I'm listening through Judas Priest's studio discography today. Ask me anything.

Nope

I must be the only person in the world that doesn't care for Cathedral Spires. That "macho voice" in the chorus or whatever always kills the freaking mood for me.

That being said, Dead Meat is probably my favorite track on the album. I mean, come on, that's got a great chorus!

"We arrrrreeeeeee all dead meeeeeaaaaatttt!!!!!!!!!! Cut ussssssssssssss!! Watch us bleeeeeeeeedddd!!!!"

Jugulator is pretty well also - it's like Painkiller part 2.

 

How would you rank the songs on Sad Wings of Destiny? Dreamer Deceiver is my favorite and for some reason it always gets left out when people talk about that album.

 

I always find it interesting when people say (using Priest as our prime example) if Jugulator and Demolition had been under a different band name they would have done better.

Possibly.

It's also entirely possible that without the band name attached, instead of selling poorly they might have sold next to nothing.

I hate to parrot what everyone seems to say about Jugulator, but the title track is okay, Cathedral Spires is absolutely fantastic, and the rest is utterly forgettable. It might actually be garbage, but I'm a huge Priest, Tipton and Downing fan so I can find some good in there. Maybe without people like me with that forgiving attitude born of past fandom, the album sells 17 copies, while deserving to sell 9.

Demolition I've tried to like but when Glenn gives us

"so you MF'ers want to race
you've all got loser tattoo'd on your face"

in the first song I kinda check out.

And Tim Owens wasn't good enough to contribute lyrics? Damn, how bad was he?

That to me is the ultimate fault of the Owens era and it's all on Glenn Tipton. They had to get a guy who could write. Maybe they did and Glenn just wouldn't let him contribute, I don't know.

 

It's hard for me to rank them. Sad Wings always comes off like some kind of cinematic quasi-concept album where everything fits perfect in its place.

 

Demolition is downright awful. Apparently 2nd albums with replacement singers in great metal bands are impossible to even make “okay” (Virtual XI).

 

To me, it's never been about how well they did, just the fact that if it wasn't Judas Priest that put those albums out, there wouldn't be all the rancor surrounding them.

It's just about acceptance, imo.

As far as Jugulator goes, I still defend that album.

Jugulator
Death Row
Blood Stained
Dead Meat
Bullet Train
Cathedral Spires (even if I ****ING HATE that stupid macho voice)
and
Burn In Hell

are all good songs.

Maybe not good Priest songs, but at least they decided to get heavier instead of going soft

When in doubt, headbang

 

It's a real shame that Victim of Changes and The Ripper are the only two songs that have survived from this album. I assume it's because Gull Records own the first two records.

But all through the 80's until today songs like Island Of Domination, Tyrant, Genocide and the amazing Deceiver should have been in set lists.

They do Diamonds and Rust in a cool way live but it's become so tired, how about doing a medley with it and Dreamer Deceiver?! That would be amazing!

 

As far as Maiden goes, I've literally never gotten all the way through The X Factor it's so tedious. I find Virtual XI better. Though it's a bit like do I prefer my broken leg or my broken arm!

 

Listening to everyone here, I think I'm going to keep ignoring all the '90s Priest and Maiden albums like I did when they were new.

 

I like The X Factor quite a bit.

 

Don't listen to us. Certainly don't listen to me!

Fire up youtube and try them for yourself. Maybe you'll love them.

 

The X Factor is a very long album and a lof the songs sound very samey. It's very easy for it to all run together, but it is a very good album and should definitely be given multiple chances.

Virtual XI is just Maiden on empty. I enjoy the album - it has this odd sort of melancholy about it that I love - but it's so TIRED sounding. Which is a shame because, the songs, for the most part, are actually pretty good!

Futureal
When Two Worlds Collide
Lightning Strikes Twice
The Educated Fool
THE CLANSMAN!!!!!!!!
Don't Look To The Eyes Of a Stranger

That's 3/4 of the album.

It just sounds so, so, bored and tired to me. I can't explain it - it's like the literal audio example of what a band "going through the motions" sounds like.

 

BIG mistake.

If you haven't heard Painkiller, well, what the hell is wrong with you?!?!?!

As far as Maiden, No Prayer For The Dying is SUPREMELY underrated, Fear Of The Dark is enjoyable, The X Factor is excellent and Virtual XI is tired.

You really have to listen to them because there's loads of good songs just as there's loads of crap too.

 

I really love Hell Is Home, One on One and Subterfuge; Metal Messiah is pretty fantastic. There are a few weak tracks (Devil Digger, Machine Man, Bloodsuckers) but the rest are all good.

The b-side What's My Name is great, and the re-records of The Green Manalishi and Rapid Fire are solid.

 

I love Bruce's version of The Clansman on Rock In Rio. Blaze just has no personality to his singing.

Virtual XI sounds like a demo. I LOATHE the way he sings 'maybe light ning strikestwice'.

I can't tell you how many times I've started The X Factor and I never get more than a few songs in. In fairness to Blaze, I have the same issue with Fear Of The Dark, just a nothing album to me.

 

Painkiller is pretty freakin' amazing...probably the second best disc they have ever put out. And Redeemer of Souls is great too.

 

I hadn't listened to Defenders in years & had a poor opinion of it. The new reissue changed my mind. Plus it has a killer live performance. I'd recommend checking it out.

 

The one Judas Priest song I've never heard!!!!

Philip

 

Hadn't heard What's My Name until just now. Meh.

What's their best album?

 

Best album? It's a 4-way tie for me:

Painkiller
Defenders Of The Faith
Screaming For Vengeance
Stained Class

 

What I love about What's My Name is that it would fit right in an 80's slasher flick...

Best album IMO is Defenders of the Faith

 

Just joking. Honestly, I did not know that Point of Entry was considered a B album by most fans. I guess I am the exception. In all honesty, it is the album I play the most by them. Desert Plains is one of my favorite songs by them.

 

Desert Plains is a top 5 Priest song. I consider Worth Fighting For on Angel of Retribution to be a sister song to Desert Plains.

 

Am I alo

I don't like Dead Meat but I LOVE the song you didn't list; Abductors

 

I can't remember what I said about the Ripper Owens' albums in the Album by Album thread, but I don't think I gave either 'glowing' reviews. In fact, I pretty much panned everything after Painkiller. I think I kind of admired Nostradamus (believe it or not). Somebody should pull up the second part of that and do a review of Redeemer of Souls for the completists. It won't be me, though. Some of my reviews for that thread (done about 2 years ago to the month) are pretty embarrassing.