Unknown Soldier

Overview
As British poet Geoffrey Chaucer once said “All roads lead to Rome” and as far as Judas Priest were concerned, all roads were leading to commercialism. Never before had there been a metal album like British Steel, that was seemingly designed for the overall music listener rather than a true metal listener. The band of course hadn’t sold out (which would be a much used and often misused label that was used by disgruntled fans to show their disdain with a band’s new direction) But in Judas Priest’s case, it was a blessing that metal surely needed for greater commercial exposure with the masses. In fact just a few years later bands like Def Leppard, Van Halen and the future Metallica with their Metallica ‘The Black Album’ would all be perfect examples of this same approach, which was to release strongly commercially orientated albums that were also highly radio-friendly as well (remember this was pre-MTV era for Judas Priest) designed to keep the general masses switched into metal and also keep it trendy. Sure the non-offical first wave of British metal (any heavy band really) which would’ve included the likes Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath had all been amongst the biggest bands in the world and had had no trouble in collecting all types of music listeners, but since then the legions that largely followed hard rock and heavy metal, were mostly dedicated followers and also usually the outcasts of the music society. I remember as a kid constantly seeing headbangers who of course always had long hair, wore denims and usually had their denim jackets littered with stitched on logos of their favourite metal bands and they lived and breathed their music. As said previously in the Motorhead review, metal was constantly gaining decent exposure in the British press and it was Judas Priest that garnered the biggest chunk on that exposure, making them the undisputed leaders of the NWOBHM (even though they were of course several years ahead of that movement and already a worldwide establishement) The band as far as all things metal had reached their absolute metal pinnacle on 1978’s Stained Class, quite simply one of the best metal albums to ever be released (see review) and probably realised at the time that it would be a hard act to follow. So they had then done the sensible thing and started the gradual march down the road of commercialism on the superb Killing Machine or Hell Bent for Leather (for US listeners) which was also relased in 1978 and this foreshadowed the full-blown commercial extremities of the following British Steel. British Steel was recorded at Ringo Starr’s former home Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire and the album continued with the band’s clichéd metal trimmings of denim and leather, and in fact Rob Halford went the whole hog with his bullwhip on stage! Also British Steel saw the arrival of drummer Dave Holland who would of course go onto be the band’s longest serving sticksman to replace Les Binks, who had previously made the drum stool his own after the band’s trend to comnstantly change drummers. This was also their first album in some time, that didn’t include any cleverly selected cover tracks and instead the album would be littered with what would become known as pop-metal tracks. The album also had different track listings between its UK and US versions and it reached a lofty no.4 slot on the UK album chart in 1980, along with giving the band three impressive UK hit singles in “Breaking the Law” “Living After Midnight” and “United”.

Verdict
British Steel continued with the band’s recent trend of misleading album titles, as the previous Killing Machine had surely denoted another album that would be as menacing as Stained Class and in fact its American name the campy Hell Bent for Leather was a far more appropriate title for the album. Therefore British Steel much like the later Reinventing the Steel by Pantera, probably had listeners expecting a stalwart metal album strictly for the ears of metal listeners. So how much stalwart metal would they actually get on British Steel? Well firstly the darker themes of the band had now completely given way to more general themes. Secondly traditional metal vibes were now challenged by pop hooks and these dominate the album’s best known songs and overall feel of the album. These songs are “Breaking the Law” a damn good song, “Grinder” macho sounding metal for popsters, the anthemy if somewhat boring “United” the swaggering “You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise” and the most hooky of them all “Living After Midnight”. Thirdly I’ve mentioned how commercial and pop orientated this album actually is, but the album is bookended by some essential metal tracks in the album opener “Rapid Fire” with its blistering guitar solos and the album closer “Steeler” which sounds almost like old-school Priest and the song is dragged out superbly to its end. The band’s true metal credentials are also maintained on the ploddier “Metal Gods” and the even better “The Rage” both designed to keep the metal faithful happy and both these songs sit aside both the album opener and closer (on the UK version at least) Overall and despite the album’s commercial compromises, British Steel though is very much a heavy album and therefore that alone should satisfy the band’s true fanbase, in fact there’s possibly just one weak song on the whole album in the chanting “United” which is the only fault I can find with the album. As already mentioned the UK and US versions of the album, have the songs flowing in a different order and I’d say the US version of the album actually flows the better of the two, as certain tracks are placed slightly differently. Rob Halford’s singing is pretty amazing across the whole album and if he hadn’t cemented himself already as a true metal vocal legend, then he has done so here. The dream team of K.K Downing and Glenn Tipton on guitar are as pinpoint and focused as ever and both Ian Hill and Dave Holland are as perfect in the rhythm section, and unsurprisingly for its reputation the album is on the ‘Classic Albums’ documentary listings as well. But most of all and the crucial element in this review, is that British Steel is a groundbreaking album, that builds on from what Killing Machine had foreshadowed a few years earlier. British Steel quite simply lays all the foundations of what pop-metal should be all about and also fulfils the criteria of what it had set out to do as well. Most importantly though British Steel holds all its metal values proudly and shakes its metal fist in defiance, and the future success of heavy metal just owed so much to this album!

Rob Halford- Vocals
K.K Downing- Guitar
Glenn Tipton- Guitar
Ian Hill- Bass
Dave Holland- Drums

Production- Tom Allom

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