While the '80s may have been littered with many second-rate
pop-metal
knockoffs of little musical merit,
Judas Priest
, decked out in leather and studs, always stood tall above the pretenders as the genuine article of
metal
greatness. Along with
Iron Maiden
, they helped lead the way of the
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
and are certainly one of the best and most influential
bands ever.
The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight
provides fans with a collection of late-'70s/early-'80s hard-rocking classics by one of the best in the
business. This collection focuses on the hits of
's career, which came mostly during the early '80s, their artistic and commercial peak. Tracks like
"Living After Midnight"
and the
MTV
favorite
"You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
showcase one of the band's biggest strengths, which is the ability to be melodic without losing any of their intensity or edge. The band had the ability to make you sing along while they were bludgeoning you over the head with a heavy guitar attack. Live tracks like the fist-pumping
"Heading Out to the Highway"
and
"Tyrant"
feature great performances by
Rob Halford
, who is one of the most gifted and distinct vocalists in
heavy metal
history. These tracks prove that
Halford
's soaring vocal range is no studio creation. The brutal
"Metal Meltdown"
and the epic
"Victim of Changes"
prominently display the twin guitar attack of
K.K. Downing
Glenn Tipton
. Many of the guitar tracks laid down by this duo throughout its career helped provide a blueprint for many shredders that followed. In true
form, this album rarely gives you a chance to come up for air, and despite the fact that some early classic cuts are missing from this album,
is a fine collection of top-rate British
by one of the true masters. ~ Paul Tinelli