JUDAS PRIEST
“ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION”
(Epic)

Judas Priest are back with Rob Halfrod after 15 years!! It’s been a long time since the band was on the top. Maybe some didn’t believe that Rob would ever return but we (the loyal fans) always had that possibility on our mind! I’m a huge fan of the band and Judas Priest are still one of my all time favourite bands. I was rather disappointed by the two previous works with Tim Owens, although Tim is a great singer... it seems that the chemistry between him and the band never really worked. I hated seeing Judas Priest copying bands that they have influenced and going on a very heavy direction that was leading them nowhere.

Now, after “Metal God”’s return everything has changed! Some may think that this album would sound like Rob Halfrod’s “Resurrection” but they are wrong. I’ve been expecting something closer to the classic “Painkiller” but although I was not totally wrong Judas Priest seemed to have many other things in mind when writing this album. After all they are the “Metal Gods” and know better than anyone how to play good heavy music.

The album opens with the fantastic “Judas Is Rising” which brings memories from “Painkiller”. Very powerful song with heavy guitars, excellent drumming and Rob’s exceptional screaming vocals!!! I love this song! The beginning couldn’t have been better! “Deal With The Devil” sounds as if it came out of “Point Of Entry”. A melodic hard rockin’ song that’s gonna be one of the fans’ favorite live tracks. “Revolution” is one of the strangest songs of the album. Judas had never used us on such songs and although it has a rock vein the similarities with Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song” are more than clear. I would be happier if this song wasn’t on the album’s tracklist but in the end it is a good song but not for Judas. “Worth Fighting For” is another good hard rokin’ song “taken” from the “Point Of Entry” era of the band. I like very much the chorus of the song, which brings me down. “Demonizer” seems to have been taken out from “Painkiller” again. Heavy tune with great double drums and guitars that set the song on fire! Rob is giving another excellent performance on this song. As the song says: “the painkiller rises again”! “Wheels Of Fire” is a rock song “taken” from “Killing Machine” and “British Steel” era of the band. Melodic with very good guitars. “Angel” is the first ballad of Judas after many years! It feels so good to hear Rob singing with his passionate voice and he still can make me feel chills! Astonishing ballad that only Judas Priest can write! It has a late 70’s-early 80’s feeling and Rob’s performance on this song is simply incredible! “Hellrider” is a heavy metal song with a powerful guitar riff and some excellent drumming. It has a “Painkiller” feeling and for sure is gonna be a very good song for the live shows of the band. “Eulogy” is a 3-minute mellow track with synths, acoustic guitars and piano. The song has a very gloomy atmosphere and works well as an intro for the last song of the album “Loch ness”. This is the weirdest song that the band has ever recorded along with “Cathedral Spires”. It lasts about 13 and a half minutes and it’s a heavy mid tempo song that has confused most of the fans. Some say that this is the worst song of the album and some they just love it. I believe that this not an easy song and it needs several listenings to get into it. This is the first song that grabbed my attention after the first time I listened to the album. I totally love the dark, epic chorus of the album and Rob’s wonderful vocals! Do not pass it by… just give it some time and it will be your favorite song of the album!

Roy Z has delivered an excellent and very heavy production as always. The album presents many variations as it covers most of Judas carrier and it is impossible not to please most of the fans. I do not think that this album can bring more new fans to Judas’ camp but it will surely satisfy all those Priest maniacs, that were waiting for almost 15 years to listen to Judas with Rob Halford. Judas Priest are here again, strong enough to make us happy again with their unique music. Judas has risen and has a lot more to give us!!

by Thanos Aggelakis 8,5/10