fans of the band, and ranks among their top releases. Also - I wonder if Game of Thrones didn't get the idea for the House of Black and White from this album cover?Ownership: 1977 Columbia (LP); 2001 Columbia Legacy (CD). Liner notes and bonus tracks.1979 (acquired); 10//05; 12/17/12; 7/27/22 (review)
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Judas Priest's debut is an album that is usually dismissed by avid fans of the band. Primarily because of what it isn't. Rocka Rolla is no metal album, and there are few hints of their future here. But as far as dual guitar hard rock goes, Rocka Rolla is a major player in this game. Anyone who has listened to early 70s English hard rock (and you well should have since it still dominates rock radio to this day), will know the sound is heavily based in the blues. In that light, Judas Priest adds a bit more pace, and even some thoughtful introspective psychedelic numbers (The 'Winter' suite in particular, and the eight and a half minute 'Run of the Mill' might be the best track here). In this way, they are similar to Budgie's early albums. For myself, Rocka Rolla was purchased after already buying all of their albums up to that point, which included Unleashed in the East. The only exception was Sad Wings of Destiny, which is really not that far from Rocka Rolla in sound with perhaps a bit more prog thrown in. Oddly though, I wasn't disappointed at all. More like fascinated. I didn't really have a lot of examples of music like this in my collection to that point, and I heard Rocka Rolla as something unique. And "Bob" Halford (with long hair no less) is an exceptional vocalist, and he shows that off very early in his career. While I'll never likely coronate their debut and claim it's one of the best albums I've ever heard, I can honestly say that this listen represents me owning this album for 42 years straight, and I have yet to tire of it. If you're not a fan of heavy metal or what you would associate Judas Priest with, I would encourage you give this one a spin. As for metal fans, it's always best to go in with an historical perspective.Ownership: 1978 Import (LP). According to Discogs, this was the first US pressing of the album; Koch (CD). 2000's pressing
British Steel (1980)
As a primer, if you read my thoughts about Def Leppard that I recently penned, then you'll know British Steel came about right at the same time. Still a freshman in high school, and winding down the year. The difference here is that I already knew about Judas Priest. One year prior, Hell Bent For Leather was the new album, and after hearing a couple of choice cuts from that, I ran out to buy the album. And I became a dedicated fan pretty much on the spot. I went about filling in their back catalog including Rocka Rolla. Then came Unleashed in the East, an album so important to my ever increasing music knowledge, it became part of my DNA. There are few albums in my collection - if any - that I've played more than this album. I'll tell these stories as I revisit them. So by the time British Steel came out, I owned five of the six Judas Priest albums (Sad Wings of Destiny was scored in the summer). Whatever the case, my anticipation was through the roof for this new album. The result? Yea, OK, it's good for sure. But I wanted more. Way more. Though it opens auspiciously enough with 'Rapid Fire', which features a killer mid section, the kind of breaks all the best metal bands were to follow for the rest of time. And the album closes as it starts, with the rampaging 'Steeler'. That's the kind of metal I wanted from Priest back then. What about the rest? Well certainly 'Metal Gods' and 'Grinder' are heavy duty slow metal pieces, that satisfy at that level. 'The Rage' is kind of the oddball track, recalling their earlier, often quirky efforts, like on Sin After Sin. Over time, it's become one of my favorites from the album. 'You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise' is decent, though Priest was starting to show their tendency to dumb things down (ironically given the title). 'United' is one of their "football styled hymns". Very annoying. Must be an English thing. And that leaves us with their two big hits from the album, which arguably took heavy metal to its next level in terms of popularity. 'Breaking the Law' was the perfect track at the time, even if it wasn't so much to my taste. Short, punchy, good breaks and solos. It's bonehead for sure, but good bonehead. For my tastes 'Living After Midnight' is the second worst song after 'United'. And unfortunately it was the track that propelled Priest to its highest ratings. So it's no surprise that they were starting to become a confused group. All this lead to their next disastrous album Point of Entry, one of the greatest disappointments in my music listening career. They got back on the rails quickly with Screaming for Vengeance, but that's a tale for another day.
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
I've had Sad Wings of Destiny on LP since 1980 (same copy as listed below!), and I was all of 15. However... I had already digested the live Unleashed in the East, which features further developed and super energized versions of most of the classics found here. So at the time, the album sounded quite tame to my ears, and while I still enjoyed it, I never gave it the proper due. Over the years, I was able to digest the album more objectively, and thus was able to hear its brilliance. As for the legacy, who can deny its place in metal history? If I had been born four years earlier, and heard the album when it came out, it would seem to be revelatory. But would have I heard it back then? Probably not, as I would imagine being a dyed-in-the-wool prog fan who wouldn't have given it a second thought. And I think that applies to most everyone - the album didn't have an audience in 1976. Which is why this album is almost universally appreciated in retrospect more than it was real time. In art, that is generally known as genius. I wouldn't label Judas Priest that of course, and they certainly were able to capitalize on their forward thinking music only a few years later, but they should be commended for having the original vision of merging heavy with fast - and with some real songwriting as well. Yes, a classic for certain.
Now we’re getting serious about personal history. As noted a few places already, my heavy metal journey began with Judas Priest’s Hell Bent for Leather real time in 1979. I consider Unleashed in the East the greatest live album ever – again recalling that I have so much history with it. British Steel was mixed, but still very good. And then they laid a major egg with Point of Entry. No idea what the band were thinking, but they clearly weren’t plugged into why they were so popular. However, I saw them live in the summer of 1981, and I’m not even sure they played one song from their new album, realizing their mistake. The show consisted of the tunes from Unleashed in the East with a generous helping of British Steel. Now it’s time to get back in the studio, would Judas Priest deliver? Heck yea! Those opening three tracks are as fine a start to a Priest album as any they ever did. And sure they mixed in some other lighter styles, just as they did with British Steel. It’s probably never going to transcend that "very good" level for me. But the nostalgia rating is off the charts. When we were partying with a group of cute girls on the beach at Port Aransas – and they’re playing ‘You Got Another Thing Comin’ nonstop in the background – it was destined that I would always treasure this album. Our time had arrived. It was March 1983 – 18 years old. And real heavy metal was going mainstream. I mean... Cute Girls!Ownership: 1982 CBS Netherlands (LP). Lyric inner bag.1982 (acquired); 8/14/12; 2/20/23 (review)
Sin After Sin is Judas Priest's 3rd album, and the one where they really began to shape their sound of the future. As for me personally, once I acquired Hell Bent For Leather as an impressionable 14 year old, I went about looking for all the Priest I could find. Sin After Sin was readily available and may have been the second one I heard by the band (either this or Stained Class, I can't remember for certain). So it's an album that's part of my DNA at this point. But going back to 1979 on that first exposure, Sin After Sin was a bit lesser in the metal crunch department than what I'd hoped at the time. But of course I didn't realize that I was sitting on the metal revolution. With an historical lens, Judas Priest were way ahead of the pack in 1977 - branching far off mainstream hard rock, and beginning to hone what ultimately became known as "the riff". They were also beginning to trim off the prog tendencies of Sad Wings of Destiny. Blessed with one of the most perfect vocalists in history in Rob Halford, Judas Priest slowly but surely began to cultivate a cult audience that lasts until this day. 'Sinner', 'Let Us Prey / Call For the Priest', and 'Raw Deal' each took the idea of revolving the songwriting around the almighty riff. The truly groundbreaking moment, though, comes at the end with the jaw dropping 'Dissident Aggressor', arguably the heaviest and fastest track recorded to tape up to that time. The beginning of power metal and even thrash. As for the other tracks, Priest's cover of Joan Baez's 'Diamonds and Rust' was a fan favorite and concert staple for years. 'Starbreaker' is a solid mid album hard rocker, and 'Here Comes the Tears' is a strong power ballad, one that sets up the smashing 'Dissident Aggressor' perfectly. Only 'Last Rose of Summer' hasn't aged well, a dull ballad that doesn't play to any of Judas Priest's strengths. Overall Sin After Sin is a must own for fans of the band, and ranks among their top releases. Also - I wonder if Game of Thrones didn't get the idea for the House of Black and White from this album cover?Ownership: 1977 Columbia (LP); 2001 Columbia Legacy (CD). Liner notes and bonus tracks.1979 (acquired); 10//05; 12/17/12; 7/27/22 (review)
Judas Priest's debut is an album that is usually dismissed by avid fans of the band. Primarily because of what it isn't. Rocka Rolla is no metal album, and there are few hints of their future here. But as far as dual guitar hard rock goes, Rocka Rolla is a major player in this game. Anyone who has listened to early 70s English hard rock (and you well should have since it still dominates rock radio to this day), will know the sound is heavily based in the blues. In that light, Judas Priest adds a bit more pace, and even some thoughtful introspective psychedelic numbers (The 'Winter' suite in particular, and the eight and a half minute 'Run of the Mill' might be the best track here). In this way, they are similar to Budgie's early albums. For myself, Rocka Rolla was purchased after already buying all of their albums up to that point, which included Unleashed in the East. The only exception was Sad Wings of Destiny, which is really not that far from Rocka Rolla in sound with perhaps a bit more prog thrown in. Oddly though, I wasn't disappointed at all. More like fascinated. I didn't really have a lot of examples of music like this in my collection to that point, and I heard Rocka Rolla as something unique. And "Bob" Halford (with long hair no less) is an exceptional vocalist, and he shows that off very early in his career. While I'll never likely coronate their debut and claim it's one of the best albums I've ever heard, I can honestly say that this listen represents me owning this album for 42 years straight, and I have yet to tire of it. If you're not a fan of heavy metal or what you would associate Judas Priest with, I would encourage you give this one a spin. As for metal fans, it's always best to go in with an historical perspective.Ownership: 1978 Import (LP). According to Discogs, this was the first US pressing of the album; Koch (CD). 2000's pressing
7//79 (acquired); 10//05; 12/23/21 (review)
As a primer, if you read my thoughts about Def Leppard that I recently penned, then you'll know British Steel came about right at the same time. Still a freshman in high school, and winding down the year. The difference here is that I already knew about Judas Priest. One year prior, Hell Bent For Leather was the new album, and after hearing a couple of choice cuts from that, I ran out to buy the album. And I became a dedicated fan pretty much on the spot. I went about filling in their back catalog including Rocka Rolla. Then came Unleashed in the East, an album so important to my ever increasing music knowledge, it became part of my DNA. There are few albums in my collection - if any - that I've played more than this album. I'll tell these stories as I revisit them. So by the time British Steel came out, I owned five of the six Judas Priest albums (Sad Wings of Destiny was scored in the summer). Whatever the case, my anticipation was through the roof for this new album. The result? Yea, OK, it's good for sure. But I wanted more. Way more. Though it opens auspiciously enough with 'Rapid Fire', which features a killer mid section, the kind of breaks all the best metal bands were to follow for the rest of time. And the album closes as it starts, with the rampaging 'Steeler'. That's the kind of metal I wanted from Priest back then. What about the rest? Well certainly 'Metal Gods' and 'Grinder' are heavy duty slow metal pieces, that satisfy at that level. 'The Rage' is kind of the oddball track, recalling their earlier, often quirky efforts, like on Sin After Sin. Over time, it's become one of my favorites from the album. 'You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise' is decent, though Priest was starting to show their tendency to dumb things down (ironically given the title). 'United' is one of their "football styled hymns". Very annoying. Must be an English thing. And that leaves us with their two big hits from the album, which arguably took heavy metal to its next level in terms of popularity. 'Breaking the Law' was the perfect track at the time, even if it wasn't so much to my taste. Short, punchy, good breaks and solos. It's bonehead for sure, but good bonehead. For my tastes 'Living After Midnight' is the second worst song after 'United'. And unfortunately it was the track that propelled Priest to its highest ratings. So it's no surprise that they were starting to become a confused group. All this lead to their next disastrous album Point of Entry, one of the greatest disappointments in my music listening career. They got back on the rails quickly with Screaming for Vengeance, but that's a tale for another day.
The bonus tracks on the CD can be skipped. 'Red, White & Blue' is similar to 'United' and the live track of 'Grinder' doesn't add anything to the original.
Ownership: 1980 Columbia (LP); 2010 Columbia (CD). 30th Anniversary Edition. Liner notes, two bonus tracks, and a full DVD that includes a 2009 concert + a 30 minute interview. I haven't seen it yet, but will eventually.
Ownership: 1980 Columbia (LP); 2010 Columbia (CD). 30th Anniversary Edition. Liner notes, two bonus tracks, and a full DVD that includes a 2009 concert + a 30 minute interview. I haven't seen it yet, but will eventually.
1980 (acquired); 3/22/21 (review)
I've had Sad Wings of Destiny on LP since 1980 (same copy as listed below!), and I was all of 15. However... I had already digested the live Unleashed in the East, which features further developed and super energized versions of most of the classics found here. So at the time, the album sounded quite tame to my ears, and while I still enjoyed it, I never gave it the proper due. Over the years, I was able to digest the album more objectively, and thus was able to hear its brilliance. As for the legacy, who can deny its place in metal history? If I had been born four years earlier, and heard the album when it came out, it would seem to be revelatory. But would have I heard it back then? Probably not, as I would imagine being a dyed-in-the-wool prog fan who wouldn't have given it a second thought. And I think that applies to most everyone - the album didn't have an audience in 1976. Which is why this album is almost universally appreciated in retrospect more than it was real time. In art, that is generally known as genius. I wouldn't label Judas Priest that of course, and they certainly were able to capitalize on their forward thinking music only a few years later, but they should be commended for having the original vision of merging heavy with fast - and with some real songwriting as well. Yes, a classic for certain.
Ownership: 1980 Ovation (LP); 2006 Victor (CD). Papersleeve; 1983 RCA (MC)
1980 (acquired); 10//05; 11/25/15; 9/7/18 (review)
Other albums I own and need to review: Stained Class; Hell Bent For Leather; Unleashed in the East; Defenders of the Faith; Demolition
9/7/18 (new entry)
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