It doesn't get much more classic than JUDAS PRIEST. I'm usually more of a casual listener when it comes to metal – the genre is often too overt for my taste. But here we have the co-founders of metal, and who better than them to roll out the clichés in all their glory?
Some facts and fun tidbits: JUDAS PRIEST started in 1969 in Birmingham, UK, and have now released their 19th studio album, "Invincible Shield." Along the way, they have either driven or embraced many of the developments in heavy metal. The beginning was partly more hard rock for riding motorcycles, and in 1990, with the album "Painkiller," there was a significant shift towards power metal that has sustainably shaped the band's style to this day. Hymn-like falsetto vocals over a double bass carpet, served with guitar duels. And here I could shorten this review by saying that nothing has changed in this regard on the new album, but that wouldn't do justice to the quality of the new songs.
Anyone who buys this album should like guitar. At least a third of each song consists of melodic solos, often alternating between the two guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, sometimes multiple solos per song. To be honest, it often feels like some of the songs are just vehicles for the solos, and rightly so, because the old masters know their craft.
Only very rarely did I get the feeling that there was more paint-by-numbers along the scale being done here.
The band's most important trademark is probably Rob Halford's vocals. He effortlessly reaches dizzying heights, and can also infuse his voice with either aggression or pathos at will. At over 70 years old and with a bushy beard, he is an imposing figure that one would not want to encounter in the woods (like here). And this is not mockery, but a role that perfectly fits his stage persona – the Metal God (he trademarked this title), who sings in leather and studs about battles and downfall, hell and the devil, rulers, monsters, and heroes. This is, of course, thematically teenage fantasy; may I remind you that we are still in heavy metal? Other lyrics would not do justice to the pathos that runs through these songs.
Thus, "Invincible Shield" essentially offers nothing new, but simply a tried-and-true recipe at a very high level. Did I hear the riff from "Leather Rebel" in "As God Is My Witness"? Certainly! Is the title "Devil in Disguise" an original idea? Not at all!
JUDAS PRIEST is an institution, and as such, it offers in an institutionalized way exactly what metalheads need. Thank you, and keep it up!
