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JUGGERNAUT - BAPTISM UNDER FIRE (1986)
Texas based Juggernaut was an American thrash metal band that album debuted in 1986 with Baptism Under Fire. Juggernaut's sound can best be described as a mixture of 80's Bay area thrash with a dose of early Queensryche since there are some power metal and progressive metal influences going on here, but vocalist Harlan Glenn definitely ain't no Geoff Tate, No this is more in the rougher sneering working class style. In certain frequences he reminds me more of Megadeth's Dave Mustaine without fully sounding like him.
Texas based Juggernaut was an American thrash metal band that album debuted in 1986 with Baptism Under Fire. Juggernaut's sound can best be described as a mixture of 80's Bay area thrash with a dose of early Queensryche since there are some power metal and progressive metal influences going on here, but vocalist Harlan Glenn definitely ain't no Geoff Tate, No this is more in the rougher sneering working class style. In certain frequences he reminds me more of Megadeth's Dave Mustaine without fully sounding like him.
You might recognize the bands drummer because it's Bobby Jarzombek who played with Riot and Halford to name a few. So the drumming is solid, the instrumentation is fine too without excelling. The clonking bass on this record is very audible.
Overall Baptism Under Fire is a pretty decent thrash meets power metal record. Which wasn't exactly unique during 1986. Three out of five for Juggernaut's debut.
⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - JUGULATOR (1997)
In 1992 Rob Halford surprisingly left Judas Priest to pursue a solo career. This was a hard hit for Priest but seven years after the successful Painkiller album they were finally back with a new album. Ripper Owens was chosen as Halfords replacement.
The metal landscape had changed quite a bit since their last offering and that reflects in the music of Jugulator. Priest showcases a darker, heavier, more modern sound. Gone are the soaring, operatic melodies of the Halford years; instead, the band leans into down‑tuned riffs, crushing grooves, and with a more over the top approach from Ripper Owens.
The production is dense and punishing, reflecting the mid‑90s shift toward heavier, more aggressive textures. Tracks like “Jugulator,” “Blood Stained,” and “Burn in Hell” show a band determined not to repeat themselves, embracing a harsher, more contemporary edge. We're almost in thrash metal territory at times here.
While divisive among longtime fans, the album captures Priest in a bold transitional phase. Recalibrating their identity and proving they could still hit with devastating force even without their iconic frontman.
⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - PAINKILLER (1990)
Painkiller is Judas Priest reborn. A complete reinvention that arrives with the force of a meteor strike. Gone are the lingering traces of 80s gloss; in their place comes a ferocious, hyper‑metallic assault built on speed, precision, and sheer intensity.
Scott Travis’ arrival behind the kit transforms the band instantly: his double‑kick intro to the title track is a declaration of war, pushing Priest into a new, more extreme era. A real upgrade on Dave Holland's rather simplistic approach to drumming.
But it's not only the drums that has been upgraded here, The guitars are sharper, the riffs more complex, and Halford delivers one of the most unhinged, superhuman vocal performances of his entire career. Tracks like "Hell Patrol," "Night Crawler," and "Between the Hammer and the Anvil" and of course the title track with that incredible guitar solo. Wow.
Painkiller show a band operating at peak discipline, every part executed with machine‑like accuracy. Painkiller stands as one of the defining heavy metal albums of the 1990s. Being my personal favourite 90's record together with Megadeth's Rust in Peace. Painkiller is a cornerstone release that proved Priest could evolve even if it was 16 years since they album debuted with Rocka Rolla.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - RAM IT DOWN (1988)
Ram It Down marks a partial return to the heavier, more aggressive sound fans had missed on Turbo, even though traces of the era’s digital production still cling to the edges. The album is louder, faster, and unmistakably more metallic, with tracks like “Ram It Down” and “Hard as Iron” showcasing a renewed commitment to the band’s metallic roots. The synth‑driven textures and glossy pop flirtation has been toned down significantly.
The record is however quite uneven, but that unevenness is part of its identity, It captures Judas Priest in the middle of shedding the polished, glam‑leaning aesthetic of Turbo and gearing up for the full‑scale metal assault that would become Painkiller. In retrospect, Ram It Down stands as a crucial transitional chapter: one foot still planted in the more commercial, radio‑friendly territory of the era, the other firmly stepping back into the faster, harder, more uncompromising heavy metal that defined their earlier years. It’s the sound of a band recalibrating, tightening the screws, and preparing to unleash one of the most ferocious albums of their career. But Ram it Down ain't it.
⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - TURBO (1986)
On Turbo, Judas Priest took another detour. Here they fully embraced commercialism, With synthesizers and a glossy, high‑tech production style, reflecting the era’s fascination with glam metal. Gone are the raw edges and metallic grit of Defenders of the Faith and Screaming For Vengeance. Instead, we are presented with a sleek, neon‑lit aesthetic built around big hooks and even bigger choruses. Yet beneath the superficial polish, the precision remains. The riffs are still tight, the rhythms disciplined, and Halford’s vocals delivered with calculated force.
"Turbo lover" being the big hit song from the record but the real gem here is in my opinion the more straightforward "Reckless".
Turbo may divide fans, but it stands as a bold experiment, proof that Priest were willing to evolve rather than calcify. It’s a snapshot of a band adapting to the glam wave that was was rolling in over the mid 80's metal landscape.
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JUDAS PRIEST - DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH (1984)
How do you follow up one of the most iconic metal albums of the eighties? Well, You can always create another equally good iconic metal album, and that's exactly what Judas Priest did here. Defenders of the Faith takes the blueprint of Screaming for Vengeance and pushes it toward a heavier, more muscular sound. The album is tighter, denser, and more relentless, with the band doubling down on precision and power. Gone are the melodic concessions of earlier records; instead, Priest deliver a barrage of riff‑driven anthems like “Freewheel Burning,” “Jawbreaker,” and “The Sentinel.” Every track feels engineered for maximum impact, executed with the same clockwork discipline that defined their early‑80s peak. Defenders stands as one of Priest’s most cohesive and uncompromising statements. A pure, distilled expression of heavy metal at its apex.
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JUDAS PRIEST - SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE (1982)
In 1982 Judas Priest unleashed their most metallic sounding album so far with the release of Screaming for Vengeance. This is Judas Priest firing on all cylinders. a perfect fusion of speed, melody, and metallic aggression. Screaming for Vengeance tightens the songwriting of British Steel and amplifies it with a renewed sense of intensity. Gone are the softer edges of Point of Entry; here the band sounds aerodynamic, sharpened, and utterly confident. "The Hellion/Electric Eye," "Riding on the Wind," and the title track showcase a band operating with surgical precision, while "You’ve Got Another Thing Comin" delivers one of metal’s most enduring anthems. The album is great and there's no fillers to speak of here.
The album’s pacing, clarity, and sheer force make it one of the defining heavy metal releases of the 1980s. Another cornerstone in the history of heavy metal.
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JUDAS PRIEST - POINT OF ENTRY (1981)
Often misunderstood, Point of Entry finds Priest experimenting with accessibility and melody while still maintaining their metallic backbone. The album trades the cold steel of its predecessor for a warmer, more open sound, leaning into hard‑rock hooks and smoother arrangements. Gone are the razor‑sharp edges of British Steel; instead, the band explores a more relaxed, almost sun‑baked atmosphere. Yet even within this shift, the precision remains, every riff, every vocal line is delivered with the same clockwork discipline that defines their 80s output.
⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH (1984)
How do you follow up one of the most iconic metal albums of the eighties? Well, You can always create another equally good iconic metal album, and that's exactly what Judas Priest did here. Defenders of the Faith takes the blueprint of Screaming for Vengeance and pushes it toward a heavier, more muscular sound. The album is tighter, denser, and more relentless, with the band doubling down on precision and power. Gone are the melodic concessions of earlier records; instead, Priest deliver a barrage of riff‑driven anthems like “Freewheel Burning,” “Jawbreaker,” and “The Sentinel.” Every track feels engineered for maximum impact, executed with the same clockwork discipline that defined their early‑80s peak. Defenders stands as one of Priest’s most cohesive and uncompromising statements. A pure, distilled expression of heavy metal at its apex.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE (1982)
In 1982 Judas Priest unleashed their most metallic sounding album so far with the release of Screaming for Vengeance. This is Judas Priest firing on all cylinders. a perfect fusion of speed, melody, and metallic aggression. Screaming for Vengeance tightens the songwriting of British Steel and amplifies it with a renewed sense of intensity. Gone are the softer edges of Point of Entry; here the band sounds aerodynamic, sharpened, and utterly confident. "The Hellion/Electric Eye," "Riding on the Wind," and the title track showcase a band operating with surgical precision, while "You’ve Got Another Thing Comin" delivers one of metal’s most enduring anthems. The album is great and there's no fillers to speak of here.
The album’s pacing, clarity, and sheer force make it one of the defining heavy metal releases of the 1980s. Another cornerstone in the history of heavy metal.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - POINT OF ENTRY (1981)
Often misunderstood, Point of Entry finds Priest experimenting with accessibility and melody while still maintaining their metallic backbone. The album trades the cold steel of its predecessor for a warmer, more open sound, leaning into hard‑rock hooks and smoother arrangements. Gone are the razor‑sharp edges of British Steel; instead, the band explores a more relaxed, almost sun‑baked atmosphere. Yet even within this shift, the precision remains, every riff, every vocal line is delivered with the same clockwork discipline that defines their 80s output.
Even though the album might be on the lighter side it has a few real strong songs on it like Desert Plains, Solar Angels or Heading Out the Highway.
Point of Entry stands as an intriguing detour, a record that shows Priest were never afraid to experiment and find new ways to bring the metal to the masses..
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JUDAS PRIEST - BRITISH STEEL (1980)
British Steel is the moment Judas Priest fully lock into the streamlined, steel‑hard identity that would define them for the decade. The album strips away the complexity of the ’70s and replaces it with a sharper, punchier, arena‑ready approach. Gone are the progressive structures and extended compositions. Here everything is lean, focused, and executed with mechanical precision. Some claim that their sound was dumbed down a bit here and maybe so, the extravagant noodling was was replaced with a more simplistic approach, especially the drumming felt like a downgrade to the Priest records of the 70's.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - BRITISH STEEL (1980)
British Steel is the moment Judas Priest fully lock into the streamlined, steel‑hard identity that would define them for the decade. The album strips away the complexity of the ’70s and replaces it with a sharper, punchier, arena‑ready approach. Gone are the progressive structures and extended compositions. Here everything is lean, focused, and executed with mechanical precision. Some claim that their sound was dumbed down a bit here and maybe so, the extravagant noodling was was replaced with a more simplistic approach, especially the drumming felt like a downgrade to the Priest records of the 70's.
But on the other hand tracks like “Breaking the Law,” “Metal Gods,” and “Living After Midnight” had a bigger impact on the metal scene than anything they had previously done. These songs made Judas Priest a true arena band. British Steel displayed a band that embraced clarity and impact over intricacy, forging a blueprint for modern heavy metal. British Steel remains one of the most influential metal records ever released, a defining statement of the genre’s new decade.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - KILLING MACHINE (1978)
Released as Killing Machine in the UK and Hell Bent for Leather in the US due to American censorship, this album marks Priest’s shift toward a more streamlined, accessible metal sound. The songs are shorter, punchier, and built around big, immediate hooks. "Delivering the Goods," "Hell Bent for Leather," and "Running Wild" are pure stage‑ready anthems.
It was also here that the band solidified their leather and studs aesthetic, aligning the visual identity with the music’s sharper, more aggressive edge. A funny fact is that Rob Halford got the idea of wearing leather in the gay clubs he used to visit back in the day. With a generation of metal fans dressing up in leather, not knowing that the iconic Rob Halford was a closeted gay man.
It was also here that the band solidified their leather and studs aesthetic, aligning the visual identity with the music’s sharper, more aggressive edge. A funny fact is that Rob Halford got the idea of wearing leather in the gay clubs he used to visit back in the day. With a generation of metal fans dressing up in leather, not knowing that the iconic Rob Halford was a closeted gay man.
Judas Priest recorded a lot of covers during their career and on this album they cover “The Green Manalishi” becomes a defining moment, transforming a Fleetwood Mac track into a snarling metal classic. This is the blueprint for the Priest that would dominate the 1980s: sleek, powerful, and unapologetically heavy, with a newfound sense of swagger.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - STAINED CLASS (1978)
Stained Class is a watershed moment in metal history. A cold, fast, and aggressive record that helped define the sound of modern heavy metal. "Exciter" practically invents speed metal, setting a template that countless bands would follow in the coming decade. The album’s tone is sharper and more metallic than anything Priest had done before, with riffs that slice rather than lumber and arrangements that feel ruthlessly efficient.
“Beyond the Realms of Death” stands as one of their greatest achievements, blending emotional depth with crushing heaviness in a way few bands have ever matched. Personally it's my all-time favourite ballad. The production on Stained Class is cleaner, the songwriting more focused, and Halford’s vocals reach a new level of intensity. This is the moment when Judas Priest took up the mantle and started leading a metal revolution that is still chugging along to this day. I also like Saints in Hell, it's a brilliant deep cut gem.
Stained Class laid the groundwork for the upcoming NWOBHM scene that were heavily influenced by the works of late seventies Judas Priest alongside Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath and Motörhead.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - SIN AFTER SIN (1977)
With Roger Glover (Deep Purple) producing and Simon Phillips delivering some of the tightest drumming in Priest’s early catalog, Sin After Sin refines the ambition of Sad Wings into something more streamlined and forceful. The album balances theatricality with a growing emphasis on speed and precision. “Sinner” and “Starbreaker” are two terrific songs that hit harder than anything that the band had previously recorded.
Their reimagining of Joan Baez “Diamonds and Rust” transforms a folk ballad into a haunting, metallic anthem, showcasing their ability to reinterpret rather than simply cover. The record feels transitional, but in a way that signals confidence: Judas Priest could confidently write ballads without them becoming a sappy unlistenable mess. Like the ballads of so many other bands at the time. Sin After Sin might be a bit anonymous in comparison to Sad Wings of Destiny and Stained Class but goddamn this is one helluva record.
Priest were sh(r)edding their progressive skin and moving toward a leaner, more aggressive heavy metal identity. Sin After Sin was a crucial stepping stone towards the metal dominance to come.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - SAD WINGS OF DESTINY (1976)
This is the true birth of Judas Priest as a heavy metal titan.
Sad Wings of Destiny is a quantum leap from the debut. It's heavier, more dramatic
and far more sophisticated in both structure and execution.
"Victim of Changes" stands as one of the greatest metal songs ever written, a moving epic that showcases Halford’s operatic range and the Tipton/Downing guitar partnership at full power. Tracks like "The Ripper," "Tyrant," and "Genocide" sharpen the band’s attack, while "Dreamer Deceiver" reveals their ability to blend vulnerability with grandeur.
The album’s pacing, atmosphere, and ambition set a new standard for what heavy metal could be. Gone are the lingering blues elements and loose, jam‑oriented drumming that defined bands like Blue Cheer, early Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin. Here everything is concise, disciplined, and executed with clockwork precision. Sad Wings of Destiny is a fully realized vision rather than an extension of ’60s hard rock. Sad Wings of Destiny stands as one of the defining records of the 1970s, a cornerstone in the evolution of heavy metal and a blueprint for future generations.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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JUDAS PRIEST - ROCKA ROLLA (1974)
Rocka Rolla documents Judas Priest in their chrysalis stage. An upcoming band with ambition far beyond their resources, still tethered to blues‑rock and early ’70s hard rock conventions. The production is notoriously thin, robbing the guitars of weight, yet the songwriting already hints at the dramatic instincts that would later define them. “Run of the Mill” and “Dying to Meet You” stretch into progressive territory, giving Rob Halford space to explore the soaring phrasing that would become his trademark. Yes, Rob Halford who recently joined the band, replacing Al Atkins.
Rocka Rolla captures Judas Priest before they fully discovered the sound that would define them. Still tied to blues‑rock and early ’70s hard rock, experimenting restlessly but not yet the metal powerhouse they would become. Which you can see on old images of how they looked back then. Rob Halford having long hair and they dressed like hippies, so no leather and studs just yet.
As a historical artifact, Rocka Rolla is invaluable but the best was yet to come.
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⭐⭐⭐
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