I'm reliably informed by those in the know that this is one of the better Priest albums, and my lovely lady Vanilla likes it too, so there should be something there for me. Mind you, I had been told that I would not really dig any album after
Defenders of the faith until this one, and I have already proven this prediction in error, as I loved
Ram it down to death. Still, if those who advocate this next one see that previous album as lacking, I should really love their first album of the 1990s.
Painkiller (1990)
Being something of a newcomer to Priest, I'm saddened to read that this was Rob Halford's last album with the band for a long time, as he followed in the footsteps, as it were, of Bruce Dickinson and left them to pursue a solo career. Before he left though, perhaps unlike his Maiden counterpart, he left behind a superb album to mark his departure and maybe remind people what they were missing during Priest's “wilderness years”. The title track kicks it off and there's no mistaking the intention here: it's back to basics as Priest raise a studded fist and go to reclaim their metal throne from the new upstarts coming out of America. Laying down a marker from the beginning, this album goes for the throat and doesn't let go till the last beat of the closer.
Guitars from Tipton and Downing scream their fury as Halford bellows at the top of his voice, making the most of his last chance to sing with the band and leave a legacy behind him. “Hell patrol” takes us into the fiery skies above Iraq with a heavy, pounding military beat that puts me partially in mind of “Where eagles dare” by Maiden, then we get a rare
acapella from Rob before “All guns blazing” comes out with, well, all guns blazing. New drummer Scott Travis does himself proud on this one, while “Leather rebel” rattles along like a gatling gun with inexhaustible ammo, making me tired just listening to it! And so we head into a “Metal meltdown” with a fine piece of shredding to open it, some classical in there methinks, then it hits you like a hammer and just goes head-down out of the traps, and good luck to anyone who can catch it!
“Night crawler” has a great atmospheric, spooky intro (are they keys?) then ramps up into another fast hard speed rocker, though with a more chugging guitar presence than the rest of the tracks have had up to this. Oddly, I feel Halford sounds like Ozzy here! That spacey, progressive feel returns later in the song as Halford speaks a very chilling passage across the chiming guitar, someone else adding what sounds like a spoken death vocal but it could be effects. Everything keeps rockin' on ten for “Between the hammer and the anvil”, with some superb guitar work, while “A touch of evil” is the closest so far they've come to a ballad (though it's really nothing like one) and is the only track on the album that features songwriting credits from co-producer Chris Tsangarides. Rather a lot of keyboards on this, courtesy of ex-Rainbow man Don Airey. Good use of pealing bells too.
A short instrumental then we're into the closer, as “One shot at glory” takes us out as we came in, kicking, screaming, shredding and above all rocking! The guys just go for it, kicking out all the stays and virtually burning the place down into the bargain. Call 911!
TRACKLISTING
1. Painkiller
2. Hell patrol
3. All guns blazing
4. Leather rebel
5. Metal meltdown
6. Nightcrawler
7. Between the hammer and the anvil
8. A touch of evil
9. Battle hymn
10. One shot at glory
Well, if Judas Priest wanted to prove to the new guys that they were still in charge, that they were rockin' before Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer or any of them were even in short pants, this album certainly makes that point, loud (very loud) and clear. You would love to say that Judas Priest were back, and would stay at the top, but as I mentioned this was to be the last album for Rob Halford for another fifteen years, and indeed the last Priest output for another seven.
But if there was to be a swansong, even a temporary one, for the man who had pulled this band up by its throat at times and fought on when all seemed lost and the dream of attaining fame and glory was vanishing like mist,
Painkiller would stand as a fitting testament to the powerhouse that was, and is, Rob Halford, and to the unstoppable rocking machine that is Judas Priest.