Judas Priest - Painkiller

Mr. CooL ICE

Released in 1990, Painkiller was a dramatic change in Priest's musical direction. They had gone through a number of drummers but this was the debut of Scott Travis, whose double bass rhythms helped transform Judas Priest from being in a rut along with most other NWOBHM bands to being a full on power metal assault.
The first 15 seconds self-titled album opener is just a blast of drums, followed by roaring guitars and a demon like performance from vocalist Halford. At first listen to this album, you might notice very little variation between songs, as they all blend in together, but what is here is a collection of metal classics. Leather Rebel is an adrenaline-fuelled sing-along anthem, Metal Meltdown is like an aural child-like tantrum set to great music and the lyrics for Night Crawler will stick in your head for days.
The whole album isnt just an attempt at becoming a speed metal band; A Touch Of Evil has an obvious 80s pop influence and Between The Hammer And The Anvil, with its sludgy intro, is a mid-paced riff-fest. Lyrically, the whole album is nonsense, but an inspired vocal performance from vocalist Halford keeps everything interesting. The solo work is also amazing, showing Tipton's and Downing's transition from rock-style lead work to shredding.
The from the very start till near the end, the album doesn't let up. Perhaps culling a song from the end of the album may improve things, but the rest is so solid that it doesnt matter.

4.5/5

superconor

I would say maybe a 4 / 5. When you want intriguing lyrics and varied songs, look elsewhere. When you want a pure blast of god damn metal, stick it on and bang your head!