From Issue 56 of THE UNDERGROUND SOUND (http://undergroundrecords.org/sound)
Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls
First new album without founding member KK Downing could have been many things. What we got is a straighter version of Priest, with nothing new from a band that's been around over four decades, this album sounding more like updated versions of early albums. The effect is a strong running order of trademark classic style heavy metal. Now if you put this album expecting to be "blown away" like many Judas Priest albums would do back in the day, you undoubtedly come away disappointed. A thick bass mix (Ian Hill is the last remaining original member in the band) may be a turn off to many expecting the popping clearness of today's digital mixes, but the added mud has always been a part of real heavy metal since it arose from the underground.
While any band at the 40 year mark can't be called upon to put out some new blinding blitzkrieg, Priest has done a fine job of combining their established three generations of metal into a listenable hour and a half of music. Nothing too shabby about it. Most of the songs are strong, and honestly, a few times you can hear Rob Halford give Ozzy a nod (Halford has said Ozzy and Sabbath were massive inspirations) like on "March Of The Damned". For the most part though, Halford sings at a lower register, in a more relaxed, smooth style than on most releases of Priest past. That would be expected for someone his age to be able to sing some of this stuff live; he already has an olympic effort he must achieve with every show doing those Judas Priest classics that are the standards of power metal singing.
Back to the songs though. This album has plenty of rockers. "Down In Flames" could easily had been on Ram It Down. Album openers "Dragonaut" and the title cut are steam rollers with the classic epic JP battle rattle. The title cut mix is a bit murky, yet this band had plenty of time and wherewithal to fix any thing, so you need to remember how to use the eq a bit if you got gripes. Now, the chord progressions on this entire album are cloned for the most part from glory day masterpieces like the Painkiller or Point Of Entry albums, with pieces from everything else before and after showing up here. "Halls Of Valhalla", one of the album's strongest war hymns, is like a blueprint for classic BNWOHM. "Cold Blooded" is Bloodstone (the blood thing I am sure is no pun) for the 21st century. "Metalizer" is chain saw metal personified, complete with blast beat and minor chord bridges. Fans are also treated to five songs of bonus tracks on certain editions. Giving a taste of british hard rock tradition with "Snakebite" to more non-standard Priest fare, such as the reflective "Never Forget", which calls for remembering the glories of the Priest metal clans everywhere.
Though about a third of the album is subdued somewhat and more than once the band seems to have let things stay in order to get the album out the door, shelf life of new releases is a rare commodity these days. I would expect such with today's market friendlier to touring bands and Judas Priest has what, south of ten years maybe at the most left to be able to headline realistically? Better to do it honestly, with something quick and dirty, than to waste a great band's final years slaving away in the studio. Purchase Judas Priest music here - http://undergroundrecords.org/catalog/judaspriest.html
Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls
First new album without founding member KK Downing could have been many things. What we got is a straighter version of Priest, with nothing new from a band that's been around over four decades, this album sounding more like updated versions of early albums. The effect is a strong running order of trademark classic style heavy metal. Now if you put this album expecting to be "blown away" like many Judas Priest albums would do back in the day, you undoubtedly come away disappointed. A thick bass mix (Ian Hill is the last remaining original member in the band) may be a turn off to many expecting the popping clearness of today's digital mixes, but the added mud has always been a part of real heavy metal since it arose from the underground.
While any band at the 40 year mark can't be called upon to put out some new blinding blitzkrieg, Priest has done a fine job of combining their established three generations of metal into a listenable hour and a half of music. Nothing too shabby about it. Most of the songs are strong, and honestly, a few times you can hear Rob Halford give Ozzy a nod (Halford has said Ozzy and Sabbath were massive inspirations) like on "March Of The Damned". For the most part though, Halford sings at a lower register, in a more relaxed, smooth style than on most releases of Priest past. That would be expected for someone his age to be able to sing some of this stuff live; he already has an olympic effort he must achieve with every show doing those Judas Priest classics that are the standards of power metal singing.
Back to the songs though. This album has plenty of rockers. "Down In Flames" could easily had been on Ram It Down. Album openers "Dragonaut" and the title cut are steam rollers with the classic epic JP battle rattle. The title cut mix is a bit murky, yet this band had plenty of time and wherewithal to fix any thing, so you need to remember how to use the eq a bit if you got gripes. Now, the chord progressions on this entire album are cloned for the most part from glory day masterpieces like the Painkiller or Point Of Entry albums, with pieces from everything else before and after showing up here. "Halls Of Valhalla", one of the album's strongest war hymns, is like a blueprint for classic BNWOHM. "Cold Blooded" is Bloodstone (the blood thing I am sure is no pun) for the 21st century. "Metalizer" is chain saw metal personified, complete with blast beat and minor chord bridges. Fans are also treated to five songs of bonus tracks on certain editions. Giving a taste of british hard rock tradition with "Snakebite" to more non-standard Priest fare, such as the reflective "Never Forget", which calls for remembering the glories of the Priest metal clans everywhere.
Though about a third of the album is subdued somewhat and more than once the band seems to have let things stay in order to get the album out the door, shelf life of new releases is a rare commodity these days. I would expect such with today's market friendlier to touring bands and Judas Priest has what, south of ten years maybe at the most left to be able to headline realistically? Better to do it honestly, with something quick and dirty, than to waste a great band's final years slaving away in the studio. Purchase Judas Priest music here - http://undergroundrecords.org/catalog/judaspriest.html