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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Judas Priest - Redeemer Of Souls + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Jul-23-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2014 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 13 cd2: 5 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.judaspriest.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Judas Priest Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Redeemer Of Souls Label : Sony Music ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Six years, one false retirement, and departure ║ │
│║ of K.K. Downing after Nostradamus, Judas Priest ║ │
│║ has finally released their seventeenth album ║ │
│║ Redeemer of Souls. It should seem fitting that ║ │
│║ would could potentially be their final album was ║ │
│║ released forty years after their debut Rocka ║ │
│║ Rolla. From the bluesy and hard-rocking 70's ║ │
│║ albums, to the larger-than-life anthemic 80's ║ │
│║ albums, to the faster and more aggressive albums ║ │
│║ of the 90's, to their glorious reunion with ║ │
│║ Halford, all the way to the ambitious symphonic ║ │
│║ concept album Nostradamus, Judas Priest has ║ │
│║ always been able to adapt and evolve with the ║ │
│║ times. Some may point that as their downfall ║ │
│║ with their supposed inferior 2000 albums, but ║ │
│║ it's really a testament to their longevity. For ║ │
│║ forty years Priest has waved the banner for ║ │
│║ heavy metal and continue that tradition with ║ │
│║ Redeemer of Souls. Is it perfect? Of course not. ║ │
│║ Is it still good? You better believe it. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ First, I feel the need to get the negatives out ║ │
│║ of the way. The biggest issue with this album is ║ │
│║ the mixing and production value. Now while this ║ │
│║ does not hinder the songs in any significant ║ │
│║ matter, it's still a bit noticeable. The guitars ║ │
│║ especially have a drier and somewhat thinner ║ │
│║ sound than the well-polished and booming Angel ║ │
│║ of Retribution and Nostradamus. This is most ║ │
│║ evident on the Painkiller and Angel of ║ │
│║ Retribution-styled Metalizer. While definitely ║ │
│║ the fastest and one of the heavier songs on the ║ │
│║ album, it doesn't command the same kind of power ║ │
│║ that it could have been capable of. There are ║ │
│║ even a few (albeit rare) occasions where Rob ║ │
│║ Halford's voice supercedes the guitars more than ║ │
│║ is necessary. This is most notable on the title ║ │
│║ track, as the riffs feel under-mixed beneath ║ │
│║ Halford's loud verses. While bassist Ian Hill ║ │
│║ and drummer Scott Travis have never truly at the ║ │
│║ forefront of the band's sound, they still don't ║ │
│║ really stand out and continue to play supporting ║ │
│║ roles here. But considering Priest's sound has ║ │
│║ always been rooted in the guitars and Halford's ║ │
│║ voice, the rhythm is not in question here. ║ │
│║ Ultimately, the production value doesn't really ║ │
│║ take much from the songs. Some may blame the ║ │
│║ sound as a result of "old age", but it really ║ │
│║ seems to be a result of the band's desire to ║ │
│║ produce a rawer sound and overall production ║ │
│║ issues. It make take a listen or two, but one ║ │
│║ learns to overlook the production and mixing. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The band itself still sounds very good. While ║ │
│║ the guitar solos aren't as crazy and imaginative ║ │
│║ as they have been on past albums, both Glenn ║ │
│║ Tipton and K.K. Downing's replacement Richie ║ │
│║ Faulkner are on top of their games here. As I ║ │
│║ mentioned before, Ian Hill and Scott Travis are ║ │
│║ still in the background but keep the rhythm ║ │
│║ tight. The real standout performance on the ║ │
│║ album is by Rob Halford. What makes Halford ║ │
│║ exceptional on this album is that, at sixty-one ║ │
│║ years old and having spent the past forty years ║ │
│║ screaming Victim of Changes, Freewheel Burning, ║ │
│║ and Painkiller, he knows what he can and cannot ║ │
│║ do. Like Robert Plant, Klaus Meine, and Bruce ║ │
│║ Dickinson, his voice has aged smoothly and ║ │
│║ comfortably. With Halford keeping most songs at ║ │
│║ the low tenor/high baritone level with a slight ║ │
│║ rasp, not only can he still keep up with the ║ │
│║ music, but he can still convey the emotion in ║ │
│║ the lyrics and command power. He can even hit ║ │
│║ some shrieks at a reasonable yet impressive ║ │
│║ level. There's no way he could do Blood Red ║ │
│║ Skies at an 80's level anymore, but he doesn't ║ │
│║ need to. No songs better show what Rob Halford ║ │
│║ is still capable of than Halls of Valhalla and ║ │
│║ Sword of Damocles, as he sings, screams, and ║ │
│║ even growls his way across the former and hits ║ │
│║ the falsetto on the latter. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ One sin that this album is free from is filler. ║ │
│║ Even at eighteen songs and a nearly hour and a ║ │
│║ half run time for the bonus edition, each song ║ │
│║ has its own identity and sound. Despite the fact ║ │
│║ that most songs are mid-paced, Priest finds an ║ │
│║ excellent balance between melody, speed, ║ │
│║ heaviness, and style. While not the all-out ║ │
│║ speed fests reminiscent of Painkiller and Angel ║ │
│║ of Retribution, Dragonaut, Metalizer, Battle Cry ║ │
│║ serve as a nice contrast to the more mid-paced ║ │
│║ (yet still powerful) songs like Sword of ║ │
│║ Damocles and Hell and Back. The same can be said ║ │
│║ for the extremely catchy Down in Flames. Cold ║ │
│║ Blooded also deserves recognition as it keeps an ║ │
│║ excellent balance between melody and heaviness. ║ │
│║ There's also a fair degree of familiarity. The ║ │
│║ title track is reminiscent of the marching riff ║ │
│║ from Hell Patrol, Secrets of the Dead hearkens ║ │
│║ back to darker songs like A Touch of Evil and ║ │
│║ cuts from Nostradamus, and Bring it On has a ║ │
│║ similar swagger to Worth Fighting For. While ║ │
│║ March of the Damned may not be one of the ║ │
│║ strongest tracks, it has the undeniable feel of ║ │
│║ a classic Priest anthem. The band even expands ║ │
│║ into different styles and genres, with Snakebite ║ │
│║ having an AC/DC feel and Crossfire being a ║ │
│║ tribute to the blues. Even the ballads are in ║ │
│║ top form, as both Beginning of the End and Never ║ │
│║ Forget carry plenty of heart-felt emotion ║ │
│║ without becoming sappy. Both songs are notable ║ │
│║ in the fact that they serve as possible ║ │
│║ farewells to the fans, with Beginning of the End ║ │
│║ containing death metaphors and Never Forget ║ │
│║ being a thank you to their loyal, long-time ║ │
│║ fanbase. However, if there's one undisputed ║ │
│║ champion of the album, it's the epic Halls of ║ │
│║ Valhalla. From the arrival of the opening riff ║ │
│║ to Halford's shrieks and anthemic chorus, Halls ║ │
│║ absolutely delivers. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All in all, this is a very solid release. Don't ║ │
│║ set yourself up to be immediately satisfied ║ │
│║ though, it may take another few listens before ║ │
│║ one can truly begin to appreciate what Priest ║ │
│║ did here. The only real drawback here is the ║ │
│║ somewhat dry and occasionally uneven production ║ │
│║ value, but it really doesn't take all that much ║ │
│║ from the songs. Judas Priest may be forty years ║ │
│║ old, but they've grown into their age ║ │
│║ comfortably and know how to deliver even this ║ │
│║ late in the game. Anyone expecting another ║ │
│║ Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith, ║ │
│║ or Painkiller is being unrealistic. But if one ║ │
│║ is looking for a very solid, well-rounded album ║ │
│║ by one of the most experienced metal acts today, ║ │
│║ look no further. I'm sure Priest is stopping ║ │
│║ themselves short from announcing another ║ │
│║ retirement, but if Redeemer of Souls does indeed ║ │
│║ become their swan song, then they'll have gone ║ │
│║ out in a "blaze of glory", to quote from Down in ║ │
│║ Flames. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Rob Halford - Vocals ║ │
│║ Glenn Tipton - Guitars ║ │
│║ Ian Hill - Bass ║ │
│║ Scott Travis - Drums ║ │
│║ Richie Faulkner - Guitars ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Dragonaught [04:27] │
│ 02 - Redeemer of Souls [03:59] │
│ 03 - Halls of Valhalla [06:04] │
│ 04 - Sword of Damocles [04:55] │
│ 05 - March of the Damned [03:56] │
│ 06 - Down in Flames [03:55] │
│ 07 - Hell & Back [04:46] │
│ 08 - Cold Blooded [05:25] │
│ 09 - Metalizer [04:38] │
│ 10 - Crossfire [03:51] │
│ 11 - Secrets of the Dead [05:41] │
│ 12 - Battle Cry [05:18] │
│ 13 - Beginning of the End [05:08] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Snakebite [03:15] │
│ 02 - Tears Of Blood [04:19] │
│ 03 - Creatures [04:26] │
│ 04 - Bring It On [03:18] │
│ 05 - Never Forget [06:25] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [83:46 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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