Okay I'm a bit tired of listening to laidback pop albums and I'm ready for a bit of a kick up the arse, but I'm not yet ready to tackle Slayer. Working up to that. In the meantime, let's try this one...
Title: British Steel
Artiste: Judas Priest
Year: 1980
Chronological position: Sixth album
Previous experience of this artiste?: Not much; few singles, hits, that sort of thing.
Why is this considered a classic? Over to you, Unknown Soldier!
My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Great!
One track in --- Great
Halfway through --- Great
Finished --- Great
Comments: I was never a Judas Priest fan. Know why? Cos Rob Halford didn't have long hair. "A metal singer with
short hair?" scoffed 16-year old Trollheart, shortly after throwing "Low" down on the floor with rolled eyes and just before snapping "ABBA? Load of crap!" --- man I was an idiot, wasn't I? --- "Not in THIS house you don't!" How stupidly biased can you get and what a ridiculous premise to base your like or dislike of a band upon! But anyway, thirty-four years later and I've been sufficiently impressed by the praise and regard of others far more versed in metal than I to give this a go.
Oooh I love those geetars! Very Motorhead me feels! And Halford can of course sing. Sorry man; my bad for about three decades or more. Consider me told. Hey! Hold on a minute: all songs written by Glen Tipton, Rob Halford and
J.K. Rowling? Didn't know she could rock --- oh wait: it's K.K. Downing! Phew! Nearly made a fool of myself there!
Of course I know
Breaking the law and love it, but
United always did and still does sound like a dirge to me: a heavy metal dirge, granted, but still a dirge. Slow, plodding, boring and somewhat depressing.
Favourite track(s): (Again, of those I didn't already know)
Grinder, Rapid fire, The rage, Steeler (Does this sound like Maiden's "Aces high" a bit, or is it just me? I know: Judas Priest came first...)
Least favourite track(s): United
Final impression --- Damn fine metal album, quite in the mould Maiden were going for. Great guitar work and an excellent vocalist.
Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
Well, what do YOU think?
A of course.