I have only recently got into heavy metal about two years ago in the summer of 2009. I've heard of bands like Metallica and Black Sabbath before that time, but I never really paid much attention to any albums. Metallica was my gateway band into the world of heavy metal. I loved
Kill 'Em All and
Ride the Lightning, the latter being Metallica's best studio album in my opinion. As I wasted more and more time, I got into bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, and any other gateway band. I've expanded a lot on the various sub-genres of heavy metal. . . well at least I believe so. There are many more bands out there from the past and present that I have yet to discover, there are many albums I have fallen in love with.
I woke up on the morning of Tuesday, December 07, 2010 and I logged into my Facebook account. There in the news feed I read the following words, "Judas Priest announce Epitaph Farewell Tour". I was getting ready for school and I could not stop thinking about Judas Priest hanging it up. I was deeply sadden by this news, Judas Priest have been around since 1969. The band were around twenty-three years before I was even born. I didn't even discover my love for heavy metal until I was seventeen years-old in 2009. I listened to a full Judas Priest album forty years after the band first came together in 1969.
The very first Judas Priest studio album I ever heard was
Painkiller. I just remember what was going on in my mind, I remember thinking how amazing this band was. Songs such as "Leather Rebel", "A Touch of Evil", and "Painkiller" are just classic; Glenn Tipton performs my favorite guitar solo on "Painkiller". From
Painkiller I went on to listen to
Screaming for Vengeance. I remember the first time I heard "The Hellion/Electric Eye", I thought it was the best Judas Priest song ever. As time passed on, I have listened to the band's discography heavily. There were some albums that I thought were amazing, there were others that I thought were not all that good. Judas Priest have many stand out songs, there are too many to pick as a favorite to be singled out. If I had to pick favorites, it would be a tie between "Victim of Changes", "The Sentinel", and "Run of the Mill." I can not imagine any true heavy metal fan not liking Judas Priest. As a proud fan of heavy metal, I am torn that Judas Priest are calling it quits very soon. The band has had an amazing forty-one year career and have earned their place as my all-time favorite traditional heavy metal band. Rob, Glenn, K.K., Ian, and the countless list of drummers will forever be remembered in the history of heavy metal. I hope Judas Priest stop by Atlanta on their tour, I hope to see them soon.
16. Judas Priest - Demolition (2001)
0.5/5
15. Judas Priest - Jugulator (1997)
1/5
14. Judas Priest - Nostradamus (2008)
1/5
13. Judas Priest - Turbo (1986)
2/5
12. Judas Priest - Point of Entry (1981)
2/5
11. Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution (2005)
2/5
10. Judas Priest - Ram It Down (1988)
2.5/5
09. Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla (1974)
3/5
08. Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather (1979)
3.5/5
07. Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith (1984)
3.5/5
06. Judas Priest - British Steel (1980)
4/5
05. Judas Priest - Painkiller (1990)
4/5
04. Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
4/5
03. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin (1977)
4.5/5
02. Judas Priest - Stained Class (1978)
4.5/5
01. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
5/5