I'm listening to Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance'. In 2003, it sounds like Meatloaf or the soundtrack from Hair - but with a nihilist mentalist psychedelic texture.

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Just wondered what you think of this record?

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 03:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm thinking "I MUST BUY SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE"!

Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 03:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Loved it when it came out. It was the record that probably properly introduced me to the world of heavy metal, due to discovering the local rock station which played "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" all the time. It immediately sounded tough and dangerous and cut from a different cloth than the rest of the stuff that station would play. That song and "No One Like You" by the Scorps pretty much owned 1982.

I don't a copy of the record now and at this point it seems likely that situation will remain the same until my dying day, but never say never. "The Hellion/Electric Eye" and the title track are easily two of the best things they've ever done. Actually, hell, now you've made me want to download "Electric Eye"...

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 04:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave Q to thread immediately!

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 04:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Well Mr Diamond, I'm no heavy metal expert, but it sounds great to me. Tough and dangerous, yes, definitely. The toughness is offset by an attention to stylishness and even the odd flouncing flourish. The singing and playing is extremely tight, but relaxed too. At times the ornate vocal harmonies and progressions remind me of something like Jesus Christ Superstar - only its evil twin. Bizarrely too, I'm reminded a little of Gary Numan. The power and the coldness, together with a certain self-regarding narcissism perhaps.

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 04:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Gosh, I want it now too. I have "Point of Entry" and it's ok.

Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh man, I didn't mean for that "probably won't own it again" comment to sound like disdain. It's just that .. at this point I'm more inclined to pare my collection down than expand it. It was just a tossed off comment, some wistfulness actually. I mean, I loved that record; I'm listening to the solo in "You've Got Another THing Comin'" in my head right now!

Good comments, re: the coldness, the self-awareness. It's like they were oftentimes casting an eye on metal, the metal "scene" (cf. "Hell Bent for Leather", "Metal Gods", "Defenders of the Faith"). They were a pretty incredible band once they hit their stride (i.e. around Sin After Sin - hello Roger Glover!). Pretty significant; they kind of perfected that galloping gait, and the "twin guitar attack" (haha - USE OTHER WORDS PLZ), that the NWOBHMers (probably especially Maiden) picked up on (see something like "Sinner" from Sin After Sin, the way it smoothed out the rhythmic agitation of a lot of metal, kind of strided along).

Anyway, Screaming For Vengeance is great; I'd rank it ahead of British Steel. That's a good record too, but it doesn't sound as tough and full as Screaming For Vengeance. And I really never need to hear "Livin' After Midnight" again. And "United" just plain sucks, one of their silly "anthem" songs. They'd make the same mistake two albums later with the title track to Defenders of the Faith. "Breakin' the Law" is still a great song, but it has been kind of besmirched by the strange phenomenon of loathsome ironic indie-type people making jokes about it. What's up with that anyway? Anyway, "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" is the killer cut from British Steel.

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Sean,
wake up!

holy oak, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 05:19 (twenty-two years ago)

"You've Got Another Thing Comin'" got reworked into "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll", a serviceable follow-up for radio airplay, on Defenders of the Faith.

The awesome cover art for Screaming got reworked into the godawfulness that is the Defenders cover. When I saw the cover art for, whatever it was, Turbo -- for me, that was the beginning of the very swift end.

But, yeah, that title track rules.

Does there happen to be a decent Priest collection, like a two-CD best of or something, that someone could recommend?

weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 05:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Still listening - the sheer grandiosity of this record is quite overwhelming. I'm quite blown away by how preposterous their vision is, and how successfully they paint it, so that you're carried along regardless. I think there is a lot a techno producer can learn from this record - quite why I think that I am not sure.

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 05:26 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a psychedelic record, don't you think?

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 05:26 (twenty-two years ago)

ah, I forgot all about Point of Entry. I actually never heard that one, but "Headin' Out to the Highway" is great (as is the low-budg video!!)

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 05:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The guitars and drums sound hilarious now. Christ, what a terrible production, sounds like digital distortion from a Zoom 505! But then, I liked "Wild Nights Hot & Crazy Days" so maybe it was a step in that direction before they knew what they were doing. "Bloodstone" is great, "Fever" too. I like that "Desert Plains" brooding Kraut groove side of them. There is alot of thematic streamlining going on here that unfortunately makes them a bit less interesting. "Pain & Pleasure" was kind of fake S&M where "Evil Fantasies" and "Raw Deal" were full-on Mineshaft Bar gloryholing. I liked their Eurogoth early stuff like "Beyond the Realms of Death", if they could remaster 'Stained Class' so it sounded like something that would be the most brain-crushingly intense psycho-metal ordeal ever!

dave q, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 07:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Screaming For Vengeance is a fun record, but it's no Sad Wings of Destiny.

Kent Burt (lingereffect), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

"The Hellion/Electric Eye" still gives me bristling shivers of metalecstacy!

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I second Kent's sentiments: Screaming For Vengeance is a fun record, but it's no Sad Wings of Destiny.

christoff (christoff), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

but "Headin' Out to the Highway" is great (as is the low-budg video!!)

are they standing on a set of a desert road complete w/ cacti, steer skull etc? this came on M2 late at night I don't know how long ago and I thought the song was really taught and mean, don't remember how it sounds now at all. I really meant to go buy it at the time.

g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

What? No zealous admissions of undying alleigance to British Steel?? For shame.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, the finest Judas Priest video is for the entirely ridiculous "Hot Rockin'"! Judas Priest pastily shirtless "workin' out". Judas Priest fans in fits of cerebellum-stirring headbangin'. Judas Priest playing flaming instruments. The initial airing of that video rivals the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kittyhawk in terms of its sheer innovation!

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Screaming for Vengeance is great, and You've Got Another Thing Comin' is my favorite Priest song, despite on whole enjoying British Steel and Hell Bent for Leather a little more on whole for the album. The title track to Screaming is HIGHLY enjoyable, though, as is Electric Eye and Pain and PLeasure. The only thing about this album is I'm not pleased about is that the bird on the cover looks quite similar to the bird found on posters for the "Rolling Stones Tour of the America's 1975" Don't know how to post pictures to the group, but check out pages 430 and 431 of Bill Wyman's classic coffee table book "Rolling With the Stones." But that a topic for a different day.

Bryan Moore (Bryan Moore), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Electric Eye is the one that's really grabbing me. It's so cold, grandiose, and heavy. I notice the playing is fairly calm, relaxed and smooth, and they build so much power by adding sonic layers and relying on the precision of their playing to keep things from getting messy. I should add that I know nothing about this band except that Rob Halford is gay. Good for you, Rob!

Now I have seen the video for Breakin' the Law. That's hilarious, anyone seen it?

And what's the deal with Priest impersonator Tim Owens replacing Halford? That's a strange story. Anyone seen the movie about this?

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess the band wanted to keep playing and wanted it to sound as much like 'classic' Priest as they could.

However, Rob Halford is now back in the fold with a new LP planned and 30th anniversary tour starting next spring... Official site.

Kent Burt (lingereffect), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, and yes, the "Breaking The Law" video is pretty hysterical. I recommend picking up the Fuel For Life video if you can find it for this and other silly JP vids up to the Turbo era.

Kent Burt (lingereffect), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim Owens replacing Halford? That's a strange story. Anyone seen the movie about this?

Ahem, "Rockstar." It was insulting to Judas Priest,
Owens and Halford, all at the same time -- a good trick.

At one point the director smirked it was about a famous rock
and roll band, Yes. Owens wouldn't talk about it when it was
first released and the LA Times badgered him on it.

The Halford character was only a bit part -- played as a
flouncing, wig-wearing poof who was dismissed/kicked out of the
band for wanting to do something more serious -- like be in
"Riverdance."

The music for the band was concocted by Zakk Wylde and assorted
ringers; the best of the lot was "Living the Life I Want to
Live," a not bad assembly of cliches.

At one point, the Owens character parties hard and gets seduced
by the Priest-band's manager -- a hot chick who, in another
stupid joke bit, turns out to be a shemale.

Hardly a redeeming moment, although some Nugent gets played in
a bar scene.

George Smith, Wednesday, 20 August 2003 01:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like some JP songs (and agree with colin's and dave's descriptions for the most part) but I don't get what's so great about "You've Got Another Thing Comin". It mostly just sounds like generic bar band rock to me. "No One Like You" is awesome though.

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

At one point, the Owens character parties hard and gets seduced
by the Priest-band's manager -- a hot chick who, in another
stupid joke bit, turns out to be a shemale.

It's like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, but k-suck.

Thy Lethal Zen Ned (Ned), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...
You're right about the comparison. They are very psychedelic, which is a nuance of which all the people who've grazed the surface of "Turbo Lover" are sadly clueless. I prefer Sin After Sin or Stained Class ever-so-slightly above the rest of their material, but 98% of it is great! Screaming For Vengeance is a great one. Some weird keyboard effect on one of the first few songs sounds utterly demonic and psychedelic.

asdf troll, Wednesday, 24 November 2004 06:44 (twenty-one years ago)

eight years pass...

every song on this album is great fuiud

too many encores (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 19 January 2013 03:36 (thirteen years ago)

real talk. i've seen people shit on, like, "devil's child" and "fever" but even both of those are stone-cold jams

berner herzog (fadanuf4erybody), Saturday, 19 January 2013 09:49 (thirteen years ago)


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