If a band should have ever written a song called “Metal Gods” it's Judas Priest. From their rockerized beginnings back in the 70's they always went one step further with the hardness of their music. Soon they adopted leather and metal rivets to their clothing, since then image always related to the heavies. Their early work showed a budding band with masterful ways. Halford's voice became sharper, reaching humanly incomprehensible registers. Always by his side, Tipton and Downing, perhaps the most mythical pair of metal axes.
Si una banda tuviera que haber compuesto alguna vez una canción llamada “Metal Gods” esos son Judas Priest. Desde sus en rockerizados inicios allá por los 70 siempre fueron un paso más allá con la dureza de su música. Pronto adoptaron el cuero y los remaches metálicos a su indumentaria, desde entonces imagen siempre relacionada con los heavies. Sus primeros trabajos mostraban una incipiente banda con maneras de maestro. La voz de Halford se agudizaba alcanzando registros humanamente incomprensibles. Siempre a su lado, Tipton y Downing, tal vez la pareja de hachas metalicos mas mitica.
Despite leaving hymns like “The Ripper” or “Victim Of Changes” on those LP's, it was with “Sin After Sin”, “Stained Class” and “Killing Machine”, when they gained their true dimension as standards of the sound they shaped. The public had already echoed their prowess, and they were praised wherever they went, as can be seen in the enthusiastic warmth with which the fans received them in Japan, where they recorded the live album “Unleashed In The East”. With the entry into the 80's, “British Steel” effectively shows the best of British steel. Incandescent thrash and hit single pieces such as “United” and their great anthems “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking The Law”, would take them to the stage of Donington in the first edition of the Monsters Of Rock.
Pese a dejar himnos como “The Ripper” o “Victim Of Changes” en aquellos LP’s, es con “Sin After Sin”, “Stained Class” y “Killing Machine”, cuando cobran su verdadera dimensión como estandartes del sonido al que dieron forma. El público ya se había hecho eco de sus proezas, y eran alabados alla a donde iban, como se puede apreciar en el enfervorizado calor con que los fans les recibieron en Japon, donde grabaron el directo “Unleashed In The East”. Con la entrada en los 80, “British Steel” efectivamente muestra lo mejor del acero británico. Trallazos incandescentes y piezas carne de hit single tal que “United” y sus grandes himnos “Living After Midnight” y “Breaking The Law”, les llevarían al escenario de Donington en la primera edición del Monsters Of Rock.
The attractive US market was within reach, and the assault came with “Point Of Entry”, which however left cold fans who expected more hardness, like that of “Screaming For Vengeance”, a rounded work in which heavy metal takes on a new dimension and transcends the physical limits of that plastic, setting fire to the speakers through the already fiery guitars of an anthological duo. Even harder if possible they showed themselves in “Defenders Of The Faith”, which took them to the Live Aid Festival in 1985, but in “Turbo” they decided to experiment showing new paths in the genre.
El atrayente mercado USA estaba a tiro, y el asalto llego con “Point Of Entry”, que sin embargo dejo frios a unos fans que esperaban mas dureza, como la de “Screaming For Vengeance”, trabajo redondo en el que el heavy metal cobra una nueva dimensión y trasciende los limites físicos de aquel plástico, prendiendo fuego a los bafles a través de las ya de por si ardientes guitarras de un duo antológico. Mas duros todavía si cabe se mostraron en “Defenders Of The Faith”, que les llevo al Live Aid Festival del 85, pero en “Turbo” decidieron experimentar mostrando nuevas sendas en el genero.
Nevertheless, synthesized guitars were not exactly what the fans wanted to hear, and “Ram It Down” gave them back the overwhelming rawness of the Judas of always. The stylistic ups and downs had repercussions on their sales, which in these last two albums did not reach the usual figures. With the entrance in the 90's, the metal was going to give a new turn, reaching the levels of corrosion and speed bequeathed by the thrash. Judas gave their answer in the form of “Painkiller”, one more step towards a hardness that seemed unlimited, favored by the signing of the drummer Scott Travis.
Pese a todo, guitarras sintetizadas no era precisamente lo que los fans querían escuchar, y “Ram It Down” les devolvió la crudeza avasalladora de los Judas de siempre. Los altibajos estilísticos repercutieron en sus ventas, que en estos dos últimos trabajos no alcanzaron las cifras acostumbradas. Con la entrada en los 90, el metal iba a dar un nuevo vuelco, alcanzando los niveles de corrosión y velocidad legados por el thrash. Judas dieron su contestación en forma de “Painkiller” un paso mas hacia una dureza que parecía ilimitada favorecida por el fichaje del batería Scott Travis.
The reception of the album was excellent and the tour a success, passing through the stage of the second edition of Rock In Rio. But things were not going well from the inside, and Halford decided to leave to experience new musical terrains. Judas looked for a replacement. The chosen one, Tim Owens, a young man who sang in a tribute band to the Priest themselves and who, as a tribute to the band of his love, had added to his name the title of one of their songs “Ripper”. His vocal virtues turned out to be extraordinary, and in “Jugulator”, his comeback after seven years of hiatus, he left proof of it.
Their sound was now less vertiginous but even more forceful than on “Painkiller”. In time, this return would be questioned too much, and even more when the prodigal son, Halford, returned to the classic sound of his old band with a project that bore his name. The voices of the fans clamor for his return, and in fact, the rejection of the “new” is increasing, “Demolition” has not been an overwhelming success to say the least. To make matters worse, “Crucible”, Rob's latest, is below expectations... Perhaps the dream of many fans of this music is near and the reunion will be confirmed. Maybe the metal gods will once again take physical integrity in the bodies of Halford, Tipton, Downing, Hill and Travis.
La acogida del disco fue excelente y la gira todo un éxito, pasando por el escenario de la segunda edición del Rock In Rio. Pero las cosas no andaban bien de puertas para adentro, y Halford decidió marcharse a experimentar nuevos terrenos musicales. Judas buscaron un sustituto. El elegido, Tim Owens, un joven que cantaba en un grupo tributo a los propios Priest y que como homenaje a la banda de sus amores había añadido a su nombre el titulo de una de sus canciones “Ripper”. Sus virtudes vocales resultaron extraordinarias, y en “Jugulator”, vuelta discográfica tras siete años de paron, dejo constancia de ello.
Su sonido era ahora menos vertiginoso pero mas contundente aun que en “Painkiller”. Con el tiempo se cuestionaria demasiado este regreso, y mas cuando el hijo prodigo, Halford, volvió al clásico sonido de su antigua banda con un proyecto que llevaba su nombre. Las voces de los fans claman por su regreso, y de hecho, el rechazo hacia los “nuevos” va en aumento, “Demolition” no ha sido un abrumador éxito que digamos. Para mas inri, “Crucible”, lo ultimo de Rob, queda por debajo de lo esperado… Quizás este cerca el sueño de muchos aficionados a esta música y se confirme la reunión. Tal vez los dioses del metal vuelvan a tomar integridad física en los cuerpos de Halford, Tipton, Downing, Hill y Travis.
