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JUDAS PRIEST Reviews Page Angel Of Retribution Epic Records
The definitive
lineup of Judas Priest -- vocalist Rob Halford, lead guitarists Glenn Tipton
and K.K. Downing, bass guitarist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis --
returns in 2005 with the astonishing new album 'Angel Of Retribution' on Epic
Records. It was worth the wait. More than 30 years after forming in the
tough, gritty, English steel town of Birmingham, Judas Priest remains at the
forefront of the global heavy metal scene. 'Angel
Of Retribution,' which was co-produced by Roy Z and Judas Priest, will be released
February 28, 2005, in Europe and March 1, 2005, in North America. This
album is the first new music from the quintet in 15 years, and it exceeds all
expectations. 'Angel Of Retribution' stands proudly alongside Judas Priest's
previous heavy metal milestones like 'Sad Wings Of Destiny,' 'British Steel,'
'Screaming For Vengeance' and 'Painkiller.' Ten
new Judas Priest classics make up 'Angel Of Retribution.' Songs include
"Judas Rising," "Deal With The Devil,"
"Revolution," "Worth Fighting For," “Demonizer,” “Wheels
Of Fire,” “Angel,” “Hellrider,” “Eulogy” and “Loch Ness.” The first radio
single is "Revolution." "We've
got a lot of energy, we're firing on all cylinders and it's obvious on this
album. I think it's the most natural Judas Priest album. A lot of people who
have listened to the album have said it's timeless. You couldn't really date
it," Tipton says. Halford
says, "We don't have a cut on the record called 'Angel Of Retribution'
but what we do have is an amazing piece of artwork that once people see it
all the pieces will connect. The artwork really has a way of connecting
the past with the present and the future. It's just a great display of the
power of Priest as we feel it should be appearing in 2005. Beyond that, I
think we live in a time of retribution. I think we live in a time of
accountability." The
band members knew expectations were high, but they weren't fazed by it and
they did not allow that pressure to affect the way they wrote and recorded
'Angel Of Retribution.' They worked exactly the same way they did in the
past. "I
think that pressure is not a bad thing, really, because it just pushes you
and forces you to do your best," says Downing. The
foundation for 'Angel Of Retribution' was laid in 2003 when Halford returned
to Judas Priest after nearly 12 years away. After rekindling their friendship
over the previous couple of years, the band members worked together to
assemble Sony Music/Legacy Recordings' career-spanning box set 'Metalogy.'
Not only that, they realized that the only way to slake their creative thirst
was to reunite permanently. Judas Priest was eager to make new music
together, but first the members decided to go on tour and remind fans around
the world -- and themselves -- just what heavy metal had been missing for
more than a decade. "I
think the remarkable thing that's happened in these last few months of being
back in each other's lives is as if the time we were apart had not taken
place. That decade that we were out of each other's company just seems to
have vanished in smoke," says Halford. "When we got together to
begin writing the new material for 'Angel Of Retribution,' it was really a
continuation of where we would have been had we made the next record after
'Painkiller.' All the pieces were already in place." "I
have to say that I never thought I would ever be here, all these years on,
doing what we do now. In some ways it seems like a brand new start for
us," says Downing. "We're really looking forward to the future.
We're back at full strength and having a lot of fun." By
summer 2004, the bulk of 'Angel Of Retribution' was completed and 'Metalogy'
was released to critical acclaim and strong sales. Judas Priest returned to
the stage with several triumphant concerts in Europe and then stormed
through North America with headline-grabbing performances on the Ozzfest tour
and select headlining shows. Downing says that first live performance in
Hannover, Germany, was a crucial step in finalizing the reunion. "It
was the one thing that had to happen to really cement us back together. We'd
done some songwriting, we'd done some recording, we'd had a few drinks
together, but actually putting on the leather and studs and going out there
and doing that first performance was something that needed to be done,"
says Downing. Heavy
metal fans had been clamoring for a Judas Priest reunion from the moment
Halford left. Quite simply, the band is responsible for creating the sound of
pure heavy metal. Countless others have received credit for providing the sonic
groundwork, but only Judas Priest had the vision and willpower to forge a new
style of rock 'n' roll and thus influence every single disciple to follow.
What made Judas Priest stand out in addition to the raw power of Halford's
voice and the dual-guitar attack of Tipton and Downing was the quality of the
songs; they were rife with instantly memorable melodies and hooks. Judas
Priest also invented the look of heavy metal; any combination of leather,
studs, chains and denim is a uniform worn proudly by heavy metal fans all
over the world, and they got it from Judas Priest. "The
reunification of Priest is part of the love affair we've had with our fans
around the world for countless decades from the past to the present time. All
different generations love Judas Priest. We represent heavy metal music.
We're very proud to be the leaders of this force, this genre of rock 'n' roll
called heavy metal," Halford says. "We're just so re-energized now.
We're so glad to be back together again, and to get that power from the fans
-- that passion, that love of the band, that driving force. We are here
because the fans want us to be here. Without the fans that support Judas
Priest, we don't mean anything." Judas
Priest's success was earned as the result of struggle and hard work. Breaking
out of Birmingham came first, and it wasn't easy. In fact, those lean early
years -- before the creation of legendary songs like "Victim Of
Changes," "Hell Bent For Leather," "Breaking The
Law," "Living After Midnight" and "You've Got Another
Thing Comin' " -- are even chronicled on "Deal With The
Devil." "Really,
those were great days. We all actually still have homes very close to
Birmingham, but we needed to take our music out of there and it was very
difficult to get the music industry to accept that. So we had to go and prove
our point and then take it across the Atlantic to the States and then the
rest of the world -- to every corner of this planet. And it gave us a lot of
determination. It was all about proving ourselves and taking our music to
other people," says Tipton. Several
generations of fans have a common bond in Judas Priest, and the band members
are proud of that fact. "That
means you got it right. Obviously a lot of parents turn their kids on to
Priest. But what you've got now is a lot of young kids discovering Priest in
their own right. When you look out at that cross section of ages, it's very,
very rewarding. Priest has created timeless music," says Tipton. 'Angel
Of Retribution' is just the beginning of Judas Priest's rebirth. "I
really feel that 'Angel Of Retribution' is going to be viewed years from now
as an absolute classic metal masterpiece. I think what we've created on
'Angel Of Retribution,' and what we create from this point on, will be the
absolute pinnacle of our ability as writers. It achieves a new level,"
Halford says. "Everything that we do is from the gut. It's very real. We
feel that we have something special here." "Rating
***."
© DJX2 2005 |
