JUDAS PRIEST — Point Of Entry (review)

JUDAS PRIEST — Point Of Entry album cover

Album · 1981 · Heavy Metal

5/5 · 2018-03-24
Unitron

"From desert plains I bring you love"

With Judas Priest finding worldwide success with 1980's legendary British Steel, it only makes sense that the band wouldn't fix what's not broken and follow it up with another heavy metal masterpiece. But what's this?

"this album is commercial hard rock"

Yes, for some bizarre reason, this album from the heavy metal legends themselves has been trashed and looked down upon as just a commercial hard rock album by the general consensus. Obviously everyone will have different tastes, and I don't care if someone doesn't like one of my favorite albums. However, what I do care about, is if someone is just objectively wrong about it. Point of Entry is one of those albums, as somehow this album got to be looked at in the same way as Load and ReLoad. A rant about "anything I don't like is commercial hard rock" can wait for another day, but Point of Entry is no more commercial hard rock and no less metal than the previous two albums.

When you listen to Point of Entry side by side with the likes of Killing Machine and British Steel, it really does not sound that much different at all. Downing and Tipton's signature twin guitar attack is there. Holland's drums are absolutely massive, and Halford's vocals and melodies are as powerful and beautiful as ever. Tom Allom's production sounds just as great as their other 80's classics. Perhaps the only real difference is that I think Ian Hill's thumping and driving basslines are at their most audible on this record.

Now that all that's out of the way, let's talk more in depth about how much this album kicks ass. The album opens right up with "Heading Out to the Highway", and there couldn't be a better opening. It gets the listener pumped and ready for the ride. This album is meant to be a driving album, nothing else sounds better while cruising in the car or even walking down the street. The whole album follows suit, everything is so fun yet also majestic and beautiful at the same time. No song reflects all of this better than the masterpiece that is "Desert Plains". Not only is this the best song on the album, but I would rank this as one of Priest's very best tunes. It's impossible to not singalong to Halford's soaring melodies and the drums are so colossal that it makes you feel like you're right in front of a stage.

There's not a single dud on this album (though that can be said for most of Priest's albums), but there are a few more apart from the ones mentioned that stand out from the rest. "Solar Angels" starts out with a driving riff that has almost a spacey-tone to it. "Hot Rockin'" is just pure 80's heavy metal at its most fun. It's impossible to not chant along with the shouts of 'I wanna go, I wanna go, HOT ROCKIN'. "Turning Circles" has always drawn me in with the beautiful bridge when the guitars quiet down giving the stage for a simple yet powerful vocal performance. "On the Run" is heavy metal with swagger. Hill's thumping basslines and the main riff give the song such an awesome groove.

Now, there are a couple songs on the album that do fit a more hard rock sound, such as the somewhat Kiss-esque "Troubleshooter". However, Killing Machine and British Steel have their share of more hard rock-oriented songs as well such as "Living After Midnight". Also, if the music is good, who really cares if it's metal or hard rock? Good music is good music, and this album is all good music.

While I love almost all of Priest's albums, I would rank Point of Entry up there with the best of the best. I'm pretty sure Screaming for Vengeance will always remain their best album if I'm having to choose, but this album is certainly in my head when I am thinking about which is their best. If you've dismissed this album as just a commercial hard rock album like so many others, I recommend another listen. Go for a drive, and crank this classic up.

https://thewickednest.blogspot.com/2018/03/judas-priest-point-of-entry-review.html