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DEMOLITION
I was surprised when I found out that Judas Priest went to Atlantic! We haven't seen a studio record since 1997. This is the statement they had to release and now. Judas Priest seemed to have revitalized themselves in many areas. At the same time staying very true to the Metal we all love.
"Machine Man" is the first track that is very down and heavy. And the better your stereo the better the pulverizing your gonna be taking. A very pounding opening track. Glenn Tipton is the producer for the band on his own this time out and makes it loud and clear, that he wants Priest to remain on the top of the metal heap. Those must be very aware that they are flicking the bird to that Orange county sound here at times. Then other moments they go that heavy, but definitely have some of the Turbo ideas of old. I also look to Point Of Entry to see more of the old experimenting then showing up here more. This is one pounding record on the other hand. The production is loud as all hell.
"One On One" is a metal anthem for sure Crunching. Listen to a lot of the wicked riffing they are doing. Listen close. "Hell Is Home" is over six minutes of skullcrushing metal. A melodic trancing acoustic beginning turns out to be loud pounder. Ripper Owens is doing things with his voice that I'm just in awe of. The experimenting or lets call it growth even after being on the scene so long. Over Kill fans will relate to the pace of this track. "Jekyll & Hyde" is up next and has its very wicked ways of coming across at you. Definitely in a more Defenders Of The Faith area. Are those keyboards I'm hearing in the back? I don’t think its those funky Turbo synth guitars or is it?
I think Ripper has really surpassed expectations with this outing. Almost like in a Mercyful Fate area while still sounding old Priest like and coming off with a very special sound on this record. You can hear the compassion in his vocal attack. "Close To You" is another track that has a near Gothic backdrop. I swear. A very weird Priest song for sure. Still another power ballad type track. Now we come back to some even heavier stuff on "Devil Digger". Serious metal here again. That song is another that has a mid paced riff pattern floating. You really have to give them credit for mixing some very freaked ideas. You get a lot of them. So be prepared for industrials...
More punishing metal comes on the very hyper "Bloodsuckers". A Lot of metal ears are gonna dig it if they give it a chance. "In Between" is another track that has some wicked moments. They are setting the moods in there songs in a sinister way. Showing that they are still alive and kicking. "Feed On Me" definitely has more techno sounds as with heavier elements. Seems times have caught up a bit they released release new metal for the ages. Then Ripper comes out singing cleaner. Almost in a Dio way. Then he comes back home. Dio, I say! They laid it all out neatly here. "Subterfuge" has a kicking metal element with the beginning in a turbo area. Then it gets all fuzzed and almost like KMFDM gone metal. HAHA! But again the song has a very metal content to it and it is very catchy. "Lost And Found" is another track that is pretty acoustic and in a more southern type area., Wow! This is really a song that branches out into a lighter area. "Cyberface" sees them dipping back into the industrial area. Listen to the guitars that chime out in the beginning of this. Shit! This is where Sabbath should have went after Born Again. And speaking of being born again? "Metal Messiah" is a pounding metal track that funkin' metals at the end of this record. How many vocal faces does Ripper have on this song? The metal ending to this record they needed for sure.
Remember that I said it was experimental and you know the elements contained. It is no Sin After Sin, but those that weren't ready to opens their minds to Turbo then might really dig this latest record. There is music for ever type of listener here. This showed me that they weren't scared to take the next big step.
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