Rocka Rolla - Judas Priest
 

Album: Rocka Rolla
Artist: Judas Priest
Released: 1974

Genres covered: elements of blues rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and hard rock.


Tracklist:

1. One for the Road – 5/5
2. Rocka Rolla – 4/5
3. Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater – 5/5 (specifically, 5/5, 2/5, 4/5, 5/5 respectively)
4. Never Satisfied – 5/5
5. Run of the Mill – 4/5
6. Dying To Meet You – 5/5
7. Cavier and Meths – 5/5
8. Diamonds and Rust – 4/5

Overall: 5 out of 5.



Where do I begin with this..

Well, as someone who has listened to Metallica, Slayer, some Mötley Crüe, some Led Zeppelin, some Aerosmith, a ton of AC/DC, and some Def Leppard (I’ve never listened to Judas Priest though), I’m listening to this album and I don’t see it; I don’t see how anyone could say this is a terrible album.

This album is a 5/5 for me, though barely, because there’s definitely some things I don’t like such as that distorted nonsense on the third track (Deep Freeze) or the singer’s voice which is quite irritating and distracting at times (especially on the last track), but I can’t see any respectable rock/metal listener giving this anything below a 4/5.

Something worth mentioning is that I gave this album a 2/5 when I first listened to it. This is absolutely not the case anymore and I don't know what I was thinking when I rated it such.

ALL of these tracks are great, but my favorite is Cavier and Meths though One for the Road is a very close second. The guitar work on this album is among some of the best I've ever heard, especially Run of the Mill, Never Satisfied, and One for the Road for their absolutely KILLER riffs. My least favorite is probably Deep Freeze, though from the perspective of the album as a whole, I appreciate it for it being markedly different and adding much needed variety.

On the subject of variety, there's not a ton of variety between the tracks, though the singer (and even though I note my displeasure at his work on a few songs) changes his voice a lot for some songs, and even that distorted nonsense on the third track is certainly different; the variety is not really an issue for me because I find that the entire album flows SO well it’s unreal. Every song seems to complement the previous track.
For example, the track Run of the Mill is half slow, intense blues jam and half dramatic, operatic rock ballad, and it complements well with the faster, mostly instrumental and riff-heavy Never Satisfied.
Following that is Dying To Meet You, which opens as a slow, mostly lyrical song that appears to be a continuation of the operatic ballad (although even slower) from Run of the Mill, but turns into a completely different, much faster song that features possibly my favorite lyrics on the album.

I just adore the bluesy-ness of this album, and I may never be able to stop listening to it. So happy with this album. I’ve bought a ton of albums recently trying to explore classic bands I’ve never listened to before, and I haven’t always liked what I’ve found, which is really disappointing at times. This album is the furthest thing from disappointment, and I’m absolutely ecstatic that I bought it/discovered it.


Also, the reissue cover, which is the version I have, fits perfectly with composition of the album as a whole: an awesome cover, for an awesome album.

I've never really listened to Rocka Rolla, but I think Sad Wings of Destiny is a truly unreal album. Recommended.

Judas Priest are my favourite metal band. I have so many of their CD's, back when I was younger when people bought CDs.

Yeah, I may have to revisit Rocka Rolla as I don't remember it being all that good. I do like the cover of Diamonds and Rust on it. Sad wings is a masterpiece. I wore that one out. Still have the vinyl. Victim of chaaaaaangeeeessssss!

All of these songs remind me of Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas, just at a slightly slower tempo.

I still buy them. ;)

Will steal this album and the one Briks mentioned as I really like British Steel.

Cheers.

I also have yet to hear British Steel (I'm a bit behind) but Sad Wings of Destiny won't disappoint you. I'm certain.

I normally rate my albums out of 5 and I gave Rocka Rolla a 2 which is a bad mark and in my journal I said this about it below and I'd say it was easily the worst album from the band (based on what I've heard, which is around 80% of their output);)

"on their first effort Rocka Rolla they had given us a fairly terrible interpretation of a Black Sabbath style sound in an unfocused mishmash of a debut album"

By the time of Sad Wings of Destiny the band had moved up several notches in terms of quality and gave us a very good album, but the following Sin After Sin was even better and gave us Judas Priest at their most interesting. But the daddy of them all is surely Stained Class a 1970's metal monster and the band who never quite match the dark majesty of this album again.

Hmmm, well I disagree as I still firmly believe it's one of my favorite albums ever, but without any of their other albums to compare it to I can't comment on how it sounds compared to their other album, but I bought Sad Wings of Destiny yesterday and I'm still mulling that over.

Once I listen to that and the other albums you listed I'll get back to you.

See what you think after listening to some of their 70's output pre-Killing Machine (Hell Bent for Leather) as their sound changed on this album to a more overly commercial sound.