For those who follow the history of Judas Priest it will be no surprise to find out that long time vocalist Rob Halford is back in the band after an extended period where Ripper Owens was handling the screaming duties. Well, the Priest (Halford, Glenn Tipton (guitarist), K.K. Downing (guitarist), Ian Hill (bass) and Scott Travers (drums)) found the time amidst touring to get in to the studio and record the album Angel of Retribution. What a resounding success this disc is! It is arguably the best album (at least in terms of consistency) the group have ever recorded.
They open the disc with a bang - the song "Judas Is Rising" just screams out of the gate. It begins with a dueling guitar sound that feels a lot like something from Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny days, but then jumps into a stomping metal scorcher with Halford screaming over top to kick it into gear before dropping back to a more sung vocal line. This one feels a lot like something from the Sin After Sin disc, with a bit of the more modern Priest sound thrown in. It's indicative of the whole album in that the CD seems to be a strong attempt to pull in sounds from Priest's entire career. The guitar sounds on this cut are so typical early Priest and oh, so tasty! They manage to top it with the next number, though - at least in terms of the guitar work. The dueling on "Deal With The Devil" is absolutely top notch - I really don't think the band has ever done it better. The cut is a more straight-ahead metal stomper and the lyrics talk about the whole beginnings of heavy metal in Birmingham, England. It gets very energetic and fast paced as it carries on. It's another winner on an album that is full of them.
The single "Revolution" is next up on the disc, and while many consider it too "nu metal" for Priest - frankly, I think it smokes! This one is much more modern in texture, but still has a classic Priest feel to it in many ways. The chorus is a definite singalong waiting to happen. This one also features some very crunchy guitar sounds, albeit amidst a more commercial soundscape. They slow it down a bit with "Worth Fighting For" starting it off in mellower mode, but in one that only Priest can do this well. The lyrics here are truly inspirational. Frankly, while there are those who might not enjoy this more emotional side to the band and the album, it's one of my favorites on show here. It really has an uplifting feel to it. It feels a bit like it might have fit on the Defenders of the Faith disc as far as texture. It's not quite a ballad, but not quite a metal romp either. The next track on the disc is "Demonizer" which for me seemed a bit generic. The texture of the music is in the metal scorcher variety, a bit like the Painkiller album or even a bit like the type of heavier darker material they did on the Owens era albums. Still, the chorus is catchy, and while this one is a little slow to grab me, it always does. I wouldn't consider it a high point of the disc, but it is a strong track nonetheless. For those who say Priest is "evil" or "Satanic" try to explain the fact that the chorus here is "Out, demons, out!". It's not calling demons, but trying to get rid of them - sounds like more like an exorcism than a summoning to me.
"Wheels of Fire" comes next, and in my opinion is the weakest cut on the album. It isn't bad, but it's just a bit too generic "live to ride, ride to live" anthem. It's definitely listenable, it's just that there is much more inspired music on show here. Priest has always managed to do the ballad better than just about any other metal band out there. They prove that they still have that capability with "Angel". The song with its mellow love song based theme is arguably the best of that genre I have ever heard. It gets heavy before it ends, but all in all the evocative guitar and incredibly emotional vocal performance make this one work exceptionally well. "Hellrider" is another metal stomper and feels all the heavier and faster coming after "Angel". This one is a killer and has textures that make it feel a lot like something from their Stained Class period, but even harder and faster. This is one of my favorites on the disc.
They drop it way back for "Eulogy", and for those not familiar with the entire history of the band, this one might seem a strange cut for Priest. It is actually quite similar to "Epitaph" from the Sad Wings of Destiny album (the cover to this one is actually sort of a sequel to that disc's art) and is probably the first Priest song since that one to feature piano. This is mellow, melancholy and a bit atypical, but within the structure of the whole CD it works exceptionally well. They close the disc with "Lochness". I have to say, only Priest could do a song about the Lochness monster and have it work this well. The cut seems to be another derisive one amongst fans. There are those who will tell you that this plodding extended (at over 13 minutes, the longest the band have ever done) is one of the best on the album, and perhaps in their career. Well, while I applaud the group stretching out, I think that this cut at times is silly and at other times gets noodly and feels lost. I think had they shortened it a bit and made it more consistent it would have benefited. That said, though, the song does grow on you. I just think they could have had a stronger ending to the disc.
All that said, this is the best disc Priest have ever done, and I count myself amongst their hardcore fans. It is one of the best metal albums of the year and would be a great starting point for anyone looking to discover this band, who is almost single handedly responsible for the arena rock metal movement of the late 1970's and early 1980's. You don't get much better than this. Pick up the disc and listen repeatedly to get prepared for the Priest's triumphant return to Rockford on September 28th.
