Artist: Judas Priest
Album:
Sad Wings of Destiny
Released: 1976
Genres covered: heavy metal, progressive rock, hard rock.
Tracklist:
Apparently, there are several versions of this album, and I have re-ordered the tracklist on this album to suit the most current release of it.- Prelude - 5/5
- Tyrant - 5/5
- Genocide - 3/5
- Epitaph - 4/5
- Island of Domination - 3/5
- Victim of Changes - 5/5
- The Ripper - 5/5
- Dreamer Deceiver - 5/5
- Deceiver - 5/5
Overall:
4/5
Overall thought about the album: I believe Moss said it best: "Victim of chaaaaaangeeeessssss!"
With this tracklist, (which is
exceptionally better than the original tracklist) the album opens very well with the intriguing melody of "Prelude" and its notable use of a piano, and the hard-hitting "Tyrant." Without a doubt, "Tyrant" is more intense (and also closer to heavy metal) than anything found on their previous album,
especially its guitar solo. It is also my favorite track from the album by far, and my favorite two tracks when combined with its intro "Prelude."
From here, the album takes a rather sour note as I find the next three tracks of "Genocide," "Island of Domination" and its intro track "Epitaph," to be annoying. The piano on Epitaph is top-notch, but none of the instrumentation for any of these songs overcomes my dislike at the vocals on any of these three songs.
The album quickly, and I do mean quickly, redeems itself with the guitar work, lyrics, and heavy metal & progressive elements found on "Victim of Changes." "The Ripper" is arguably the most atmospheric and well-produced song found on this album, when you factor in the spoken vocals, edgy guitar work, and dark subject matter.
The last of the three 'intro-song-leading-into-another-song" found on this album does not initially appear to be an intro song: "Dreamer Deceiver" a long, melodic, sorrowful, and progressive power ballad that features an extensive and awe-inspiring guitar solo, that is tied with the solo on "Tyrant" for my favorite solo on the album. Again, this song leads into "Deceiver." "Deceiver" also features an aggressive guitar solo. My favorite part of the song is its noticeably mellow (and abrupt) ending, mirroring the overall start of the album with "Prelude."