After releasing a stunning album, scoring three hit singles and firmly establishing themselves on the metal map, Judas Priest were about ready for a holiday, so they headed to Ibiza. Well, partially true. This was not necessarily just an opportunity for the lads to relax, drink and pull birds --- though I have no doubt much of that went on. Ibiza would be where they would record their seventh album, the followup to
British Steel.
Point of entry (1981)
The big hard guitar sound is still there, but there's a more commercial edge to this album than any of their previous ones, as it follows in the somewhat radio-friendly footsteps of
British Steel. “Heading out to the highway” has an old-school rock vibe to it, close to the likes of Steppenwolf in feel, and canters along at a mid-pace tempo, with more of those vocal harmonies that were becoming identified with them at this time. The guitar work here I find very reminiscent of Lizzy, while “Don't go” is far grindier and chunkier, not that fond of it to be honest: I think it's a bit fragmented in ways. “Hot rockin'” however delivers what it promises, and hurtles along like a beast. Great drumming from Dave Holland, and fair play to him for lasting more than an album!
I find “Turning circles” a little meh though. There's a lot of energy in it, but there's something about Halford's voice, like he's trying to sound American or something, bit too much of a drawl. Guitar is good though. There's a nice rolling rhythm to “Desert plains” and his voice is much better here, especially when he goes up the scale at the end; I like the chugga-chugga of the twin guitars, and they're back to open “Solar angels”, which has a pretty anthemic feel to it, but “You say yes” is total throwaway. Just terrible. The only thing that saves it is some really decent guitar in the middle. Mind you, I can't say it's the track that drags this album down, as it's been heading that way pretty much from the beginning. Not impressed.
To make matters worse, “All the way” shamelessly rips off the main melody from “Rosalie”, and even though it kicks up the gears I can't forgive Priest for this blatant filching from the classic Lizzy song. Shame on yiz lads!
“Troubleshooter” is better, with a boogie rocking vibe, and to be fair, though they've gone a bit more commercial here, Priest have not reintroduced the keys that were present on their earlier albums. That might have been seen as a metal bridge too far for the fans. We end then on “On the run”, and it's also interesting that for an album seen as targeting radio airplay there are no ballads on this at all. It's a boogie swinging rockfest in the vein of The Doors' “Roadhouse blues” and it ends the album strongly, though I feel it may be too little too late at this point.
TRACKLISTING
1. Heading out to the highway
2. Don't go
3. Hot rockin'
4. Turning circles
5. Desert plains
6. Solar angels
7. You say yes
8. All the way
9. Troubleshooter
10. On the run
For a followup to the seminal
British Steel this is very very poor. I know it was going to be hard to write anything that would measure up to that behemoth, but here it's almost like they didn't even try. No hit singles from this one: too much Sangria and late nights, guys? A disappointing effort all round, and a serious letdown after my hopes had been raised by the previous album.
However...