Judas Priest Discography Discussion (part 2 starting page 20)

(I borrowed from a post I did fifteen months ago, and added something at the end)

Painkiller (1990)

Who would have thought that after twenty years of existence and 11 released studio albums the Priest would come up with such a powerful and energetic 12th record? Important reason should be new member Scott Travis. With him on drums, the horizons of speed and heaviness became broader in an instant. Also the production contributed to a great sounding record. Every piece fell in its right place. Is everything on Painkiller completely new? On the previous album, Ram it Down, there were already some signs. Listen to Hard as Iron, the intro of Heavy Metal and the title track. Surely Priest must have thought that these elements should be kept to make something special.

All this resulted in the best combination of aggression & melody imaginable. The riffs, the solos, the vocals, the song material, it's all spellbinding. I advise everyone to hear this album with headphones, if you haven’t yet. The guitars on the left and right side are interesting to follow. Let’s do a song by song review.

Painkiller
The title track has Rob Halford at his most menacing. Perhaps his continuous screaming is hard to bear for some, but always keep in mind: there’s music with tremendous drive underneath and a certain instrumental midsection coming up. So I’d say his vocals fit and they take a good break as well. When Halford retreats (right after his “Brighter than a thousans suns…” delivery) something awesome is coming up. Glenn Tipton does his part 1 solo, which is pretty cool already, but part 2 is the better one, and for many an early and strong highlight of the whole album. It starts @ 2:41 in this clip:
The solo has a lot going on, so much that I find it hard to describe (I love the echoing high notes), but there are other factors that make this part so awesome. Tipton’s solos are panned somewhat to the right, so we can focus very well on K.K Downing’s rhythm choppings on the left. This form of merciless scything is a feast by itself. It’s probably not the most difficult piece of rhythm guitar, but it’s the combination of playing a catchy chord scheme with cool power chords, alternating with slightly more open chords. The rhythm section underneath locks in as one unit. What a drive, what a spirit.


Hell Patrol
This short song has an interesting rhythm and tempo, rare in the Priest catalogue. Halford switches back to his “normal” voice but it contains lots of expression and shows a good range.
The “Brutalize you..” and the “Chrome monsters, steel warriors” parts are particularly cool.
Nice harmony in the middle.


All Guns Blazing
I find this song a bit less impressive after having heard the title track. It’s less aggressive and the solo (again a lengthy Tipton solo) is less impressive. The solo comes in quite early. Right after it we get a slower part with some screaming licks, before we return to the second couplet. It ends with another Tipton solo and heavy gun (cannon!?) shots.


Leather Rebel
This song is an echo of Hard as Iron, rhythmwise, but for the rest it doesn't remind me that much of it. I particularly like the guitar harmony, which lacks(!) rhythm guitars.

These last two songs were IMO the least good ones. So from now on it gets only better.


Metal Meltdown
Like on the song Heavy Metal from the previous album, this one also starts with a cappella soloing. Last time it was only Glenn Tipton, but this time K.K. Downing starts and Tipton follows. I am especially impressed by Halford in the pre-choruses and bridge before another round of guitar duels (KK/Glenn/KK/Glenn) starts. Then comes an unusual harmony, quickly followed by a slower part.


Night Crawler
After the meltdown sounds fade away, a short soundtrack serves as interlude for this little tale of horror. The drums are dynamic. They leave some bass drums out in the couplets, giving some contrast to the continuing rhythm guitars, plus more room to Halford who sings in a lower tempo. In the pre-chorus the instruments and voice (“Straight out of hell, one of a kind..”) accentuate in unison again.

Absolute highlight is the speech in the middle. Very atmospheric. I always have an urge to “speech” along with it (I rarely have that with vocals but this grabs me quite a bit).
The content of the words might be cheesy, but the way he does this shows how many things Halford can do with his voice.


Between the Hammer & the Anvil
A personal favourite of mine. The beginning is quite original. It starts with pure chords joined by Ian Hill’s bass giving a special edge to it. Then the drums fade in and an unexpected mid tempo starts. A hammer sounds on an anvil and Halford does a well timed scream.

In this song, the main role is not for Halford. The x-factor in this song are the rhythm guitars in the couplets! It was a great decision to sing short sentences on top of these incredibly melodic/harmonic chords. The riffs have Halford alternated with instrumental moments. In addition, from the second couplets on we also will hear nice guitar melodies, played by Tipton. Let’s not underestimate Halford though. I don’t know how he does it but the drama he injects into those short sentences is very convincing.

The song returns to the chords of the intro, the hammer strikes on the anvil…. and then…
The best solo K.K. Downing ever recorded! On top of that great rhythm guitar pattern from the couplets.
Tipton continues with some spellbinding tapping over some descending doomy chords, but it can’t match K.K. this time. Love the way the rhythm guitars come back. First Glenn, then K.K. locking in. Halford ends with superb screaming, a few more lines, and the song fades out as it begun.


A Touch of Evil
Without a break the previous song flows into the winds of the next song intro. This is the slowest song, and the only one with keyboards. Very dramatic with once again a very convincing Halford.
There’s a certain suspense in this song that does it. The solo with the wonderful supporting guitar melody (also played on acoustic guitar if you listen well) has a great build-up.
If you think that was all, you’re wrong. Halford comes in singing over a completely different bridge. It’s bombastic and fits the lyrics well. It ends with the a cappella “You’re possessing me!”. Neatly done, it pierces straight through the heart.


Battle Hymn / One Shot at Glory
The best album closer on a Priest record, and with the exception of Rime of the Ancient Mariner (yeah I still have love for Maiden left after writing all this), One Shot at Glory is the best album closer on any record. Battle Hymn serves not only as an intro but also as the base for an instrumental part later on.

Starting with the rhythm guitars, we’re getting ready for a spectacle of epic proportions.
Tipton takes us on the road with his short solo and Halford starts. He actually uses various techniques throughout the whole song. Impressive, but probably so difficult to do live that the song was never done on stage. The song has a Maidenish chorus with galloping rhythm guitars. Before the second couplet we get a touch-of-lightning solo by K.K.

After the second chorus we’re in for a lead guitar feast. K.K. really does it again.
The way he enters is awesome (@ 42.57). So sharp and bright. He continues with mind dazzling shredding, alternating high, shorter and lengthier parts with also lower hacking stuff. Guitar wankery? Guitar wankery of the highest order then. Again he steals the show although Glenn’s solo is very nice as well (great ending)!

Right after that there’s an interesting part. The chords of the intro return and the guitarists play their baroque melody in a 1,2,3,1,2,3 tempo while the double bass drums go slightly faster 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4.
Cool patterns! Not sure if this explanation made any sense, but play the song and you’ll hear the differences. :)

This ends quite a ride. What an album. It's Priest's masterpiece. I find it the best album, ever made in metal music. Maiden is my favourite band but nothing beats the Paaaaaaaaaaiiiiinkillerrrr album.
 
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There are two apt comparisions between this album and some work by Rush.

First: this album, in my estimation, feels vaguely similar to Moving Pictures. Both are masterworks, often named as the best by each band. But each album has one side loaded with consecutive classics, and another with all the filler. On Moving Pictures, side one is classic after classic. On Painkiller, from "Night Crawler" to the end is the same. Both segments are relentless, in their own ways.

Second: in the overall scheme of things, this is Priest's Presto. Rush had taken their 80s style to the keyboard-heavy extremes of Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, before returning to guitar-driven music with Presto. In retrospect, Presto was the beginning of the harder style Rush has to this day. So how does Priest follow Turbo and Ram It Down? By re-crafting their music into a metal album which leads the way into the 90s and beyond.

Bonus point: the opening of "All Guns Blazing" is one of my favorite Halford moments. Worth the price of admission for that alone.
 
That's an interesting way of looking at it. Especially the Presto comparison, which is the most accurate of the two I think. I don't know about Moving Pictures though. Side 1 is a juggernaut and side 2, while great, doesn't quite live up. Not only does side 2 of Painkiller live up to the first, but it rivals it even. I'm not even sure which one is my favorite, whereas I can say without a doubt that Side 1 is the best on Moving Pictures.
 
You missed it a bit Mosh. I said side 2 of Painkiller is the better side. Here's the comparison:
Side 1 of Moving Pictures :: Side 2 of Painkiller (classics front to back)
Side 2 of Moving Pictures :: Side 1 of Painkiller (open with a classic, the rest are lesser)
But in both cases, even the filler is good and the album is classic.
 
Ah gotcha, yea I'd say that's more accurate. However I stand by my point about both sides of Painkiller living up to each other more than the two sides of MP.

But yea, Side 2 of Moving Pictures is great still. I don't like Witch Hunt, but the other two songs are still top notch. Just a couple steps below the first four songs, which are untouchable.
 
I'd never really considered side 2 of Painkiller in the best album sides conversation, but it is definitely there.
I'm with SMX on this one (Good to have you back).
 
And a happy 63rd birthday to Mr. Halford.

EDIT:
Check these two nods (beginnings of both songs) to Priest on Grave Digger's new album:

:D
 
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Mosh said:
220px-Fight_-_War_of_Words.jpg
220px-A_Small_Deadly_Space.jpg

Fight - War of Words/A Small Deadly Space (1993/95)
Click to expand...

I'd like to give Fight more "space" in the spotlights.

A Small Deadly Space came out in an interesting time. There had been a long silence from both Maiden and Priest camps. At that time already, these were my two favourite bands. Maiden was in their lengthy recording period, working with an unknown singer for The X-Factor. Bruce had made Balls to Picasso the year before and released the Alive in Studio A album one year later, when I started to wonder how long it would take Priest to continue without Halford. Halford, the man with the awesome metal voice.... I'll get back to this album further on, but first, I'll skip back a little bit.

In the mid and second half of the nineties I often went to a cool place where they played metal and other alternative music on Saturday nights. One day (in 1994, still one year before A Small Deadly Space came out) I met a dude who asked me if I knew Fight. Fight? No, I'd never heard of it, I must have missed it! I wondered how it would sound like. "I'll put it on a cassette for you" he answered. "It's really good." Next week he gave the cassette and I played it at home the day after.

What I heard was an incredibly well produced, heavy sounding, no nonsense metal record. It was less melodic than Priest. The guitar solos were not that spellbinding, but there was something new to it. A certain edge. Very powerful stuff. Great riffs in your face, and: Scott Travis on drums!
And of course Mr. Halford himself! Wow, he really sang all his guts out! What a passion! In a few songs, he also sang a bit rougher, and there were even a few (backing) grunts to be heard. Halford had surrounded himself with young dogs who really could write songs. And the result is one to be remembered. "Into the Pit", "Nailed to the Gun", the beautiful ballad "For All Eternity", these are songs that I find at least as memorable as some of the best Halford songs. The title track sounded quite original (both in music and in singing) and I also immediately liked "Kill it" and "Contortion" (short bulldozer statements with riffs heavy as f*ck), the mesmerizing "Immortal Sin" and of course "Reality... A New Beginning", a superb final track (however: there is a hidden bonus track "Jesus Saves" coming afterwards!). The production was done by Attie Bauw (who played an important role in the Painkiller album sound) and Halford himself.

With all the above in mind, I bought A Small Deadly Space. The line-up was almost the same (Mark Chaussee replaced Russ Parrish, who now plays in Steel Panther). The album was different from its predecessor. Even though Attie Bauw had recorded and produced it again, the sound (especially the drums) was not as fat in your face. The whole album sounded rougher, dirtier, perhaps more fitting in the grungy era it came out. It's a weird comparison perhaps, but remember Nirvana's In Utero? Different from the clear sounding Nevermind. With Fight the contrasts were not that big to be honest. A Small Deadly Space is still listenable. Halford sang a bit different. He screamed less, and used the lower registers more often. Perhaps it can be argued that it makes the album a little paler because Halford doesn't strike us so much with his high pitching vocals.

Still, this album is one that deserves more listening sessions. It can be a grower.

The album starts with the hypnotic riffs of "I Am Alive".
Halford sings in a very convincing and self confident way. There's a clear Alice in Chains influence in the chorus
@Night Prowler ! :--) Love these clean guitars as well!

"Mouthpiece" is more Pantera style, rhythmically. One of the lesser good songs, perhaps, although I liked the kind of apocalyptic ending.
"Legacy of Hate" has some rough screams and short sentences. An interesting slower part as interval, and then back into that slashing riff.
"Blowout in the Radio Room" with its Sabbatesque main riff I find a bit more dull. A bit too relaxed I guess. Judge yourself in the official video clip:

"Never Again" (co-written by Scott Travis) returns to the more simple, pneumatic style from War of Words. The singing has an eastern vibe. The chorus has some nice higher vocal work.

Then comes the vigorous, dark title track. The riff might be repeated often, but this is the kind of riff that can get you into a state where it's getting cool.
It's not just that riff. Listen to the stimulating bass patterns underneath and the long chords which flow through it all. :shred:
Would be awesome to witness this life!

"Gretna Greene" is an example of very aggressive music (these riffs!) with (in comparison) almost calm vocals. Odd, but I like it.
http://youtu.be/8vlvCCcY1PQ
Great rhythmic stuff with nice sounding solo in the middle. The trembling guitars afterwards the solo are awesome. Travis at his best. One of my favourite songs of the album.

If you thought Gretna Greene was heavy, you can have another thing coming! Namely: "Beneath the Violence".
http://youtu.be/NVdu2429fzY
Suddenly I think about Mosh comment, that this is not such a heavy album. Man! Listen again. :) It has very, very hard moments. I'd say this is the hardest album he has ever done. And it truly is one of the hardest albums in my metal collection.
This song is not just hard, it is dynamic. And pretty cool lyrics. This is deep, intense music. Superb bridge and solo again.

"Human Crate" is perhaps the most difficult song to get into for it's slower music and less captivating singing. The chorus is also quite different.
http://youtu.be/5Jtnfov8BtY
One of the worst ones for me, for sure.

The album closer: "In A World of My Own Making". An impressive and silencing ballad. Introvert, doomy (check those guitars at the end!) and haunting. Love the piano on it:
http://youtu.be/aHy3DI0qWas
Absolutely not representative for the overall style of the album, but a magnificent way to end an intense ride.

I wanted to promote the Fight era a bit because I feel it is overshadowed too much by Halford's return to metal. In all fairness, metal was not that popular in the nineties and the Fight albums came out in a horrible time, especially in America. The fact that Halford returned with more classic metal albums with the band Halford, in an era in which metal was on the rise again, doesn't mean we should pay less attention to the nineties. In this decades, metal acts dared to experiment. It's different, but still worthwhile. Also, emotion is something. The Fight albums are serious, emotional works of art. The lyrics are not cheesy like the ones we know on some more "typical" metal albums. What I love about Halford is that he followed his heart and threw everything out and sang about stuff that mattered to him. And he did it damn well.

Last but not least:
Light Comes Out of Black, is Fight era song, or better pre-Fight-era. Pantera with Halford:
http://youtu.be/F7e-CQWYOWg
Without hesitation I can say, this song certainly wipes the floor with most Halford material.

And check: Fight - Live in Phoenix (last song is a menacing live version of Light Comes Out of Black!)
http://youtu.be/x3b0Ku0yAg8
 
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Since Halford is so awesome on it, here an apart clip of the live version of Light Comes Out in Black:

Official clip Immortal Sin:
Official clip Nailed to the Gun:
Official clip Little Crazy:

War of Words album (1994)

Mutations (compilation album from 1994. Features live recordings alongside studio remixes of songs from War of Words)
Into the Pit (Live) 00:00
Nailed to the Gun (Live) 04:10
Freewheel Burning (Live) 07:45
Little Crazy (Live) 12:31
War of Words (Bloody Tongue Mix) 17:27
Kill It (Dutch Death Mix) 24:14
Vicious (Middle Finger Mix) 28:05
Immortal Sin (Tolerance Mix) 34:11
Little Crazy (Straight Jacket Mix) 40:01



2wo - Wisconsin 1998 Pro-Shot
http://youtu.be/qenswE42YlU
 
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I know I we are in a different era, but I didn't want to update another Priest topic. Hope that's fine.

I found this video of Simon Phillips, drumming Dissident Aggressor and Sinner with some cover band. Very cool, as if he did the album not long before it (although there are some messy moments in Sinner in the 2nd half).

 
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Cool videos! Yea it's totally fine to talk about whichever Priest era you want, discuss a certain album again, anything goes. Though I'd prefer we save discussion for albums we haven't covered yet.

School has limited my posting time, so Jugulator has been a bit delayed. Hopefully I'll get to it soon though, maybe this weekend!
 
Off topic slightly, but notice how slim & agile Halford still was at the time of the first Fight album, then he soon became this fat guy, hunched over, that can barely move around on stage anymore? WTF?
 
I dunno, the first Fight was made over 10 years before he rejoined Priest. That's a lot of time for someone to change their appearance, especially an aging guy like him. Also, I don't think Halford is fat at all, he looks really slim and fit in the interviews. It's those huge bulky jackets and such that make him look bigger than he really is.
 
Not trying to run the guy down, it's just to me, 1995 or whenever it was released seems like not that long ago in a way, when I was reading about it in Kerrang. Obviously using BD as a yardstick, Rob has slowed way down big time. Perhaps due to back or hip problems?
 
I recall reading he had some back trouble that was aggravated by wearing 30-pound costumes on stage.
But, to me, the guy seems in decent shape for someone in his early 60s.
The guy a worry about is Tipton. He's looking pretty wizened.
 
Yup. Halford seems to have his share of health problems, but he's singing great for his age and looks in pretty good shape.

Rocka Rolla is 40 years old today! Would listen in celebration, but I got more than my fill of that album for this thread. :p
 
Jugulator he is near
Attracted by the stench of fear
Part demonic part machine
Hungry and it's time to feed

Iron claws and fangs of steel
Dripping from his tasty meal
Now it's time to jugulate
Feel your skull disintegrate
 
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