| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Panic Attack The Serpent & The King Invincible Shield Devil In Disguise Gates Of Hell Crown Of Horns As God Is My Witness Trial By Fire Escape From Reality Sons Of Thunder Giants In The Sky Release Date: March 8, 2024 Label: Epic Records Website: judaspriest.com facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest |  |
JUDAS PRIEST IS:
Rob Halford - Vocals / Glenn TIpton - Guitars / Richie Faulkner - Guitars / Ian Hill - Bass / Scott Travis - Drums
Rob Halford - Vocals / Glenn TIpton - Guitars / Richie Faulkner - Guitars / Ian Hill - Bass / Scott Travis - Drums
Think about this for a second? How many bands from the 70s are still left to this day? Not many. As each year passes, we see more and more of them announcing farewell tours or just throwing in the towel and calling it a career, which means there are not many bands left that have hit the 50-year mark. However, one of those bands that is still going strong is the metal gods themselves: Judas Priest. After releasing a blazing album with Firepower in 2018, people were wondering how in hell were they going to top that one or if there was anymore records left in Priest. Right around the album's release time came the sudden news of Glenn Tipton stepping back from touring due to a Parkinson's disease diagnosis, and Andy Sneap taking his place on tour. This caused a lot of fans saying that Priest should either call it a day or bring K.K. Downing back, but we all know that ain't happening.
However, Priest proved all the naysayers wrong by coming back swinging with another fierce slab of pure heavy metal with album #19 (yes, 19) titled Invincible Shield. Being a band that doesn't do the same record twice, they've been saying that the new record would include some more progressive flavours while still being rooted in the metal style they've been delivering for decades now. Those progressive elements include some odd time signatures, some unexpected sections in certain tracks, and even some riffs and melodies quoting some of the prog greats. Some examples include the bridge riff in opener "Panic Attack", which is a direct nod to the keyboard melody in "Tom Sawyer". It goes without saying that Richie Faulkner is Priest's secret weapon of greatness in the modern era. He has proven himself to be one of the most respected guitarists in the world right now with his impeccable soloing and riffing prowess, and one of the reasons why Redeemer Of Souls, Firepower and Invincible Shield are some of the band's strongest records that sit alongside British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance, Defenders Of The Faith and Painkiller.
Things only intensify further on "The Serpent & The King", where Rob Halford hops into his own personal time machine and unleashes high notes straight out of Painkiller. His ability to still sing the way he does at age 72 actually pisses me off (in a good way, of course). "Panic Attack", "The Serpent & The King" and the title track is brutal triple shot right off the bat before we head into more groove-oriented territory for the next triple shot. "Devil In Disguise" sees the band giving homage to another one of metal's elite, which just so happens to be a band they influenced, and that is Metallica, because the main riff gives a big nod to "No Remorse". "Gates Of Hell" and "Crown Of Horns" bring the feel-good vibes of melodic heavy metal, with both tracks containing laid back grooves and potent vocal hooks. Oh, and the chorus in the latter is absurdly catchy.
Speed returns when we arrive at "As God Is My Witness" with Scott Travis' laying down the most intense double-kick attack heard on the album. The way the band is able to flawlessly meld melody and intensity is astonishing. Coming back to what I said regarding the record containing progressive elements and flavours, another prime example is "Trial By Fire", which in my humble opinion wins the Best Riff award. The drum groove inside the 6/8 time signature steps slightly outside the box of the traditional basic groove that you would normally hear in 6/8 time. As a drummer, it took me a couple of attempts to lock into it. The first time you hear the lyrics to "Giants In The Sky", you can immediately tell what the song is about. When Halford sings "Homage to the legends 'til the bitter end, leaving such a legacy, my friends", do you really need anymore evidence than that? R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy (and of course all the other legends that we've lost over the years).
I don't think there's a single major flaw to be found on this record. Obviously some songs hit the sweet spot a little harder than others, but with flawless performances from a band this late into their career, enhanced by production that slams harder than a meteor crashing down on to the earth, courtesy of Sneap, and you got a record that is quite possibly the metal album of the year already! 50 years later and Judas Priest is still screaming for vengeance on all cylinders! At this point, it is unknown if Priest still have any records left in them, but if this turns out to be the last album from the metal gods, they certainly ended their recording career with a triumphant record in Invincible Shield!
However, Priest proved all the naysayers wrong by coming back swinging with another fierce slab of pure heavy metal with album #19 (yes, 19) titled Invincible Shield. Being a band that doesn't do the same record twice, they've been saying that the new record would include some more progressive flavours while still being rooted in the metal style they've been delivering for decades now. Those progressive elements include some odd time signatures, some unexpected sections in certain tracks, and even some riffs and melodies quoting some of the prog greats. Some examples include the bridge riff in opener "Panic Attack", which is a direct nod to the keyboard melody in "Tom Sawyer". It goes without saying that Richie Faulkner is Priest's secret weapon of greatness in the modern era. He has proven himself to be one of the most respected guitarists in the world right now with his impeccable soloing and riffing prowess, and one of the reasons why Redeemer Of Souls, Firepower and Invincible Shield are some of the band's strongest records that sit alongside British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance, Defenders Of The Faith and Painkiller.
Things only intensify further on "The Serpent & The King", where Rob Halford hops into his own personal time machine and unleashes high notes straight out of Painkiller. His ability to still sing the way he does at age 72 actually pisses me off (in a good way, of course). "Panic Attack", "The Serpent & The King" and the title track is brutal triple shot right off the bat before we head into more groove-oriented territory for the next triple shot. "Devil In Disguise" sees the band giving homage to another one of metal's elite, which just so happens to be a band they influenced, and that is Metallica, because the main riff gives a big nod to "No Remorse". "Gates Of Hell" and "Crown Of Horns" bring the feel-good vibes of melodic heavy metal, with both tracks containing laid back grooves and potent vocal hooks. Oh, and the chorus in the latter is absurdly catchy.
Speed returns when we arrive at "As God Is My Witness" with Scott Travis' laying down the most intense double-kick attack heard on the album. The way the band is able to flawlessly meld melody and intensity is astonishing. Coming back to what I said regarding the record containing progressive elements and flavours, another prime example is "Trial By Fire", which in my humble opinion wins the Best Riff award. The drum groove inside the 6/8 time signature steps slightly outside the box of the traditional basic groove that you would normally hear in 6/8 time. As a drummer, it took me a couple of attempts to lock into it. The first time you hear the lyrics to "Giants In The Sky", you can immediately tell what the song is about. When Halford sings "Homage to the legends 'til the bitter end, leaving such a legacy, my friends", do you really need anymore evidence than that? R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy (and of course all the other legends that we've lost over the years).
I don't think there's a single major flaw to be found on this record. Obviously some songs hit the sweet spot a little harder than others, but with flawless performances from a band this late into their career, enhanced by production that slams harder than a meteor crashing down on to the earth, courtesy of Sneap, and you got a record that is quite possibly the metal album of the year already! 50 years later and Judas Priest is still screaming for vengeance on all cylinders! At this point, it is unknown if Priest still have any records left in them, but if this turns out to be the last album from the metal gods, they certainly ended their recording career with a triumphant record in Invincible Shield!
FINAL RATING
| | |
RSS Feed
