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REMASTERS
Judas Priest
(Columbia Legacy / Sony)
We'll say this for Judas Priest: They don't do things halfway. Take their recent campaign of re-releases. Some bands would put out a best-of album or a box set. Others might reissue their top few discs. Not these metal gods. In true amps-on-11 fashion, Priest have spent months remastering and reissuing their entire Columbia catalog -- 12 albums recorded from 1977 to 1990. The final four just landed in stores, complete with bonus tracks, lyrics and other goodies. We've already covered the first eight; here's our look at the rest.
TURBO
Year: 1986.
Call It: Poof goes Priest. Apparently discovering the wonders of hair spray and guitar synthesizers simultaneously, the boys incorporate both into their world, making for unintentionally hilarious Duran Duran-esque cover pictures and less entertaining musical slices of '80s hair metal.
Essentials: Turbo Lover is the only track metalheads might admit to liking.
Extras: The harder-hitting unreleased studio track All Fired Up is a keeper; a live recording of Locked In rocks harder than the overprocessed studio version.
Most Metallic Moment: "We don't care in the least -- 'cause our metal is a feast," is a lyric worthy of David St. Hubbins.
Reason to Buy It: As an antidote to bouts of '80s nostalgia.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
PRIEST ... LIVE!
Year: 1986.
Call It: Larger than live. Even during their hair-metal period, Priest still knew how to deliver the goods live, as this two-CD set illustrates -- though it's not as heavy as their 1979 concert document Unleashed in the East.
Essentials: The boys pull out the stops on Metal Gods, Breaking the Law, Love Bites, Freewheel Burning, Living After Midnight and more.
Extras: This album offers the most bang for the buck of the set, with three cuts: Screaming for Vengeance, Rock Hard, Ride Free and a slamming Hell Bent for Leather.
Most Metallic Moment: "We've got a fine looking bunch of metal maniacs here tonight, oh yes!" proclaims shriekmeister Rob Halford. We're pretty sure he meant every word.
Reason to Buy It: To hear decent versions of all those songs from Turbo.
Rating: 3 out of 5
RAM IT DOWN
Year: 1988.
Call It: Back in black. After the failure of Turbo, the boys learned their lesson and wisely returned to the fast, furious, frenzied form of their earlier albums.
Essentials: None of these tunes would rank as classics, but the blistering title cut is impressive, as are the balls-out rockers Love Zone, Hard as Iron and a cover of Johnny B. Goode.
Extras: Live versions of Night Comes Down (from Defenders of the Faith) and Bloodstone (from Screaming for Vengeance). You can almost hear the barrel being scraped in the background.
Most Metallic Moment: "Drivin' in the fast lane late at night, I can't keep my eyes off your red tail light." And they say rock lyrics aren't poetry.
Reason to Buy It: For a comeback album, it's heavier than some bands' first records.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
PAINKILLER
Year: 1990.
Call It: The last blast. Drummer Dave Holland had already left the fold and singer Rob Halford fled the ranks shortly after this album. At least he went out on a high note -- literally and figuratively -- with this aggressive scream-fest of adrenalized power-metal.
Essentials: Metal Meltdown and the title track are some of the band's most crushingly heavy tracks ever.
Extras: A bombastic power ballad called Living Bad Dreams; a servicable live version of Leather Rebel.
Most Metallic Moment: "Heat is rising, blazing fast / Hot and evil, feel the blast," Robbie squeals on Metal Meltdown -- apparently rejecting our suggested title, Holy Heartburn.
Reason to Buy It: It's good to hear a band go out with a bang instead of a whimper for once.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (More on: Judas Priest).
Friday, April 5, 2002
Judas Priest remastered
Winnipeg Sun