Vanilla's Top Albums Of All Time:
20. Judas Priest - Painkiller
I was about 14 when I was first introduced to Judas Priest. I quickly clamped on to their sound, I scurried to buy as many albums as I could and ended up frightening my parents. I finally had a big stereo that I could play my CD's on and I remember the first time I played Painkiller. I was new to heavy metal, but had previously listening to Iron Maiden. Power Metal really began to latch on to my ears. This particular album is considered both influential and perhaps Priest's best album ever, well according to me it was, following Sin After Sin.
Their artwork was always fantastic but this album's artwork impressed me because I had been brought up with motorcycles and dreamed of owning my own and I was going through my "dark angel's" phase. No I do not mean Jessica Alba, haha! I felt the artwork looked as though the Painkiller was stalking young females and strutting into bars while doing hells dirty work. But enough about that, the most important part of this album is the music and how the tracks fit together like a puzzle.
The first track is of course, Painkiller. Watching the video for this track you see Scott Travis smashing the drums in black and white flashing images which blast at a fast pace, matching Rob Halford's screeching lyrics, the epitome of speed metal. A great start to the album we hear about this fallen angel who has come down to Earth to scare young children and roar down the streets on his jagged motorcycle. What I love about this song is it introduces the theme of a particular character that intimidates and stalks humans. I must mention how delicious the guitar solo's are...
Hell Patrol is about this character in hell, obviously, but we hear about how there has been an uprising in Hell. Heaven is at it's knees to these speed demons which are so articulately described. Next is All Guns Blazing. Now we are focusing on the weapons the character uses. I would like to note how imaginative the lyrics are in this album. Although they might be somewhat expected and not terribly unique, the lyrics are still brilliant and fit alongside the heavy metal themes.
Metal Meltdown has to be my third favourite track on this album, behind Night Crawler and A Touch Of Evil at number one. To me it sounds like lava melting steel, with a catchy riff alongside it. It can easily get in your head!!
To be continued as Vanilla has bacon and eggs to cook!