No need to discuss their history. Some info from Wiki (with edits from me) about the first album. See the Wikipedia post for the footnotes for sources. Rocka Rolla From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Studio album by Judas Priest Released 6 September 1974 Recorded June – July 1974 Studio Island, Trident and Olympic Studios, London, England Genre Hard rock Length 38:49 Label Gull Producer Rodger Bain Rocka Rolla is the debut studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 6 September 1974 by Gull Records. It was produced by Rodger Bain, who had made a name for himself as the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums. It is the only album to feature drummer John Hinch. Background According to the band, the album was entirely played live, in studio (i.e. all musicians playing simultaneously as in a concert, vs. the more popular method of each musician's parts being recorded separately and then mixing them). According to the band there were technical problems in the studio, resulting in poor sound quality and a hiss through the album. Guitarist Glenn Tipton had just joined when recording of Rocka Rolla began and did not contribute any songwriting except on the title track and "Run of the Mill". He did come up with the songs "Tyrant", "Epitaph", and "Ripper", but Bain considered them not commercial enough and rejected them. Bain also rejected the concert staple "Whiskey Woman" which later, with contributions from Tipton, morphed into "Victim of Changes". These songs were eventually all included on their next album, Sad Wings of Destiny. In addition, "Winter", "Deep Freeze" and "Winter Retreat" form a suite, but are listed as separate tracks and divided as such on the CD release. "Dying to Meet You" contains a clear break before an unlisted song (often known as "Hero Hero") begins. It may be possible that the record company insisted on there being ten tracks on the album and would not allow for one more. Alternatively, this unlisted song may simply be the second half of "Dying to Meet You", as this is how the lyrics were printed on their 1978 Best of... compilation. Several of the songs on the album feature contributions from the band's previous frontman Al Atkins and had been regular parts of their live performances in Manchester, where the band had achieved a cult following during the previous few years. The track "Caviar and Meths" was originally a 14-minute effort penned by Atkins, Downing, and Hill but due to time constraints, only the intro was recorded for the album. A longer version of the song appears on Atkins's 1998 album Victim of Changes. Though not the full-length version, it is notably longer at seven minutes. That album also contains covers of "Winter" and "Never Satisfied". At this point of the band's career, they had not yet developed their signature look of leather and studs. They had appeared on a British television programme called The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975, performing "Rocka Rolla" and "Dreamer Deceiver", and their wardrobe was very "hippified" as journalist Malcolm Dome put it. This footage was included on the Electric Eye DVD. In addition, the album is more blues/hard rock oriented than their later releases, and also has some slight progressive rock influences that would continue through to Stained Class, but to a lesser extent, and would be abandoned in later releases. This makes the album's style virtually unrecognizable when compared with later Priest albums, although "Rocka Rolla" does feature dual guitars and "Run of the Mill" is the first song that was explicitly designed for Halford's, rather than Atkins', vocal range. Drummer John Hinch would be dismissed in 1975 before the next record was recorded. Tipton would later refer to him as being "musically inadequate" for the band's future plans. Rob Halford made a brief explanation before performing "Never Satisfied" during the Epitaph Tour, as there were "a few blank stares" from the audience while performing the song. The album was reissued several times over the years and in 1984 it was reissued with a different cover. The original "bottle cap" album cover art was initially intended by designer John Pasche for use with an unspecified Rolling Stones album. The band had filed a lawsuit with the Coca-Cola company. The re-issue cover art (by artist Melvyn Grant, and originally used as the cover for the novel The Steel Tsar) was also used for the US cover of Ballistix for the TurboGrafx-16 and Commodore Amiga. Most of the songs from Rocka Rolla have not been performed by Judas Priest live since the mid-late 1970s, although Halford's solo band performed "Never Satisfied" during live shows in 2003, and the same song was part of the setlist of the Epitaph World Tour. The tour for Rocka Rolla was Judas Priest's first international tour with dates in Germany, Holland, Norway and Denmark including one show at Hotel Klubben in Tønsberg, one hour from Oslo, Norway which scored them a somewhat negative review in the local press. Reception The album was released to very little reception selling "only a few thousand copies". Because it flopped, the band found themselves in dire financial straits. In particular, they talked of nights in which they were starving and didn't know when they were going to get their next meal. They tried to enter into an agreement with Gull Records to pay them 50 pounds a week, but Gull, which was also suffering economic woes, refused. Track listing Side one No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "One for the Road" Rob Halford, K. K. Downing 4:34 2. "Rocka Rolla" Halford, Downing, Glenn Tipton 3:05 3. "Winter" Al Atkins, Downing, Ian Hill 1:41 4. "Deep Freeze" Downing 1:21 5. "Winter Retreat" Halford, Downing 3:28 6. "Cheater" Halford, Downing 2:59 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Length 7. "Never Satisfied" Atkins, Downing 4:50 8. "Run of the Mill" Halford, Downing, Tipton 8:34 9. "Dying to Meet You/Hero, Hero" Halford, Downing 6:23 10. "Caviar and Meths" (Instrumental) Atkins, Downing, Hill 2:02 The very rare first printing of the UK LP has the words "Thanks for the words Al!" printed last in the credits in the blue circle on the back cover. This, presumably a reference to original singer Al Atkins, has been removed on other versions of the Gull vinyl. On some versions of the CD release, "Rocka Rolla" is timed at 4:00 and "Winter" at 0:45, becoming a mashup but remaining on separate tracks. Some releases, e.g. Hero, Hero also combine "Winter", "Deep Freeze" and "Winter Retreat" into one track. The iTunes version combines those three plus "Cheater" into one track. The version of "Diamonds & Rust" that appears on the re-release is actually from the Sad Wings of Destiny sessions and not the version that appears on Sin After Sin. It was probably included to provide interest in Rocka Rolla, an album that would have been unknown to many of the band's fans due to the band not playing songs from it live after the 1970s. Rocka Rolla features Judas Priest's longest track, "Run of the Mill", prior to "Cathedral Spires" from Jugulator in 1997. It is also the longest track co-written by Halford, Downing and Tipton prior to "Lochness" from Angel of Retribution in 2005. Personnel Ian Hill – bass K. K. Downing – guitars Rob Halford – vocals, harmonica John Hinch – drums Glenn Tipton – guitars, synthesizers Production Produced by Rodger Bain Engineered by Vic Smith Cover concept by John Pasche; photo by Bryce Atwell Band photographs by Alan Johnson
One for the Road Priest enters the world with a bluesy tune that is shades of Zep, Sabbath bust most of all Free. Is it standard blues rock?????? …….not really with a verse in 5/4 and a chorus in 4/4. A brooding blues melody from Rob and the chops are there from the start. The guitar solos are not bad at all and sound like Master Iommi at times. A pretty good chorus IMO that is shades of greatness to come. Some touches of boogie in the outro. Not a bad opener but a pretty standard open E string riff based tune that has a little personality. Rocka Rolla Another guitar friendly tune this time in A. A gnarly chromatic line in the intro with a B flat chord at the end for a jazzy touch. A Cream like ascending blues riff in the verse. The chorus is a good one that gallops along. The break at 1:05 has a fine thematic guitar line that the boys play in harmony…….again shades of stylings to come. Rob shows off some attitude. Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater Opens with a droney E minor dreamscape and then lands in Sabbathy Iron Man territory. Some decent guitar harmonies along the way. Tipton gets his Hendrix on 3:00 but he gets over indulgent with the effects. Still, his tone that morphs later on has his stamp on it. Winter Retreat at 5:00 has more Hendrix influence with some nice chord inversions though. The descending transition at 6:08 has nice chord arpeggios that lead to Cheater. Cheater has decent riff that once again is in the metal guitar friendly key of E but wait……Halford blows some harmonica between his vocals that again hint at the monster that would be unleashed later on. Deep Purple influence but still some sparks of originality. Lots of cliches’ though. IIRC, the song was a mistake of editing that they did not have time or the money to fix. Never Satisfied A fine A Major blues riff…..yeah I know another song in either the key of E or A….but heck those are the metal keys that use the downward sonorities of the guitar and help define metal. At 2:05 the break has a rhythmic twist that starts in ¾ and then goes to 5/4. A decent solo from KK…I think it is him. Correct me if not. The song broods along and Rob gets his held notes on. The song gradually descends to a slow ending with Rob cutting loose with a blood curdling metal scream. Darn tootin. Best song yet. I bet the Nuge heard this song. Run of the Mill Opens with a brooding E minor based chord progression. Some nice sus notes here and there. A heavy transition section at 1:58 is a needed break from the weary sounding verse. Halford is in fine voice and the song fits his range and style in fine fashion. The guitar break at 3:41 has some decent melodic playing from Tipton with some jazzy flourishes as well. Does the interlude/break go on too long? Maybe but the tension does build up rather nicely. Halford really cuts loose in the coda and GT adds some synth textures. A nice proggy orchestral finish that has Rob soaring the stratosphere. Dying to Meet You Opens with a heavy E riff…..yeah I know but still…..the verse has a nice Spanishy A minor sound that is pretty good with me. The heavy riff returns and the verse follows….some decent light and shade I suppose. All of the tricks are there that had been laid before but still done rather well if you ask me. At 3:05 another decent thematic guitar traversal only to be followed by the second half of the song that is a gallop cum boogie fest. Not bad but the playing gets a little dry at times. Caviar and Meths A somber A minor instrumental that has some decent melodic lines from Tipton. Not too much to say about it other than I don’t think it made for a great closer. The tune is only a piece of a much longer song that Priest did live. Heck, I have always liked the album. There are sparks of greatness here and there but the band lacks some level of originality with this debut. They clearly show their influences and you can hear bits and pieces of other bands throughout most of the album. The musicianship is there though…..the guys could play well even at this early stage. No sloppy playing that I can hear. Some lack of cohesion but you can’t fault them for experimenting with some proggy type approaches. The twin guitar stuff was not new with Wishbone Ash already in full flight, but you can hear the rumblings of how Priest molded it into the Heavy Metal genre. I guess I can give the album 6/10 with Never Satisfied and Run of the Mill being my faves from the album. Halford even was critical about the album when comparing it to the Sophomore release.
How I missed this previous thread in my search is beyond me. Sorry about that. We can discuss the first album...yuck yuck. The Judas Priest album by album thread
I discovered Priest with Sad Wings of Destiny and then saw them for the first time on the Sin After Sin to tour! Dissapointment is an understatement when I bought Rocka Rolla after hearing those proceeding two classics first. On a side note I saw Al Atkins band Lion which also featured Budgie's Pete Boot around the same time. They where bloody good !
I had never heared of them but saw a poster outside my local night club advertising 'Lion featuring ex Judas Priest singer Al Atkins'. That was enough for me to check them out. It was a Sunday night with about 20 in the audience. At the time I never new JP had a singer before the Metal God!
RRB - the original thread is 7 years old - I didn't know it existed, so IMO you can keep this one going as there have been a few JP releases since that thread died. Anyway, Rock-aRolla - I bought this album (a '70's re-issue) in the early '80's back when JP ruled, and I was buying all of the previous albums (Screaming was just out). I liked (still do) the album but it wasn't as hard/heavy as the others. Still, a real strong debut that lacks only due to the piss poor production by Bain - quite crap really. Not a bad song in the bunch - I'm sure it sounded great during the recording!
I didn't own this album until the recent reissue on the green coke-bottle coloured vinyl. My version of this album has always been the Hero, Hero 2lp compilation that has all of Rocka Rolla along with most of Sad Wings plus a different version of Diamonds and Rust. I've always loved that album especially the cover art. Run of the Mill is my all-time favourite Judas Priest song.
I got on board with Priest in 1979 at the age of 10 because I saw them open for KISS...well not immediately, I didn't buy a Priest record until British Steel. That said, I didn't hear this album until 1989 and didn't own it until the early nineties. It has become one of my most listened to Priest records in the last few years. It's so different than everything that came after but I really appreciate it for what it is. A band finding it's way and trying to do it with very little money or support. No hidden classics here, but some really cool and interesting songs.
Wiki also has this intriguing note "The original UK LP has a longer version of "Rocka Rolla" than the version used for the US LP release, and most CD releases. It has an extra verse and chorus at the beginning of the song." Does anyone know which cd release has the longer version?
I'd like to 2nd the good Doggie's desire to keep this NEW Judas Priest AbyA Thread going. As he said the olde JP Thread is seven years old and closed, but its not the 'original' JP AbyA Thread. About 5 posts into the 2013 Thread they mentioned the "original" thread, from 2007! It is a good read too, and also closed, both long gone past history and much water under the musical bridge; and fresh forum blood means we need to Repeat these Sins and Sins and use our Sad Wings of Destiny to re-explore Rocka Rolla and all the Judas Priest came after with new and old eyes (and ears). A great way to end 2020. I myself am not a huge J. Priest fan, but I do like their early works from the mid-late 70s. I came in just after Unleashed In The East came out and my best mate had it and we played the shyte outta it every day after school, album covers used to pinch flowers onto to load bong hits and head bang. T'was a grand and innocent time. I LOVE Unleashed, and consider it a Live Classic. Right up there with Live at Leeds and Exit Stage Left. Anyhow, long story short, over my next 40 years of record collecting I picked up the first 3 JP studio Lps and liked them a bit, but the live versions of the songs on Unleashed were just so intense and full of life I didn't spin thee three original LPs but maybe twice: Rocka-Rolla (US Gull, Passport Import -JEM), Sad Wings of Destiny (US Janus) and Sin After Sin (US Columbia) no UPC code on back. I obviously need to revisit these records and would forward to doing my due diligence JP homework by spinning each in the weeks to come. (Honestly, I'm not much of a fan of the hits era JP, 1980s and on, British Steel maybe the exception, so I might fizzle out if we make the 80s, but I'd chime in on the first 4 JP Lps at least, and I found out something interesting about Rocka Rolla mentioned above, which I shall post on shortly. But I say, go for it, RRB, let's UUUuuunnnleash This Beast From The East... Birmingham maybe?
So this thread prompted me to dive into my "J" LP section and see what Priest Lps I owned. (I had no real idea...except for sure I knew I had Unleashed In The East (US Columbia) but with bar code, so presumably not an original 70s pressing.) Anyhow, as noted above I Had the first three studio albums, US pressings. And Turned out I had two copies of Rocka Rolla on Gull, US JEM Imports. I'd hoped one might be UK to see the 'message to Al' and maybe get the longer title track. NO, both were US, even though they have the UK Gull covers. BUT look there, though both covers are identical in every way, one lists "Rocka Rolla" as 4:00 minutes and one as 3:00 minutes!!! Imagine my excitement, maybe I have the longer "Rocka Rolla?" but alas, looking at the record labels both say three minutes, and the bandwith is the same, matrix numbers too. MY thinking is this means there must have been at least two Import pressings of Rocka Rolla and the first one used the rare first UK pressing cover with the longer time on the cover, but the actual Lp pressing was the second version with the shorted title track? Over to you all...
The compilation put out by Gull in the early eighties called ‘Hero, Hero’ has the extended ‘Rocka Rolla’ (All debut songs remixed by Roger Bain as well as some tracks from SWOD and ‘Diamonds And Rust’ from the SWOD sessions - essential record for Priest fans IMO). However some research is needed if tracking down a copy cos some later copies just used the non-remixed debut tracks . The German Line Records cd and I think all Japanese versions are the ones to look for. The German Line Records cd from 1986(??) has ‘Rocka Rolla’ listed as over four minutes long - but it could well be the case as pointed out previously on this thread that the intro to the ‘Winter’ suite had been tacked onto the end of ‘Rocka Rolla’.
If you heard Rocka Rolla after the British Steel - Point of Entry- Screaming for Vengeance - Defenders of the Faith albums, it would really knock you for a loop and you're likely to hate it. I really liked it; it's definitely different than those albums - closer to Sad Wings of Destiny (which is actually my favorite JP album). It's an oddball record - yes there's a Blues Rock influence, yes it sounds a little like Sabbath and a little like Free, but to my ears not a lot like ANYTHING. A fairly unique album that has its charms.
I just put this song on, first track of the day. Great moody blues-rocker, obviously not what Judas Priest are known for, but nice beginnings, and viva la difference...
I finished side 2 and went back to side 1 of Rocka Rolla. Spinning it now, loudish, in the sweet spot, and it sounds pretty damned good to me. so... Whatś all the hate on about the production? This Lp sounds pretty rocking to me; nice mix, separation, good vocals up front, and harmonica!, nice crunchy guitars, Robś high notes clean etc... oh, ¨Rocka Rolla¨ just started, gotta go... I love how ¨Deep Freeze¨´ guitars wander all around the stereo sound scape... I really shouldn't but I probably going to go straight into Sad Wings of Destiny...(first time in 20 years?) WOW! ¨The Ripper¨ just came on, damn dude, that does sound much better than Rocka Rolla!!!
I love this record. Loved it from first listen. No complaints. Accept for the title track and Cheater it's quite the Gothic affair and fits nicely as the predecessor to Sad Wings.
Sad Wings of Destiny From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia-See Wiki for the footnotes with sources Sad Wings of Destiny Studio album by Judas Priest Released 23 March 1976 Recorded November – December 1975 Studio Rockfield Studios, Wales Genre Heavy metal Length 39:12 Label Gull Producer Jeffery Calvert Max West Judas Priest Singles from Sad Wings of Destiny "The Ripper" / "Island of Domination" Released: March 1976 Sad Wings of Destiny is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 23 March 1976 by Gull Records. It is considered the album on which Judas Priest consolidated their sound and image, and songs from it such as "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper" have since become live standards. It was the band's only album to feature drummer Alan Moore. Noted for its riff-driven sound and the wide range of Rob Halford's vocals, the album displays a wide variety of styles, moods, and textures, inspired by an array of groups such as Queen, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. The centrepiece "Victim of Changes" is an eight-minute track featuring heavy riffing trading off with high-pitched vocals, extended guitar leads, and a slow, moody breakdown toward the end. "Tyrant" and "The Ripper" are short, dense, high-powered rockers with many parts and changes. Riffs and solos dominate "Genocide", "Island of Domination", and "Deceiver", and the band finds more laid-back moments in the crooning piano-backed "Epitaph" and the moody "Dreamer Deceiver". Sad Wings of Destiny had a positive reception but weak sales. The band recorded their first two albums with the independent Gull label under tight budgets; after living off a single meal per day while working side jobs to support themselves, the group grew frustrated with the financial situation and signed with CBS Records for their next album, Sin After Sin (1977). Breaking their contract resulted in the rights to Sad Wings of Destiny and its demo recordings falling into Gull's hands. In retrospect, the album has received acclaim as one of the most important albums in heavy metal history, with the album's image and style going on to influence many later metal bands, as well as later Judas Priest albums. Judas Priest formed in 1969 in industrial West Bromwich, Birmingham. Co-founding bassist Brian "Bruno" Steppenhill chose the band's name, wanting one similar to Black Sabbath's. The bands were contemporaries and were both from Birmingham, though Judas Priest failed to find a significant audience until Black Sabbath began to fade from the spotlight. The band's guitarists Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing have said the heavy riffing and complexity of the song arrangements were inspired by the factories of Birmingham. By the time Judas Priest's first album, Rocka Rolla, was released in 1974, there had been so many lineup changes that no original member remained. The first album displayed a mix of styles from a wide variety of influences; the band found the performance and production disappointing. The band gigged occasionally through 1975, at times sharing the stage with bands such as Pink Fairies and UFO. Drummer John Hinch left the band for reasons that are disputed and was replaced with Alan Moore in October 1975, who had drummed in an early incarnation of the band. The band performed the "Dreamer Deceiver"–"Deceiver" pair on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test the year before the songs appeared on Sad Wings of Destiny. They were frustrated with the BBC's volume restrictions, as high volume is a key component in producing a heavy-metal sound. The band had yet to develop the studs-and-leather image that was to become their trademark; instead, they wore contemporary mid-1970s fashions, including high-heeled boots and frilled shirts, and a long-haired Halford donned a pink satin top which he later said he borrowed from his sister. By 1976, the band's singer Rob Halford joked that fans should burn their copies of Rocka Rolla. Finances were tight: the record label Gull provided a recording budget of £2,000 for each of the band's first two albums. During the recording of Sad Wings of Destiny, band members restricted themselves to one meal a day, and several took on part-time work: Tipton as a gardener, Downing in a factory, and Hill driving a delivery van. The group went into the studio with the intention of making an album that mixed straight-ahead rock with a progressive edge. Production Recording took place at Rockfield Studios in Wales in November and December 1975. Recording took place over two weeks in November and December 1975 at Rockfield Studios in Wales with producers Jeffrey Calvert and Gereint "Max West" Hughes, and Chris Tsangarides as co-engineer. Calvert and Hughes were the main members of the pop group Typically Tropical who topped the UK charts in 1975 with "Barbados", Gull's first hit. The band stayed sober during the recording sessions, which lasted from 3:00 pm until 3:00 am. Mixing took a week at Morgan Studios in London. David Howells of Gull records commissioned Patrick Woodroffe to provide the cover art, a piece called Fallen Angel depicting a struggling, grounded angel surrounded by flames and wearing a devil's three-pronged cross, which was the band's symbol. Halford posed Christ-like on the reverse, and Gothic fonts adorned the front and back. Track listing Side A No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Victim of Changes" Al Atkins, Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford, K. K. Downing 7:47 2. "The Ripper" Tipton 2:50 3. "Dreamer Deceiver" Halford, Downing, Tipton, Atkins 5:51 4. "Deceiver" Halford, Downing, Tipton 2:40 Side B No. Title Writer(s) Length 5. "Prelude" Tipton 2:02 6. "Tyrant" Halford, Tipton 4:28 7. "Genocide" Halford, Downing, Tipton 5:51 8. "Epitaph" Tipton 3:08 9. "Island of Domination" Halford, Downing, Tipton 4:32 Personnel Band The band and production staff of Sad Wings of Destiny were: Rob Halford – vocals K. K. Downing – guitars Glenn Tipton – guitars, piano, organ Ian Hill – bass Alan Moore – drums Production Produced by Jeffrey Calvert, Max West, and Judas Priest Engineered by Jeffrey Calvert, Max West, and Chris Tsangarides Cover concept by Neil French; painting by Patrick Woodroffe Art direction by John Pasche Band photographs by Lorentz Gullachsen and Alan Johnson
Victim of Changes Opens with a gradual dynamic series of pulloffs and then a descending line of notes that leads to a crushing riff in E…..yeah I know…..they seem to be just writing songs in E or A….but they are the guitar heavy keys so there ya go. Regardless, it is shades of Black Dog with call and response but still a decent riff. At 1:17 the riff goes to A and stays in the blues. The turnaround at 1:39 goes to B so it is kind of a twisted blues. At 1:54 a series of Blackmore inspired pull offs for the transition. The verse comes back and then at 3:18 Halford joins in the staccato riff. A fine solo follows by Tipton over a Sabbath like series of sliding chords. A riffy interlude follows at 4:33 and then some atmospheric riffing with Rob and the band bringing it back. Nice tension and release I suppose. The song drags for me until at 6:48 Halford saves the song with some amazing shrieks bringing the song to its end. Not a bad song but it drags for me. Should have been cut by two minutes IMO but still a classic of sorts. The Ripper A dissonant intro in your face with a hard-edged riff in A follows. The turnaround is OK and gets stretched here and there between 2/4 and 4/4. Pretty cool and the band is playing well. The hardness the band would garner starts to show its face in this song. The riff goes up chromatically in boring fashion at 1:40 though. The verse returns, and the song ends with another Halford gut piercing shriek. A great song but not the throne sitter most fans think it is for me. Dreamer Deceiver Opens with a somber E minor arpeggio and the turnaround stays with the laid-back minor sound. The song gradually picks up steam and Halford adjusts his range to match. Shades of Queen here and there. At 3:06 the turnaround changes and Halford really cuts loose. A fine Tipton solo follows in E minor that showcases his ability to not just play box patterns. Great tone as well. Super melodic cells and variations. Rob cuts loos at the end to bring the song to a rousing orchestral like finish. A showcase of the elasticity and range of Rob Halford. Deceiver Follows Dreamer and is a palm mute chugging tune in the Wishbone Ash tradition. Fine use of the open E string in metal style. Halford kills here. Ends with a harken back to Dreamer with an E minor acoustic guitar line ending the song. Prelude The E starts it off and then the “piece” proper enters in A minor with fantastic Chopin like voices in the chords. Glenn must have dug Chopin’s Preludes because this fine tune is a homage to the great composer. A beautiful piece that threw me for a loop when I heard it……. Shows off the band’s prog leanings. Tyrant Follows on the tail of Prelude and immediately you can hear a change with this song……it is in F sharp and not E or A. To my ears the band takes on a new timbre with the song. Their sound gets more complex and the guitars take on a new sound as well. The riff is quick and tight. Heavy metal gets another notch with this song. Goes to 7/8 after the chorus to keep you off balance …a little. A bridge at 1:23 keeps the song interesting with contrast. The band is stretching its song writing with this song. The guitar break has the KK and Glenn trading similar melodic lines. Killer. The verse returns and the chorus follows. Another guitar break follows with fine guitar harmonies. The bridge comes in again and the verse and chorus follow bringing the song to and end with another impossible long held note by Halford. Genocide An A Major riff a la Purple anchors the song but the guys keep us off kilter with some oddball rhythmic stuff in 6/4. Metal …not rock…..can’t dance to it. The chorus at 1:35 has a deep bowels E riff that pulls you in. An interlude follows with some spoken word creepiness. The verse comes back and Halford sort of preaches the vocals. At 2:56 a off kilter transition gets the song back to the verse. Another interlude follows the verse with chugging bass and tribal drums. Heavy effects on the guitars and a Thin Lizzy like coda follows that gradually fades. Epitaph A change of pace…..big time. A ballad and get this…the piano friendly key of C major. The Queen influence is kind of evident. No…it is damn near a homage to Freddie. Heck I give Tipton a nod for pulling it off. Island of Domination After a fine intro, the main riff and verse enter. A great triplet laden pull off riff in E followed by the chorus that changes tempo. The song cranks along and then at 2:06 a twin guitar theme enters and slows down leading to a heavy almost stripper boogie riff that oozes well .....you know what. The main riff returns, and the boys get heavy again including Ian with a fine pulsing bass line. The chorus follows and brings the song to a close. A huge step with this album. You can hear the retrospect well known metal traits rise up with this album. Some use of keys other than the metal keys of E and A as well. Great use of bridges and interludes that are well done for contrast and transition. The guys are evolving song writing wise and guitar wise with the riffs. Faster tempos and more down fisted rhythms abound. The influences from Wishbone Ash, Sabbath and so on, are still there but they start to incorporate the influences into their own style. Their final album on the Gull label. Last but not least, evidence of the musical weapon they had with Glenn Tipton as far as creativity went. KK was important as well with his more grounded style.
Thanks for doing this. I have read the old album by album thread but look forward to doing one "live". I have every JP on vinyl from Sin After Sin to Defenders but have been unable to locate these first 2 albums (only seeking Gull pressings). I do have "Hero, Hero" so I have most of the first 2 albums. Sad Wings is the big leap forward and a classic in the metal genre. The first of a prog metal trilogy and where they start to advance the concept of what metal music can be. It started an incredible run of consistently excellent albums that lasted well into the 80's.
