Judas Priest Album: “British Steel [Remaster]”

This was the first Judas Priest album I ever got, and along with Black Sabbath's "Heaven And Hell" (which I also got around the same time, summer '81), these are my two "Desert Island Discs". I've owned various permutations of both on vinyl, cassette and CD.

This remaster is, of course, excellent, but curious in a couple of ways.

1. Why change the track order? It was fine as-was.

2. The extra tracks are more of a curiosity than anything else. The live "Grinder" is excellent, but "Red, White and Blue" is from the "Turbo" sessions (in my estimation, Priest's lowest point) and is a typical mid-80's lighters-in-the-air chant-along. Clever (if contrived) title, though, since both the British and U.S. flags are red, white and blue.

However, as to the actual music, this is music that has, and will last, the test of time. At this time the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was happening in the UK, where bands would go to a studio, set up, play live, and put the finished product out as a record (the early Iron Maiden and Saxon efforts were done this way). Priest did this on "British Steel" and the results showed the new upstarts that the elder statesmen had as much energy as they did.

Some have said that Priest "commercialised" on this album. With the exception of "Living After Midnight", I disagree. This is as heavy as anything they've done, the Tipton/Downing guitars are well upfront, and Rob Halford (with hair!) sounds as angry as ever. Listen closely, bass fans: Ian Hill is actually AUDIBLE doing the intro to "The Rage"!

Dave Holland (is he still in prison?) made his debut on this album, and while he is the weakest drummer Priest ever had (not a patch on predecessor Les Binks or successor Scott Travis), he does a credible job here, though his drum sound is a bit "boxy". Still, though, he'd have to have done his drum tracks on syn-drums to let these excellent songs down...but wait, he did that on "Turbo".

As stated, this is the first Priest album I ever got, and I would recommend it as the first Priest album to buy (other than one of the many compilations) to a neophyte Priest fan.

They did other good, sometimes excellent, albums after this, but their steel was never this sharp again.

In 1980, the musical landscape was going through some big changes. Punk rock and disco were considered dead, and new wave music was gaining popularity. However, in the U.K., a new musical scene was emerging: heavy metal. Many bands came out in this time period including Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General, and of course Judas Priest. Now, the band had been around for years, but this was when they started gaining more mainstream recognition. In fact, many people credit Judas Priest for influencing the whole British metal scene. On this album, the band went for a more commercial sound that was hinted at on their previous album, Hell Bent for Leather (1979). However, the band still manages to keep their trademark ass-kicking sound.

The album begins with the speed metal song Rapid Fire. Fast paced guitar riffs start the song, a bit of drum pounding, and Rob Halford growls, "Pounding the world, like a battering ram." Very old school speed metal right here. Listening to this song is like someone throwing concrete blocks at your head. Glenn Tipton and KK Downing really display their guitasr abilities well on this album and this song is no exception, the guitar solos they play on here are FAST. The song segues into the more mid-paced Metal Gods. I love the part when Rob sings "Fearing for our lives, reaped by robot scythes." And then he starts chanting "Metal Gods" It may be a slower song, but it is still heavy as hell. Next is Breaking the Law, a very commercial and catchy song that I am sure everyone knows. The riffs on here are just powerful, I really can't get enough of this one. United is VERY anthemic, it's almost impossible not to sing along. This would be an awesome song to hear in concert. Another well known song by the band. Speaking of hits, Living after Midnight is probably one of the most mainstream songs the band has ever made. I can guarantee you that you will drive your family crazy when you sing this one in the shower. This song is very pop-metal flavored, but it still rocks. I wish more fans would give it a chance. And you know you love that guitar solo!

Grinder is a tough and heavy number. Those riffs are just mean, as is Rob when he growls "Grinder looking for the meat, Grinder wants you to eat." Cheesy? Yes but awesome? Hell yeah! Tell me you don't feel like destroying something! You Don't Have to be Old to be Wise is another killer song with a good message. Very catchy and insightful. I love the part in the middle where it seems to quiet down, and then BAM, the guitar solo kicks your ass across the street. The Rage is another mid-paced song, and it is pretty damn heavy. Ian Hill does a nice bass solo at the start. Then a few guitar notes, and then the song really kicks in. Like I said, it is slow but crushing. Guitar players will drool over this one. Steeler is an awesome closer, it is another fast song. Not the speed metal attack of Rapid Fire, but close enough. WICKED guitar solo on this one. I love the end when the band just rocks out, that piece right there is some pretty good old school speed metal.

The bonus tracks are also good. The live version of Grinder rocks (Rob sure can get a crowd going) and Red White and Blue is an unreleased track. It is a very emotional song and even the band admitted that they wanted it to bring a tear to your eye when you heard it. Nice keyboard playing on this one. i wonder why it was never released.

So there you have it. One of the best known albums of the early 80s British heavy metal scene. Anyone who has the slightest interest in heavy metal must buy this album. Ignore the people that say it is "too commercial" screw that. There are some mainstream tracks, but overall, don't expect anything less than heavy metal. And you gotta love any album that has a razor blade with the words BRITISH STEEL written on it on the cover!

British Steel was my first Judas Priest album, which I bought on casette back in junior high. Thinking back now, I can't remember what turned me onto it. Maybe it was the "Breaking the Law" music video I saw on Beavis and Butthead, but it's not important now. I listen to everything from Marilyn Manson to Cannibal Corpse and British Steel is still one of my top ten favorite metal albums.

It's not bone-crushing heavy, no. It's not that kind of music. I wouldn't call it "pop metal" but it's not lyrically deep or technically complicated. I would relate it most closely to ACDC's Back in Black. It's just real catchy, fun, and good.

It's more than just good melodies. There's a certain punch to it, and I think it's in the delivery. The mid-tempo song like Grinder and Metal Gods get a real good groove going and then just keep it up. It's something about Rob singing those short staccato syllables over the beat. Some of the tracks like Living After Midnight and Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise have more of a rock 'n' roll feel to them rather than what I think of as metal, but still rock none the less. And of course Rapid Fire is here as the obligatory fast tempo priest screamer with the banshee wail at the end. The Rage, while it does seem out of place on this album (as another reviewer pointed out) with its moody, brooding, sludgey feel and decidedly darker lyrics, becomes one of the album's best tracks with repeated listens. This song always gave me the most colorful mental imagery, though admittedly partly because of misheard lyrics (like early Ozzy, I find rob's voice sometimes garbles itself).

There's not one mediocre track on the record. The big picture is that British Steel is a very solid and fairly diverse collection of classic metal that's best heard while shouting along in one's car on the highway.

Now, a few notes about this reissue:

I can't speak for the difference in audio quality, since everything sounds bad on casette, but I will review the extras. The bonus track Red, White & Blue is a mediocre outtake that sound WAY out of place on the record, and in my opinion, tarnishes the album. It's not terrible, but it just doesn't fit. Another reviewer cites it as being a leftover from the ill-recieved Turbo album priest recorded several albums later. If this is the case, why is it here instead of on the Turbo remaster? The live version of Grinder, however, while hardly necessary, is well performed and, in my opinion, a keeper. On a sidenote, I can't help but wonder why the track order was changed from the original release. My old casette version had Breaking The Law as track 1. I'm getting used to hearing it this way, but I can't help but wonder which way the band intended it to be.

I agree with one particular reviewer before me that said Rob Halford has a more 'tough guy' vocal approach on this album than on most. To be honest with the rest of you, I can't really describe in words how good 'British Steel' is! 'Breaking The Law' has recently been used on a T.V commercial back here in Britain, to me, that shows how popular it STILL is here in the UK!

As my title says, THIS was my first Judas Priest album given to me as a Birthday gift, and it was the best thing I could've hoped to recieve!

So, at least they re-released the remastered version of JUDAS classic albuns. BRITISH STEEL was the turning point on their career, when they accepted to go a little bit more mainstream without losing their self respect. They changed producer, added Dave Holland on drums and began a new phase. The ersult: this classic here.