JUDAS PRIEST — Angel Of Retribution (review)

JUDAS PRIEST — Angel Of Retribution album cover Album · 2005 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Kingcrimsonprog
Judas Priest’s Angel Of Retribution album was released in 2005 and saw the return of original singer Rob Halford on his first Judas Priest studio album for fifteen years.

The album received a lot of positive press due to the return of Halford, but don’t get too suspicious, this album wholly deserves the praise on its own merits too. The songwriting is superb, with a good selection of heavy and interesting tracks and a few ballads for variety.

The material does a great job of mixing everything that was great about Judas Priest and tastefully modernising it; the songs don’t actually sound like Stained Class or Defenders Of The Faith but they definitely do still feel like Judas Priest nonetheless.

Highlights include opener ‘Judas Rising,’ the heavy ‘Demonizer,’ and the speedy ‘Hellrider,’ all of which mix signature Priest sounds with a modern attitude, and the semi-ballad ‘Worth Fighting For,’ which is a genuinely enjoyable song, in a different style than the band usually work with.

The album ends with the infamous track ‘Lock Ness,’ which is something of a laughing stock, but if you object to it you can end the album one track early and still have a top quality full length Priest album. If you think about it, all the classic Priest albums were only about eight to ten tracks long or so and ‘Lock Ness,’ is the eight minute thirteenth track on an otherwise great album.

Apart from the controversial ‘Lock Ness,’ the album is basically flawless, with big riffs, nice solos, great drumming and Rob’s fantastic vocals. In summary; a top drawer album, not just ‘good for a reunion album,’ but just plain good.
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