The track "Grinder" is a perfect description of British Steel. Most of the songs off Judas Priest's first release of the 1980s sound like guitars thrown in a grinder. Those who know this album chiefly by the two singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" will be surprised at how non-commercial the rest of this album is. Rob Halford, through much of the 1980s, called British Steel the best Judas Priest album. As a fan of 1980s Priest, I'd give the nod to Screaming for Vengeance and I may even put British Steel behind Defenders of the Faith. Still, British Steel is a classic 5-star album and a must for any metal fan. "Living After Midnight" aside, any fan of raw, grinding metal who does not like too much of the good time rock 'n roll sound, will be a big fan of British Steel.

"Breaking the Law" is one of the more well-known songs by Priest receiving a lot of play with the cool retro (although rather silly) music video. It is a very accessible and fun rocker. "Rapid Fire" is one of those grinding songs. It is my least favorite off British Steel as it is very repetitive and doesn't seem to go anywhere. It has no chorus to speak of. "Metal Gods" and "Grinder" also have a very raw sound but are also very catchy. The former is classic Priest and "Grinder" is one of my favorites on this album. "United" is a chanting anthem which was probably more appropriate live with audience participation.

The most played Judas Priest track is definitely "Living After Midnight." It is a good rock 'n roll song, but it is also very commercial and not really what Priest was/is all about. In terms of the best songs on this album, I put it in the middle of the pack. To me, the best song on this album is "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise." It is a powerful track with excellent lyrics and incredible vocals. Rob Halford really demonstrates his range on this one! The album ends with two more grinders, "The Rage" and "Steeler." The former is the better of the two as it actually comes to a climax. "Steeler," like "Rapid Fire," just grinds away and is mostly instrumental with driving guitars and drums. Metal purists will probably enjoy it. I don't agree with some reviewers that British Steel is Judas Priest's best album, but it is still a classic and essential for any metal collection.

Judas Priest's 1984 release Defenders of the Faith is my third favorite 1980s Priest album behind Screaming for Vengeance and barely behind British Steel. Many of the tracks off Defender are better than British Steel but it is not quite as solid as the 1980 classic.

Defenders offers some of the best all-time Priest tracks: "The Sentinel," "Love Bites," and "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll." They have a unique guitar sound that is difficult to explain in words. The sound gives me images of a futuristic gladiator arena where metal gods do battle overlooked by the feared Sentinel. What would that sound like? Listen to this album. My favorite track, however, is the power ballad "Night Comes Down." It is beautiful with, as one would expect, amazing Rob Halford vocals.

The rest of the album is fairly solid. The single "Freewheel Burning" is fast and furious. Although it is not one of my favorite tracks, hearing Halford sing at breakneck speed is incredible! "Jawbreaker" is a Sentinel-style song with that unique guitar sound. "Rock Hard Ride Free" is a catchy rocker. "Eat Me Alive" got the PMRC leaders' pantyhose in a knot with the highly suggestive lyrics (probably giving some guys the creeps now that Halford has officially "come out") and the line "I'm gonna force you at gunpoint." It is not one of their better tracks. "Heavy Duty/Defenders of the Faith" starts out like "Eat Me Alive II" with some risqué lyrics but ends up being a salute to metal. The title track is just a 1:30 chanting of "We are defenders of the faith." I'm not a big fan of songs that celebrate the band, its fans, and what they do (Ram it Down has a lot of self congratulatory songs like "Heavy Metal" and "I'm a Rocker"). It's disappointing that this song was chosen as the live bonus track. The bonus studio track does not seem to wow anyone either. Though it ends on a low note, most of Defenders of the Faith is excellent and one of Priest's best.

The track "Grinder" is a perfect description of British Steel. Most of the songs off Judas Priest's first release of the 1980s sound like guitars thrown in a grinder. Those who know this album chiefly by the two singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" will be surprised at how non-commercial the rest of this album is. Rob Halford, through much of the 1980s, called British Steel the best Judas Priest album. As a fan of 1980s Priest, I'd give the nod to Screaming for Vengeance and I may even put British Steel behind Defenders of the Faith. Still, British Steel is a classic 5-star album and a must for any metal fan. "Living After Midnight" aside, any fan of raw, grinding metal who does not like too much of the good time rock 'n roll sound, will be a big fan of British Steel.

"Breaking the Law" is one of the more well-known songs by Priest receiving a lot of play with the cool retro (although rather silly) music video. It is a very accessible and fun rocker. "Rapid Fire" is one of those grinding songs. It is my least favorite off British Steel as it is very repetitive and doesn't seem to go anywhere. It has no chorus to speak of. "Metal Gods" and "Grinder" also have a very raw sound but are also very catchy. The former is classic Priest and "Grinder" is one of my favorites on this album. "United" is a chanting anthem which was probably more appropriate live with audience participation.

The most played Judas Priest track is definitely "Living After Midnight." It is a good rock 'n roll song, but it is also very commercial and not really what Priest was/is all about. In terms of the best songs on this album, I put it in the middle of the pack. To me, the best song on this album is "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise." It is a powerful track with excellent lyrics and incredible vocals. Rob Halford really demonstrates his range on this one! The album ends with two more grinders, "The Rage" and "Steeler." The former is the better of the two as it actually comes to a climax. "Steeler," like "Rapid Fire," just grinds away and is mostly instrumental with driving guitars and drums. Metal purists will probably enjoy it. This remastered edition has the bonus studio track "Red, White, and Blue" is Turbo/Ram It Down era. I have a 1988 article in Blast! magazine where Halford stated it (as well as "Prisoner of Your Eyes") did not make Ram it Down but might "surface in 1989 or 1990." Well, it surfaces here and "Prisoner" (a nice ballad) surfacing on the remastered Screaming for Vengeance. I don't agree with some reviewers that British Steel is Judas Priest's best album, but it is still a classic and essential for any metal collection.

I can't believe this video is still in print! I got mine in the mid 1980s. Fuel for Life includes 10 music videos from that decade: 2 from British Steel, 3 from Point of Entry, 1 from Screaming for Vengeance (note only 1 from Priest's best album), 2 from Defenders of the Faith, and 2 from Turbo. Because it was a Turbo-era release, the clips between the videos are Turbo-related with the band members riding through the desert on motorcycles. A lot of people have given this collection very poor ratings. These are music videos from the 1980s; what do you really expect? The band, at least, showed some effort to make these videos entertaining and most of them are fairly well done.

"Living After Midnight" (1980): I always find videos made before MTV interesting. Why were they made? Who were meant to see them? This first video shows the band on stage. Rob Halford is wearing this ghastly outfit with a big mop of blond hair. The camera then focuses on these weirdoes playing fake guitars all through Glenn Tipton's guitar solo (I wonder what Glenn thought of that). The clock moves past midnight and these weirdoes end up on a bus (a "special" bus). If those are the type of people who live after midnight, I suggest staying indoors.
"Breaking the Law" (1980): This video shows some creativity. In a very British setting, Rob and the gang set out to rob a bank. Halford must have gotten a hair cut between these British Steel videos as he looks much better here. Rob sings his case to the terrified bank customers "You don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue..." Glenn and KK open the vault with their magic guitars and Rob steals the band's gold record. While they take off in the getaway car, the guard, who has seen the whole affair on the security television, seems to be getting off on a cardboard guitar. Well, they stole their own gold record, so I guess there was no emergency. A silly but fun video.

"Don't Go" (1981): Rob is in his cop uniform-even sporting a mustache-and pleads with each band member not to leave him (hmmm). Surprisingly, Ian Hill, who usually doesn't get too much screen time, tries to leave first but is frightened when he sees a long drop from the door (I guess he tried the wrong door). KK is the first to leave and ends up walking down a hallway lined with rabbits in a neck brace and then is smothered by some scantily-clad dames. Glenn (always the cooler looking of the band members) forcefully leaves and ends up a secret agent. The drummer, who usually had the most sophisticated style of the band, ends up in an astronaut getup. Well, at least the video follows the "Don't Go" theme.
"Heading Out to the Highway" (1981): I'm ashamed to admit it-especially considering the pathetic mess he's recently made of his life-but I once had a crush on drummer Dave Holland because of this video. He sported the adorable mustache and tie. Oh well. Anyway, the fake, yet cool, scenery with the highway in the middle of the desert is very retro. Glenn and KK compete in a drag race and drive slower than OJ's white Bronco. I've seen this videos dozens of times and I still don't know who wins.
"Hot Rockin'" (1981): This video has the infamous, disturbing scene where the guys are all shirtless and working out and taking showers. Oh grow up...they're just getting ready to go hot rockin'. Actually, the video is pretty cool during the stage performance scene where there are flames on the cymbals, guitars, and microphone. The guys are visibly sweating during this scene.

"You've Got Another Thing Coming" (1982): I've probably seen this video on MTV during the 1980s more than all the others combined. It has a very cool outdoor set with a guy who looks like a British detective. I'm not sure who he is supposed to represent (authority, perhaps) but he gets it in the end.

"Freewheel Burning" (1984): This video has the band doing a stage show while a kid is playing Pole Position in an arcade (very 1980s). Rob is inside the game at one point (that would've been a cool video game).
"Love Bites" (1984): Another stage show video. This one is very cool with Rob on the paw of the Defenders of the Faith beast.

"Locked In" (1986): This video is definitely the band's most creative. It does not have lip-synching or guitar playing. The guys actually act out a story where Glenn and KK free Rob from these women and cool looking little skeleton things. At one point, the girls torment Rob while he's swinging upside down (Rob doesn't look too traumatized by the situation). Glenn Tipton really looks like he had fun making this video. Ian Hill and Dave Holland have a very limited role, just manning the ladder during the rescue. Looking back, it is funny that Turbo ostensibly was a reaction to the growing popularity of hair bands and during this time Rob let his hair grow out and Dave Holland got a perm.
"Turbo Lover" (1986): Like the clips between these videos, the guys are on motorcycles along with the little skeletons and a sexy dame. Rob looks pretty good in this video (I guess the longer hair helped). He can't make the turn at the end and is chased while his band mates watch on binoculars.

Sure, the videos are cheesy, but the music is great and it is nice to have something visual to go along with them. You can probably find this video very cheap, so give it a try. You might get a kick out of it.

I like it when bands/artists experiment. Some of my favorite albums are ones that explore music beyond an artist's typical sound like the New Wave inspired Under Wraps by Jethro Tull or the more synthesizer-driven Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden. I also like Judas Priest's experiment with synthesizers on Turbo. With all the hair bands making it big in the mid-1980s, Priest decided to try a different sound (Rob Halford looked pretty good with the longer blond locks and even the drummer got a perm by the time this album came out). Turbo does not sound like Poison, but it is more radio friendly than Defenders of the Faith. Turbo was planned to be a double album. When that plan was scrapped, many tracks were left off. Some found there way on Ram It Down like its title track, "Hard as Iron," "Monsters of Rock," and "Love You to Death." The first two were virtually complete at the time of Turbo. It is difficult to imagine what a double Twin Turbos album would be like as Ram It Down is so much different than Turbo. It may have helped fans accept the synthesizers if half the album gave them the more typical Priest sound. Most fans did not like Turbo because it did not sound enough like Judas Priest. I remember reading a letter in a rock magazine where a fan admitted to crying when he first heard the album. Well, it's not that bad. In fact, some of the tracks here are excellent and one is incredible.

"Turbo Lover" is a very cool track. The synthesizers make it sound like a futuristic motorcycle cruising down the highway and the guitar solo is awesome. "Locked In" is very commercial but darn catchy which was accompanied by Priest's most creative music video. Other catchy tracks include "Private Property," "Wild Nights, Hot Crazy Days," and "Reckless." "Hot For Love" is also pretty good but the chorus seems disjointed. The guitar break demonstrates how bands like Iron Maiden were influenced by these metal statesmen. The best track, by far, is "Out in the Cold." It is an amazing, powerful ballad and one of my all-time favorite Priest songs. It is worth the price of the album alone!

In my opinion, Turbo's main flaw is that it didn't go further in its experimentation. It becomes very commercial with tracks like "Parental Guidance" (an obvious knock on the PMRC who criticized the track "Eat Me Alive" off their previous album). "Rock You All Around the World" is one of those "all hail us" song that I do not care for. Despite these tracks, Turbo is still a good album. It probably should not be the first Judas Priest album you buy, but it is not as bad as many make it out to be. In fact, I'd rather listen to Turbo than Ram It Down any day.

Judas Priest's 1984 release Defenders of the Faith is my third favorite 1980s Priest album behind Screaming for Vengeance and barely behind British Steel. Many of the tracks off Defender are better than British Steel but it is not quite as solid as the 1980 classic.

Defenders offers some of the best all-time Priest tracks: "The Sentinel," "Love Bites," and "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll." They have a unique guitar sound that is difficult to explain in words. The sound gives me images of a futuristic gladiator arena where metal gods do battle overlooked by the feared Sentinel. What would that sound like? Listen to this album. My favorite track, however, is the power ballad "Night Comes Down." It is beautiful with, as one would expect, amazing Rob Halford vocals.

The rest of the album is fairly solid. The single "Freewheel Burning" is fast and furious. Although it is not one of my favorite tracks, hearing Halford sing at breakneck speed is incredible! "Jawbreaker" is a Sentinel-style song with that unique guitar sound. "Rock Hard Ride Free" is a catchy rocker. "Eat Me Alive" got the PMRC leaders' pantyhose in a knot with the highly suggestive lyrics (probably giving some guys the creeps now that Halford has officially "come out") and the line "I'm gonna force you at gunpoint." It is not one of their better tracks. "Heavy Duty/Defenders of the Faith" starts out like "Eat Me Alive II" with some risqué lyrics but ends up being a salute to metal. The title track is just a 1:30 chanting of "We are defenders of the faith." I'm not a big fan of songs that celebrate the band, its fans, and what they do (Ram it Down has a lot of self congratulatory songs like "Heavy Metal" and "I'm a Rocker"). Though it ends on a low note, most of Defenders of the Faith is excellent and one of Priest's best.

Judas Priest's 1981 Point of Entry was the follow-up to the classic British Steel. Speaking in vinyl terms, if Point of Entry consisted of the entire first side and "Solar Angels" from side two, it would be 5-star and Priest's most solid album. Unfortunately, it continues with some of Priest's worst tracks.

First, the best stuff: The first three songs also sport music videos available on the video Fuel for Life. "Heading Out to the Highway" is the best of the bunch, but "Don't Go" and "Hot Rockin'" are also excellent, catchy tracks. I really like "Turning in Circles." It is a fun, kick back rocker. "Desert Plains" is excellent. It is a slower track dominated by some thundering drums by Dave Holland (now serving 8 years for a sexual assault conviction). The song transports its listener across desert plains. It is very well done. "Solar Angels" doesn't blow one away but is a solid, catchy track. It is almost of the style of a British Steel song as it is a driving, repetitive song with no chorus (like "Rapid Fire" and "Steeler"). If it had the grinding guitar sound, it would fit very well on British Steel.

Now for the bad stuff: The rest of the album is terrible. "You Say Yes" is just annoying, especially the chorus. The quiet bridge is the best part. Parts of "All the Way" sound a little like "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise," but it is not in the same league as that excellent British Steel track. "Troubleshooter" is also annoying and "On the Run" is a little better, but not by much. Although this album breaks down at the end, the best tracks are so good that this album is still worthy of 4 stars.

After much pondering, I've decided that Screaming for Vengeance is my favorite Judas Priest album-edging out Stained Class, Defenders of the Faith, and British Steel. This 1982 release is one of their most solid albums and the best tracks on this album are also THE best Priest tracks of all time.

"Hellion/Electric Eye" (the first track being a short instrumental introduction to the second) is classic Priest. "Electric Eye" is my all-time favorite Judas Priest song! The haunting lyrics, the verses that build up to the chorus, the killer guitar solos; I can't write enough about it! "Riding on the Wind" is a catchy rocker. It begins with a furious drum intro by Dave Holland (now in prison for a sexual assault conviction). It bugs me a little because parts of it sound like another Priest song but I can never figure out which. Maybe "Heading Out to the Highway." Still, it is one of the better tracks on Screaming. "Bloodstone" is awesome! It is another favorite of mine. It is a driving rocker and the guitar riffs are unbelievable! "(Take These) Chains" (written by R. Halligan Jr.) is a slower, catchy track. I'm sure a lot of fans find themselves singing the chorus. The line "Take them off of my heart" I've always thought was a little sappy but I like Halford's vocals in the line "I can't sleep at night." "Pain and Pleasure" is a monster track. I don't like it quite as well as the others, but a below average song off Screaming is better than most average tracks elsewhere.

The title track is the most furious song Judas Priest has ever done before or since. It kicks so much butt, words cannot do it justice. The fast and screeching "Freewheel Burning" off Defenders of the Faith has nothing on this track! "You've Got Another Thing Coming" is classic Priest. Next to "Living After Midnight," it is probably their most played single. Unlike "Living...," it is not commercial rock 'n roll, but powerful metal. "Fever" is an interesting track. It is slow in parts and then rocks. It has a beauty to it and is very catchy with excellent guitar at the bridge. "Devil's Child" is another rocker with killer, screeching vocals at the bridge. Screaming for Vengeance is awesome (it also sports the best Priest album cover). If you own only one Judas Priest album, this should be the one!

I like it when bands/artists experiment. Some of my favorite albums are ones that explore music beyond an artist's typical sound like the New Wave inspired Under Wraps by Jethro Tull or the more synthesizer-driven Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden. I also like Judas Priest's experiment with synthesizers on Turbo. With all the hair bands making it big in the mid-1980s, Priest decided to try a different sound (Rob Halford looked pretty good with the longer blond locks and even the drummer got a perm by the time this album came out). Turbo does not sound like Poison, but it is more radio friendly than Defenders of the Faith. Turbo was planned to be a double album. When that plan was scrapped, many tracks were left off. Some found there way on Ram it Down like the title track, "Hard as Iron," "Monsters of Rock," and "Love You to Death." The first two were virtually complete at the time of Turbo. It is difficult to imagine what a double Twin Turbos album would be like as Ram it Down is so much different than Turbo. It may have helped fans accept the synthesizers if half the album gave them the more typical Priest sound. Most fans did not like Turbo because it did not sound enough like Judas Priest. I remember reading a letter in a rock magazine where a fan admitted to crying when he first heard the album. Well, it's not that bad. In fact, some of the tracks here are excellent and one is incredible.

"Turbo Lover" is a very cool track. The synthesizers make it sound like a futuristic motorcycle cruising down the highway and the guitar solo is awesome. "Locked In" is very commercial but darn catchy which was accompanied by Priest's most creative music video. Other catchy tracks include "Private Property," "Wild Nights, Hot Crazy Days," and "Reckless." "Hot For Love" is also pretty good but the chorus seems disjointed. The guitar break demonstrates how bands like Iron Maiden were influenced by these metal statesmen. The best track, by far, is "Out in the Cold." It is an amazing, powerful ballad and one of my all-time favorite Priest songs. It is worth the price of the album alone!

In my opinion, Turbo's main flaw is that it didn't go further in its experimentation. It becomes very commercial with tracks like "Parental Guidance" (an obvious knock on the PMRC who criticized the track "Eat Me Alive" off their previous album). "Rock You All Around the World" is one of those "all hail us" song that I do not care for. Despite these tracks, Turbo is still a good album. It probably should not be the first Judas Priest album you buy, but it is not as bad as many make it out to be.

Judas Priest's 1981 Point of Entry was the follow-up to the classic British Steel. Speaking in vinyl terms, if Point of Entry consisted of the entire first side and "Solar Angels" from side two, it would be 5-star and Priest's most solid album. Unfortunately, it continues with some of Priest's worst tracks.

First, the best stuff: The first three songs also sport music videos available on the video Fuel for Life. "Heading Out to the Highway" is the best of the bunch, but "Don't Go" and "Hot Rockin'" are also excellent, catchy tracks. I really like "Turning in Circles." It is a fun, kick back rocker. "Desert Plains" is excellent. It is a slower track dominated by some thundering drums by Dave Holland (now serving 8 years for a sexual assault conviction). The song transports its listener across desert plains. It is very well done. "Solar Angels" doesn't blow one away but is a solid, catchy track. It is almost of the style of a British Steel song as it is a driving, repetitive song with no chorus (like "Rapid Fire" and "Steeler"). If it had the grinding guitar sound, it would fit very well on British Steel.

Now for the bad stuff: The rest of the album is terrible. "You Say Yes" is just annoying, especially the chorus. The quiet bridge is the best part. Parts of "All the Way" sound a little like "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise," but it is not in the same league as that excellent British Steel track. "Troubleshooter" is also annoying and "On the Run" is a little better, but not by much. The bonus track "Thunder Road" is, well, "thundering" but is not Point of Entry-era, so that's a little disappointing. From what I've read, the bonus live track was also recorded years later. Although this album breaks down at the end, the best tracks are so good that this album is still worthy of 4 stars.