British Steel [Remastered] - Judas Priest

...still undoubtedly trying to emulate. British metal has never looked or sounded so good, and i doubt it will ever be back with the force and strength created in British Steel.

The Band

Rob Halford: Lead Vocals
Glenn Tipton: Lead Guitars
K.K Downing: Lead Guitars
Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
Dave Holland: Drums

Created in the 1970’s Priest was a rough and ready metal band. They ...
...seminal ground breaking metal album British Steel album was released in 1980. There name was now known to hundreds of thousands and the legacy they have created would live on with them for many years to come.

The songs

Rapid Fire
A good old classic metal song with great riffery and a beat to match. This is the kind of song that deserves to be plaid at full volume, and if you like metal you will be very willing ... more

The seminal metal album created by Priest, a raw mentality and even more raw guitar riffs. If you are looking to discover what heavy metal is really all about then i cannot recommend this album enough. It's a rare album in which everything comes together to create a sublime near perfect end product. The album includes an all time metal classic in "Breaking the law", a track driven by angst and public unrest. So in short if you won’t an album you can put on at any time and just rock out, you can't really go wrong with 'British steel'. Truly a classic metal album that people are still undoubtedly trying to emulate. British metal has never looked or sounded so good, and i doubt it will ever be back with the force and strength created in British Steel.

The Band

Rob Halford: Lead Vocals
Glenn Tipton: Lead Guitars
K.K Downing: Lead Guitars
Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
Dave Holland: Drums

Created in the 1970’s Priest was a rough and ready metal band. They were able to create a unique effect by having two lead guitarists; this added an extra bit of power. The band only really came out of the underground when their seminal ground breaking metal album British Steel album was released in 1980. There name was now known to hundreds of thousands and the legacy they have created would live on with them for many years to come.

The songs

Rapid Fire
A good old classic metal song with great riffery and a beat to match. This is the kind of song that deserves to be plaid at full volume, and if you like metal you will be very willing to comply. The lyrics are justly British Metal combining odd combinations of words that rhyme, in order to make a rather obscure patchwork story. A superb opening song, which prepares you the listener for what is to follow.

Metal Gods
In true metal style Priest slow it down with an extremely catchy anthemic tune. Here lies one of the greatest treasures in this album, a superb metal song with Iron Maiden-esque sing-a-longability. The haunting Rob Halford lyrics really do reach their full potential in this song especially during the chorus section.

Breaking The Law
This is truly one of the greatest if not the greatest metal songs ever created. It was produced in a period of great social problems in the early 1980’s. It is about a person giving up with their degradation, and choosing to turn to crime as a form of excitement. This song still has meaning today with the disenchanted youth, although probably a more powerful statement during the problems in Britain under Thatcher, in the 70’s and 80’s. This is also a great metal song in its own right, if you are disengaged from the political messages.

“There I was completely wasting out of work and down, all inside its so frustrating as I drift from town to town, feel as though nobody cares if I live or die, so I might as well begin to put some action in my life, Breaking the law…”

Grinder
Returning back to a more nonsensical style of metal, with heavy riffs but no real meaning. This is a live favourite, as is symbolised in the songs reappearance in the bonus tracks, as indeed a live song. Superb heavy song to just rock out to, no strings attached.

United
Here the band returns back to the anthemic metal song, with what appears to be more of a football song than anything else. A little corny but still a thoroughly enjoyable song to sing a long to and clap your hands randomly to.

You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise
With the catchy title aside this is a thoroughly enjoyable metal tune. With all the typical features of any Priest title, a strong drumbeat, stronger vocals and even stronger guitar riffs. Perhaps not as catchy and as some of the other songs on the album (Breaking the law, grinder etc.) but still as metal goes this is still very much an acceptable piece.

Living After Midnight
The opening drumbeat sets up the rather surprising upbeat status quo style song. Look past the pop rock and enjoy the song for its excellent overall style including a much more diverse and entertaining use of vocals by Rob Halford. You will soon be tapping your feet and singing along to this one, this is also a good one for the car.

The Rage
Starting off with the initial rather disjointed and obscure bass introduction this song develops into a good heavy riff driven song. I really do enjoy the guitar work in this one, it doesn’t resort to random heavy thrashing, but instead utilises a more intelligent aspect of musicianship. It does have a rather odd reggae theme going throughout though, quite odd but still excellent.

Steeler
Another great upbeat great metal song. With more than a slight reference to the problems facing the country at the time of its writing. Especially with the songs title, being more of a reference to Sheffield where problems where as bad if not worse than it was in the rest of the land. A great metal song that is thick with metaphor and hidden meanings. A superb conclusion to the original section to the album.

Bonus songs

Red, White and Blue
I don’t have a clue why this hasn’t been used in any albums before, this is an excellent song. Once again this is one of those rousing anthems of which Priest love to use. It has a real Emerson, lake and palmer/star spangled banner/Sharpe theme quality to it. A real rebel rouser, extremely corny in its rather false patriotism, I cannot help feel that this might by a little ironic as a statement, but still superb.

Grinder (Live)
Is it only me that thinks all good acts perform better live than in the studio, well if this theory is to be agreed with then this proves without doubt Judas Priest are a superb band. From the rather extravagant introduction the song progresses louder, heavier and subsequently better than the original. What a finale to the remastered album

Conclusion
This is a defining album in the history of rock and metal, it’s only real subsequent challenger from these isles came in the form of Iron Maidens “number of the beast”. There is a depth and sincerity to this album which is really unparalleled especially in today’s trivial manufactured society, this bolt of raw steel hits home in a wake up call to all metallers. There is another way, there is an alternative purchasing this album would be a good step in the right direction.
 

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