Judas Priest's 18th studio album,
FIREPOWER began under inauspicious circumstances. First, guitarist
Glenn Tipton, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a decade ago, found it necessary to retire from the road; second, they lost out to
Bon Jovi for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and finally, former drummer
Dave Holland passed on before this set's issue. But the sound of
FIREPOWER
remains unbowed. Its undiminished power and assaultive mayhem are
somewhat tempered in its slower moments by slowly unfurling rage, loss,
and menace. It was begun in 2016 by
Rob Halford,
Tipton, and new guitarist
Richie Faulkner. They chose two veteran producers to bring it home:
Tom Allom, who helmed every
JP album between 1979's
Unleashed in the East (Live in Japan) and 1988's
Ram It Down, and
Andy Sneap, master producer/engineer of modern metal. He began his career in 1994 and has worked with everyone from
Accept and
Exodus to
Megadeth,
Masterplan, and
Testament. He is also a formidable guitarist who is replacing
Tipton on the road.
FIREPOWER is meaner and leaner than Redeemer of Souls; the songwriting is more diverse and exceptionally tight. JP
recorded all together from the studio floor; overdubs were added in
post-production. It creates a kinetic energy and unified sense of
purpose not heard consistently since Screaming for Vengeance. The opening title track thunders with double-timed drums, a classic dual-guitar riff, and Halford's
scream. He may not be able to reach glass-shattering pitches at age 67,
but his midrange wail and baritone growl remain among the mightiest
forces in rock. His venomous attack righteously informs this anthemic
call to arms. The grooving "Lightning Strike" is led by Scott Travis'
kit swinging hard over an angular guitar vamp, which erupts two-thirds
of the way through with wonderfully tasty dual leads and solos. While
some might wish all 14 tracks were bonecrushers, that's not Judas Priest.
The midtempo "Never the Heroes" kicks off with a moody synth line and
reverbed kick drums and tom-toms. It breaks down into menacing drama as Halford unfurls a hostile paean for the dead foot-soldiers of wars created by politicians and profiteers.
The knotty chug in "Necromancer" recalls the
Judas Priest of yore, while "Children of the Sun" offers a riff worthy of early
Black Sabbath
before reentering the band's boot-stomping sphere. The structure,
drama, and production on the taut "Rising from Ruins" recalls "Blood Red
Skies" from
Ram It Down -- especially with
Ian Hill's
thrumming bassline and chant-along chorus. Slower tempos prevail on
"Flame Thrower" and "Spectre," but heaviness is never sacrificed. The
spiky, raucous "Lone Wolf" is another groover possessing all of
Judas Priest's
iconic swagger and stomp. "Sea of Red" offers the other side of "Never
the Heroes." An homage to the war dead, soldiers and civilians alike, it
commences as a power ballad and builds into a rousing metal hymn.
Closing in on their 50th anniversary,
Judas Priest still possess the musical rigor, showmanship, and force that make other bands bow down.
FIREPOWER smokes.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Comments as "Anonymous" have been restored. Please keep the comments civilized. We do not accept requests.