Judas Priest Discography Discussion (part 2 starting page 20)
- Thread starter Mosh
- Start date
I can see that, but I had heard all three '70s versions so many times and had never heard an acoustic version until I saw it live on the Retribution tour.
That might have something to do with it. Didn't get to see them live until 2011, so the acoustic version was pretty well known by then.
The energy level in the audience really dropped at both shows during that song too. The only other song where that happened was Never Satisfied. That's not the band's fault, but for an otherwise high energy show those two moments were very noticeable.
The energy level in the audience really dropped at both shows during that song too. The only other song where that happened was Never Satisfied. That's not the band's fault, but for an otherwise high energy show those two moments were very noticeable.
Unknown One
I see the ghost of navigators.
If I remember correctly, Race With the Devil was meant to be the cover on the album, until they replaced it with Diamonds and Rust? Which is a small shame because I actually like Race With the Devil more than Diamonds and Rust (although the latter is still a really good song).
Onto the album itself, there's really only 2 "classics" so to speak (Sinner and Dissident Aggressor), but the rest of the album is just as great. There's only 1 song on the album I'd consider to be merely average (Raw Deal) while the rest range from very good to brilliant. As noted before me, the ballads aren't the killer ballads like on other albums but they are definitely good and much better than some later ones. I noticed a couple of people here said it was underrated, I'd definitely say that for the general masses, but on this forum not so much (although the Album Priest survivor will shows us once and for all). Infact, this album is only a fraction behind my favourite in Painkiller.
Onto the album itself, there's really only 2 "classics" so to speak (Sinner and Dissident Aggressor), but the rest of the album is just as great. There's only 1 song on the album I'd consider to be merely average (Raw Deal) while the rest range from very good to brilliant. As noted before me, the ballads aren't the killer ballads like on other albums but they are definitely good and much better than some later ones. I noticed a couple of people here said it was underrated, I'd definitely say that for the general masses, but on this forum not so much (although the Album Priest survivor will shows us once and for all). Infact, this album is only a fraction behind my favourite in Painkiller.
That sounds like a familiar story but I don't think that was for this album, since Race With the Devil comes from the Stained Class sessions. They were asked to record another song for that album and had several covers to choose from but ultimately went with Better By You, Better Than Me. So maybe that's what you're thinking of.
Unknown One
I see the ghost of navigators.
Ah yes, so it was. I always knew it was around this time, but I always thought it was this album it was meant to be on and not Stained Class.
It wouldn't sound out of place on Sin After Sin, although I don't really care for it.
One thing that kind of annoys me about the Priest remasters is that the bonus tracks are mostly from different periods. I guess they wanted to evenly distribute bonus songs, but I would've rather had the unreleased songs on the albums they were recorded for.
One thing that kind of annoys me about the Priest remasters is that the bonus tracks are mostly from different periods. I guess they wanted to evenly distribute bonus songs, but I would've rather had the unreleased songs on the albums they were recorded for.
Unknown One
I see the ghost of navigators.
Yep so would I. I mean they have Fire Burns Below on the remastered Stained Class, which is from the Ram it Down sessions I think.
The only one that I can think of off hand that actually came from the sessions of the album it's from is Living Bad Dreams.
The only one that I can think of off hand that actually came from the sessions of the album it's from is Living Bad Dreams.
Cosmiceddie
Back From The Edge
To me 'Last Rose Of Summer' and 'Here Come the Tears' are the highlights of the album. They prove what an amazing singer Halford was back then, second to none.
Judas Priest have always been great with ballads.
Judas Priest have always been great with ballads.
Saapanael
Ancient Mariner
This is where Priest discography gets interesting. Sin after Sin is a magnificent release but sometimes feels overlooked. I didn't even know about the album for some time when I started to listen to the band.
There are no bad songs on this album. Raw Deal maybe worse than the others but nothing I would particularly skip. The opener is strong, the cover of Diamonds of Rust is one of my favourite Priest songs, if I can say that. I like it more than the original, it's just amazing. Priest knows how covers are meant to be done. The calm version they did live in the more recent years is greatly to my liking as well. Both versions rule but the latter one is where Halford's vocal power comes out more, I'd say. Starbreaker is one of the album's highlights, great that they played it on Epitaph. It is a very fun song to play and features many cool riffs. What Priest also does well is ballads: Last Rose of Summer and Here Come the Tears. The first one isn't very memorable, I agree, but still a delight to listen to. The second one is an utterly melancholic and very strong one. The other songs are great as well but do not quite match the quality of the songs I brought out.
The production also plays an important role here, establishing a way to proceed to their future glory. The album has many different moods and the sound supports these very well. For example, listening to Last Rose of Summer I really have this slightly nostalgic Summer feel.
There are no bad songs on this album. Raw Deal maybe worse than the others but nothing I would particularly skip. The opener is strong, the cover of Diamonds of Rust is one of my favourite Priest songs, if I can say that. I like it more than the original, it's just amazing. Priest knows how covers are meant to be done. The calm version they did live in the more recent years is greatly to my liking as well. Both versions rule but the latter one is where Halford's vocal power comes out more, I'd say. Starbreaker is one of the album's highlights, great that they played it on Epitaph. It is a very fun song to play and features many cool riffs. What Priest also does well is ballads: Last Rose of Summer and Here Come the Tears. The first one isn't very memorable, I agree, but still a delight to listen to. The second one is an utterly melancholic and very strong one. The other songs are great as well but do not quite match the quality of the songs I brought out.
The production also plays an important role here, establishing a way to proceed to their future glory. The album has many different moods and the sound supports these very well. For example, listening to Last Rose of Summer I really have this slightly nostalgic Summer feel.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I'll write a bit more here later. For now I'll just say this is my favourite pre-1980s album, by any artist.
One more thing (just in case if someone would interpret it otherwise):
The drummer in the first two pics is Les Binks (even though he was mentioned a bit later in the story ;-).
I don't think I've ever seen a line-up photo with Phillips. If one would exist and found, that would be cool.
One more thing (just in case if someone would interpret it otherwise):
The drummer in the first two pics is Les Binks (even though he was mentioned a bit later in the story ;-).
I don't think I've ever seen a line-up photo with Phillips. If one would exist and found, that would be cool.
I think I'm in the minority here, in that the Hell Bent to Defenders period is my favourite era of Priest.
But this is my favourite album of the early Gothic era — much improved sound, great variation of songs, some groundbreaking stuff.
Too bad Phillips didn't do more with the band; he's a great drummer.
Plenty of great songs to talk about, but I want to start with one that always gets overlooked — Raw Deal.
Seems like its always the first to go in the survivors, but there is a lot going on here:
But this is my favourite album of the early Gothic era — much improved sound, great variation of songs, some groundbreaking stuff.
Too bad Phillips didn't do more with the band; he's a great drummer.
Plenty of great songs to talk about, but I want to start with one that always gets overlooked — Raw Deal.
Seems like its always the first to go in the survivors, but there is a lot going on here:
- a menacing opening
- a great stuttering rhythmic groove,
- so many gritty riffs
- those cool distorted KK fills
- a grinding solo
- Halford alternating with snark in the verses and high notes in the chorus and outro
- the way it changes into an entirely new groove and melody at around 4:15
- that amazing outro vocal melody
- the stuttering double bass at the finale under some great Halford shrieking
Speaking of Simon, he's currently in what is probably my favorite modern Jazz fusion group: The Hiromi Trio Project. Their latest album, Move was one of my favorite albums of 2012. There's plenty of room in the music to hear Phillips' talent and it's really exciting stuff.
Re Raw Deal: Easily my least favorite song on the album. It has some cool moments but as a whole it's pretty bad.
Re Raw Deal: Easily my least favorite song on the album. It has some cool moments but as a whole it's pretty bad.
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
About "Raw Deal"... I wonder whether the fact that the song is the only Priest song which was written specifically about homosexuality (as stated by Rob Halford himself), has any bearing on why it seems to be generally regarded as a weak song. My opinion of it is pretty much the same as mckindog's, though for me it's really the last couple of minutes of the song which elevates it from being a decent song, into a very good one. That section is just mesmerizing!
As for the album itself, much like "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" by Black Sabbath, this album is one that when I first heard it in the early 90's, I didn't think much to it, and regarded it as one of the band's weakest efforts. But over the years, it rose massively in my estimation, and eventually became one of my fave albums in the Priest catalogue. Just as SBS became one of my fave Sabbath albums. Priest recorded 3 genuine works of pure genius in a row, of which this is the second one, after Sad Wings, and preceding "Stained Class". "Sinner" also holds the distinction of being part of my most memorable live experience, when K.K. played the solo in it right over my head!
The album is bookended by two of Priest's most classic, and monumental numbers, whilst everything in between is also of a very high standard. From the insanely catchy "Starbreaker", to the fiery "Call For The Priest", and the heart wrenching "Here Come The Tears", this is Priest at their finest and most vital. I do find this album very slightly weaker than the two albums it's sandwiched between, but it still stands as one of Priest's finest bodies of work, and is absolutely a classic album. It is definitely for me, their most underrated album.
As for the album itself, much like "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" by Black Sabbath, this album is one that when I first heard it in the early 90's, I didn't think much to it, and regarded it as one of the band's weakest efforts. But over the years, it rose massively in my estimation, and eventually became one of my fave albums in the Priest catalogue. Just as SBS became one of my fave Sabbath albums. Priest recorded 3 genuine works of pure genius in a row, of which this is the second one, after Sad Wings, and preceding "Stained Class". "Sinner" also holds the distinction of being part of my most memorable live experience, when K.K. played the solo in it right over my head!
The album is bookended by two of Priest's most classic, and monumental numbers, whilst everything in between is also of a very high standard. From the insanely catchy "Starbreaker", to the fiery "Call For The Priest", and the heart wrenching "Here Come The Tears", this is Priest at their finest and most vital. I do find this album very slightly weaker than the two albums it's sandwiched between, but it still stands as one of Priest's finest bodies of work, and is absolutely a classic album. It is definitely for me, their most underrated album.
The lyrics could have a role to play in the lack of appreciation for Raw Deal, but I don't think so. I think it was just a musical thing.
I doubt the majority of teens could understand the words without a lyric sheet when the song was new, and even if they did, the message may have gone over their heads, even though it seems pretty blatant now.
I know that was true for me and my peers.
Teens these days seem wiser to that stuff and far more mature about it than my generation, anyway.
I doubt the majority of teens could understand the words without a lyric sheet when the song was new, and even if they did, the message may have gone over their heads, even though it seems pretty blatant now.
I know that was true for me and my peers.
Teens these days seem wiser to that stuff and far more mature about it than my generation, anyway.
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Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
@mckindog: You do have a point, but it was a few years ago now when Rob stated the song was about homosexuality, so I guess it's possible that some people may have re-evaluated the song in light of that information? It's not anything that would have ever bothered me, but I know how some people, especially guys can be about that type of thing... lol
When I first bought the album, it was on cassette, and it had no lyrics. Though even if I'd had them at the time, I might have just thought it was about bikers or something!
"Starbreaker" I loved immediately, and I already knew of "Dissident Aggressor" because of Slayer covering it on "South Of Heaven". The only other song I liked at first, was "Sinner". It wasn't really till I finally aqquired the album on CD around 3 years later, and started intensively listening to it, that the whole thing really started to click with me. Although I am a huge fan of albums like Screaming, Defenders, and "Painkiller", for me, their best 70's material is where the real treasure is in Priest's catalogue. This album in particular, took a lot of digging deep for me to truly appreciate as a whole, but perhaps because of that, it's a pretty special one to me.
When I first bought the album, it was on cassette, and it had no lyrics. Though even if I'd had them at the time, I might have just thought it was about bikers or something!
"Starbreaker" I loved immediately, and I already knew of "Dissident Aggressor" because of Slayer covering it on "South Of Heaven". The only other song I liked at first, was "Sinner". It wasn't really till I finally aqquired the album on CD around 3 years later, and started intensively listening to it, that the whole thing really started to click with me. Although I am a huge fan of albums like Screaming, Defenders, and "Painkiller", for me, their best 70's material is where the real treasure is in Priest's catalogue. This album in particular, took a lot of digging deep for me to truly appreciate as a whole, but perhaps because of that, it's a pretty special one to me.
The subject matter has no effect on the song for me whatsoever. In fact I can't really think of any Priest song where the lyrics have an effect on my perception of the song. They were never a highly lyrical band to me. That's not to say they don't have good lyrics, but for the most part I don't care for them.