Disc 3:
Riding On The Wind—-Yet another Priest classic that is known by millions. A huge live crowd favorite, the son plays very well live. The song has a huge sound in the studio format…the drums are loud and in your forehead…the vocal is piercing and un relentless. The guitars attack you from all sides….this all equals a huge, unforgettable metal classic!
Bloodstone—-Yet another of the un-appreciated songs that would land on my ‘forever’ playlist, the song begins rather slow. The guitars are the star early on, and the drums enter the fray. When Rob comes on the scene, the sound of the song is already cemented and he only adds to the lines that the instruments have already set. The voice manages to hit some highs that are classic and unforgettable. This is under appreciated and under played…classic British Heavy Metal.
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’—-Another of the worldwide known hits of the band, te sound and tone of the track is unremarkable in the realm of available Metal in the 80’s. The song does have a huge anthem like quality that you cannot escape, but the sound is too much like every other ‘big’ song that the band produced. The voice is remarkable and makes the song classic…I could never hear this again and be ok…but that is just me.
Devil’s Child—-Now, this is more like the Priest that I loved back in the day. The song has all the trademark levels of sound, but still sounds fresh and different. The guitar is more bass driven and deeper….the drums are faster and more in your face. The voice is classic Metal without being overblown and commercial. This is a great driving song that plays well in huge arenas or in your living room. Fantastic!!!
Freewheel Burnin’—-Immediately, the tone of the song is more brutal and pronounced than anything the band had produced. The guitars and drums are lightning fast and the vocal is blistering. Halford spits lyrics at the speed of sound and still retains an intensity and tone that is incredible. The screams that come from this man are almost superhuman and it is amazing to hear a really good version f this song. The intensity of the song never lets up for a moment and as it ends you are wasted in a sweaty lump. WOW!!!!
Jawbreaker—-This is yet another way underappreciated song that never fails to excite me upon the first few chords of the intro. the vocal of Halford makes the song an entity of its own…the chorus manages to become the song all on its own. The verses remain in that ultra fast delivery that would later make the band groundbreaking in the US. The guitars are almost more powerful than the voice, delivering a song all of their own….incredible!!!
The Sentinel—-A huge opus that opened many a live show also, the song gives the guitars a nice intro as Rob get ready to sing. The vocal is piercing and super-human. How a man can sing like that at an extended amount of time is amazing to me….let alone for 30 plus years. This song is classic in sound and defined mid 80’s Heavy Metal. Nice!!!
Love Bites [Live]—-Over blown and over rated, I really do not like this song. Halford seems uninspired and the track on a musical level seems to be treading water….next….
Eat Me Alive—-Much more Metal based and full in sound, Halford delivers the same elements of the previous song in a much more acceptable way. The song is overt and homosexual…everything metal wasn’t but was at a basic level. This is classic….the guitars are huge and the drums pummel your brain….give me a bottle of poppers and a dark back room and you define heaven.
Some Heads Are Gonna Roll—-The band tried to copycat all of the popular sounds of the time with this song and scored really well with most audiences. The song combines many of the 80’s Metal sounds…at the onset, the song reminds me of the Scorpions, only the vocals save the song from obscurity…never a high point with me, the song still sounds rather fresh as I listen back on it.
Rock Hard Ride Free—-Again, the song combines the pseudo Scorpions/Van Halen sounds that were so popular at the time. Only the voice saves the song from being another typical mid-80’s rock song. Halford still seems inspired despite the lackluster delivery of Tipton and Downing. The chorus is huge and made for the arena shows of the time.
Night Comes Down—-Returning to a more blues inspired delivery, the band still sounds a tad too generic for my taste. The chorus is a grand affair that will remind you of bands like Whitesnake or Dio. The guitar downshift throughout the song set for a different sound though and this makes the song special. The background vocal overlays show you that Halford can still scream with the best of them….listen for them…way in the backdrop. The production is masterful.
Turbo Lover—-Let me start by saying…no one except me liked the Turbo record….I literally adored this release. The band needed to expand and set it self apart and I think that they produced a really good record. This track, a tad bit overblown is by no means my favorite but has some really nice qualities. Halford delivers a relaxed and erotic vocal without going over the top and the band has expanded it’s base to include a more updated sound. I did not find this distasteful as so many fans did.
Private Property—-The song begins with a heavy synthesized sound, that takes nothing away from the anthemic qualities of the song. I love this song…it is full of empowerment and fit right in with the whole Beastie Boys Fight For You Right To Party theme. This song was a great pair with the next song…it all fit a thematic feel….
Parental Guidance—-Another song full of the anthem qualities at the time. The song is much more organic and electric with little of the effects that are heard throughout this release. The sing a long chorus makes for a perfect arena song and ar the time, Priest was playing huge arenas. The song has a fun almost Twisted Sister feel to it that would provide lots of fun for video afficiandos…if only!!!
Out In The Cold—-My very favorite song from the ‘Turbo’ release, and on my top ten list, I have loved this opus of a song from the very first listen. The song does have a synthesized guitar sound but the feel still remains huge and epic. You can almost see the lasers fighting through the fog as the lights swirl around the stage and catch the atmosphere. The build-up is almost too much to take as you wait for the first true metal sounds to emerge. You are not disappointed as the song opens up and becomes huge. The voice is full of emotion and feeling, the music at times reminding you of Hagar era Van Halen….this is a huge song that will sweep you up. The voice gets more and more emotive as the song continues, and you are not let down as Halford proves he still has what it takes. This is classic epic metal.
Heart Of A Lion [Demo]—-This song eventually landed on the live Halford release as a bonus track. The sound is rough and uninspired. The guitars sound foreign and the vocal is weak and not really there. A waste of space….for me.
**** out of 5
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