Judas Priest Album: “Judas Priest [Box] [Limited]”

Description :

Black Sabbath may have started it all, but no band is more synonymous with heavy metal than Judas Priest. Priest copped Sabbath's heaviness and built on it by codifying the elements that would define metal for two decades: upper register vocal caterwauling, pyrotechnic fretwork, operatic bombast, and taut rhythms played squarely on beat. Of course, their leather bad boy image became a metal stock in trade as well. While in no way an attempt to be the definitive statement on the band, the JUDAS PRIEST LIMITED EDITION box set is an interesting summation of the band's early years and the beginnings of this basic metal sound. <p>The box compiles songs all previously available on three different records--ROCKA ROLLA, SAD WINGS OF DESTINY, and HERO HERO--in one place. Since HERO HERO is comprised of songs from the other two records, albeit with different mixes and a few rarities, including it on this box may be a little unnecessary. Nonetheless, the collection's highlights are many: "The Ripper" and "Deceiver," both devastating slices of British steel; "One for The Road" and "Dying to Meet You", both stand-out proto-metal blues perversions; and, most perverse of all, "Diamonds and Rust," an irony free reading of the Joan Baez classic, a song that wears its studded leather surprisingly well. Hearing all the early Priest in one place and with new sequencing thrills, and emphasizes their transformation into a band with their own groundbreaking vision.

Great idea for a box set, but it misfires. What we have here are reissues of ROCKA ROLLA, SAD WINGS OF DESTINY and . . . HERO, HERO?!!? The last, an early sampler collection, is mostly made up of tracks from the first two. If SIN AFTER SIN had been included instead, this would be a perfect 3-disc set showcasing the Priest's early years. That's what happens when licensing concerns take precedence over aesthetics. Ah, me -- money does indeed ruin everything!

All that being said, this is a good bargain for those who lack the first two albums -- and SAD WINGS OF DESTINY is quite simply one of the greatest hard rock albums ever made, with utterly insane vocals by Rob Halford. I plan to pop HERO, HERO in my car CD collection (or maybe donate it to a needy metalhead) and replace it with SIN AFTER SIN, thus creating my very own, *perfect* early Priest set. Guitar rock doesn't get any better than this, folks.

Purists Take Note: The reissue of ROCKA ROLLA has the 1987 Frazetta-esque cover by "Melvyn" (Melvyn Grant), not the original bottlecap pic.

I have to strongly disagree with the previous review. This package has all the old Judas Priest material from the Gull Records days. It includes both Rocka Rolla, Sad Wings Of Destiny and Hero, Hero which is a great compilation of the first two albums. The sound quality is great unless you are one of these ridiculous audio files. The packaging is great with the awsome cover artwork of Melvyn Grant. You really can't ask for more. Also the price is very modest for 3 compact discs. Do yourself a favor and get these if you don't own the first couple Judas Priest albums.