Reviews (page 3 of 12)
Brilliant album, Amazon to hear how different original metal was compared to now.
Definitely can hear the punk influence 10 years after metal was formed. Listening to this record made me realize how much I love the choogling, 4-on-the-floor rhythm of heavy metal (4.5-5)
Turns out I only kinda like one or two Priest songs. Not even enough to finish them. Sacrilegious I’m sure - but it’s just annoying
Classic album, I knew more of this album than I remembered. It was great
5/10
I was glad to get a metal album after what seems like forever. This one is good. Thrash is a fun genre - fast and aggresive without being overbearing. Some songs are actually in major keys! And you can sing along to them! It's funny because I know at the time this was considered relatively fringe music, but listening to it now it just sounds like hard rock to me. Not a complaint! Solid record. THREE STARS
I like it!
More enjoyable than I would have thought.
Okay, I'll be honest. I don't metal. It takes a lot for me to like a metal album, none of which I can explain in any comprehensive way that would make any kind of sense. Maybe it has something to do with the vocals on many modern metal albums, maybe it's because of the guitars and drums, I don't know. Suffice to say, it's not my genre. And this album doesn't help. I mean the album is fine, it's not particularly hard and overwhelming, but a lot of the songs feel more like arena rock with a little bit of an edge, which is another genre I'm not a fan of. I think the album sounds fine, it's good, but it's not something thay I would enjoy or listen to again. Breaking The Law is a good song, and the only major highlught on the album for me, but it's not for me. I hope there are other albums that can correct my opinion, but this is not the album. Good, not great, and still not for me.
Kick ass, timeless, sick as heck. Love Judas Priest
Nah, just slop
...
10th listen btw 7/10
I don't know if I've ever listened to a full JP album before. Consistent, that's for sure.
boring
Super album de Hard Rock. Très grands solos de guitare. Cet album est diablement entraînant. Super découverte aujourd'hui. Note : 4 À réécouter : Oui
Tremendously stupid
Kyllähän se judas priesti toimittaa ja kelpo levy on tää. Kyllä tässäkin muutama filleri on jotka aika usein tulee normaalikuuntelussa skipattua
Ei tämmönen zz top lämmitä yhtään
Ei Juudaksella ihan lähde, vaikka yritys on kova.
Tää lienee aika perusjytää. Ei nyt kauheen innoissaan jaksa kuunnella saati perehtyä kun ei oo mikään nuoruuden suosikki.
No joo. Ei ihan oman suosikkigenren musaa ole tämä, mutta ei sinällään mitään vikaa. Ihan mielellään tähän käytti tunnin. Entuudestaan tuttuja oli Breaking the law sekä Living after midnight, jota itseasiassa en edes tiennyt Judas Priestin biisiksi, ja tähän päivään asti olen muutenkin luullut että se on Minute after midnigt. Kannatti herätä tänäänkin, kun tuon opin! Siitä kolme tähteä.
A decent 80s heavy rock album. The guitar riffs are nice and heavy, the drums are a bit repetitive and nothing special. Vocals are impressive. I do like other Judas Priest more, when they take bigger swings like with Painkiller. Overall the songs chug along and you can nod your head to them, but they lack anything captivating. Maybe I've heard Living After Midnight one too many times but it's such a lame song.
I'm not an absolute massive fan of Judas Priest but I do enjoy their stuff and this album is pretty good. A lot of bangers here.
Amazing sounding guitars. I don't think I will be coming back, even though some songs were amazing.
This was fun for a one time listen as a way to finally get around to listening to this critically acclaimed band, however I don't think I will be returning to this album ever. This album has made me want to check out more of the band's work.
Un clásico del Heavy Metal, aunque no es para mi lista de preferidos.
This album definitely captures Judas Priest in their truest and rawest form. With this album they deliberately stripped away some of the more progressive elements found in their earlier work, opting instead for shorter, faster, and more direct anthem like tracks, Like 'Breaking the Law' and 'Living After Midnight.'
Not at all my cup of tea, but some songs were partly decent and the album was recorded at Ringo’s house.
Pues bien, me ha gustado
Some decent old school metal. Nothing that set my hair on fire, but not bad.
Not for me
1.5 - not bad for a metal album
How could anyone actually like this?
For me, metal is a genre that requires me to be in a certain mood to enjoy. British Steel in an exception to this rule, possibly because they know how to write a hook? Perhaps it is the dueling guitar harmonies on display? Whatever the reason, there is no denying that this is a classic and highly influential metal album. No doubt that it belongs on this list. Many great tunes. I wish I was listening to it with a cheap beer in hand to really cement to teen nostalgia. Even without the beer bong, it was a fun listen.
ну этот жанр точно не мой, но поют они хорошо, молодцы! и всякие патриотичные песни красиво получаются
I don't even know what to say. It's just magnificent top-notch heavy-metal album. Marvelous riffs and lovely solos and vocal.
Classic, but a bit kitschy.
Very corny in a kind of fun way
Completely fine, and I enjoyed the slightly more melodic tracks. Also credit Halford for being an openly gay man in this genre.
Best Song: The Rage One of the founders of hard rock/metal with a good album. Classic even. The Rage is a highlight and the whole thing is solid. 4/5.
Hard to listen to Judas Priest as a child of the 90s and not conjure Beavis holding a chainsaw, chopping off Butthead's finger. Maybe not what you want, but it has a certain charm.
already listened.
Remember when heavy metal singers sounded good? Like this? Man, those were the days. The guitar power chords are a bit much, and the bass playing is nothing special. So, very unusually for music on this list (and music in general), the singing is the most interesting and impressive element of the music. Take the chorus of United. Compare that singing, that melody and power, to the rest of the instruments (which are reminiscent of a messy, poorly-produced We Will Rock You). A couple of tracks are the exception to the rule: Breaking the Law, with its fast-paced percussion and guitar chugging, is reminiscent of Paranoid (the 1970 title track) and is seriously fun to listen to. It's blistering, powerful, satisfying... and all wrapped up in a lovely two-and-a-half-minute package. That same-key transition into Grinder is maybe slightly questionable, but then that sort of thing has been done to death. Led Zeppelin in particular has lots of examples of this. Living After Midnight is also pretty good. It's sort of what I imagine the Rolling Stones would've sounded like in 1980 if they'd taken the right musical direction. Sprinkle in a little CCR too (especially with that group-harmonised chorus). But there isn't much else positive to say, especially heading into the final three tracks. The guitar solo in Steeler is good, I guess. The issue I'm having is that the music, both on paper and sonically, just isn't that impressive. It's extremely simple, in fact. (We had the psychedelia, glam, and prog movements for a reason. Get it together, Judas!) That being said... every track is enjoyable, in a simple, cavemannish sort of way. These are tunes for driving to a party, or driving to the beach, or really just driving anywhere. Mindless, but strangely great. I don't know what to think. 4/5 Key tracks: Breaking the Law, You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise, Living After Midnight
I was aware of JP; it wasn't my scene, more of a GR fan. Ok, didn't do much for me despite being a metal fan. Some knarly drumming though so that bumps it to a 3
Almost too clean for being metal.
As far as I know, Britain is not particularly known for its steel. It probably ranks somewhere in the middle globally, which makes the album title quite fitting after all. A solid classic hard rock/heavy metal album.
01) Rapid Fire - 6,5 02) Metal Gods - 6,5 03) Breaking the Law - 7,0 04) Grinder - 6,0 05) United - 6,5 06) You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise - 6,5 07) Living After Midnight - 7,0 08) The Rage - 6,5 09) Steeler - 5,5 TOTAL: 6,44 (64/100) Current ranking: 574/818
Shite, metal, shite
As someone who doesn't like metal I liked this! The songs did all sound similar though
those guitar riffs tho
Pretty solid
Not my favourite style of music
Wow I’m instantly watching a skate video. This kinda rocks. Breaking the law. Breaking the law. Living after midnight is also a classic. If I wasn’t in the mood of like, hell yeah skateboarding video type vibe, I’d probably think this was cheesy as hell.
It’s good as far as rock goes. Not my taste at all really. Red white and blue is a rough listen.
Almost nothing from this era of heavy metal is worth listening to.
Breaking the Law Living After Midnight
top 3 - Steeler, Grinder, The Rage sort of underwhelming to me
This is OG metal! 🤘🏼Start to finish, it’s a solid album. British 80s metal hits different.
Very surprised by how good this album was
Som Van halen bestemt ikke dårligt. God energi. Men jeg ved også, at jeg nok ikke kommer til at lytte meget mere til det her album, fordi det er for meget af det samme.
Just a fun album of metal. Metal is inherently an over the top genre. And Judas Priest is absolutely over the top. How fabulous is it to listen to Rob Halford sing "Grindahhhhhh...looking for meat". Good stuff. Yeah, ok - it can be corny at times. But they are all in, and I love that about the music. There's just no reason for hate here. Great music, great vibes, absolute devotion to the schtick. Rock on.
This was a bit disappointing, to be frankly. I already knew "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" but no new discoveries that I would listen to again. The riffs are sick and like the mid-song change ups, I believe it's the singing that puts me a bit off, which is a bit of a shame as I quite like Rob Halford's singing in the aforementioned two songs. Though I'm not fully put off of Judas Priest. So it's probably a 3.80/5.0 but I will round up to 4.0/5.0. Highlight Song/s: "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight"
Honestly a solid album with some bangers on it. Not a big metal guy whatsoever but they made it palatable. (You can tell I’m not metal from that last word alone)
7/10 Great fun. Breaking the law is an absolute banger. Surprisingly good production too. I could do with some more beautiful melodies and nice harmonies though. United and Red, White and Blue are way too cheezy for me. Iron Maiden did it better. Highlights: Breaking the Law The Rage Metal Gods
Solid 80s heavy metal.
Just a classic hard rock album! Great to revisit.
Classic jangly metal.
I had forgot what an epic album this was, I mean that chorus on Metal Gods, c'mon! The tracks sound like actual metal, hard, clean, bright.
it’s alright, it’s just not for me.
First guitar riff makes me wanna speed. I feel like the singer is in a skit where he was a little British boy reading a scroll from the king to peasants and then spontaneously broke into a metal rock band. United kind of sucked. Red, White, Blue snore Even if you don't like this music, I feel like the influence of this album has to be respected. The one problem I have had with metal rock my entire life is the vocals, and it doesn't really stop here. The musician ship is amazing and a lot of the playing style is what later influenced greats like Metallica. Overall a very important and great album.
Okay whatever this is Judas Priest doing their nerd rock
Baya iyi yaslaninca dinlenir. Abartilan bi album
just okay,
Fav tracks: you don’t have to be old to be wise, living after midnight, the rage, steeler Classic thrash metal album. Love the lyricism and imagery throughout the album. Such a fun listen
This album is awesome but falls short from being perfect due to it's lack of variety. 4/5
I bought this album on release. I had already listened to Unleashed in the East and Killing Machine (I can’t remember which was first) and then Stained Class, possibly Sin After Sin as well, so I was primed for British Steel. And I didn’t like it… Listening now, I am not sure why. I sold the album and didn’t really listen to Judas Priest, apart from the odd song, until about 10 years ago. This is a really consistent album. Priest were one of the first bands to fully embrace the Heavy Metal label and British Steel built on its predecessors from the off - “Rapid Fire”, “Metal Gods”, “Steeler”, anthems in “United”, “Breaking the Law”, “Living After Midnight”, the hiding in plain sight of “Grinder” (Rob Halford is a legend). I do recall disliking the Police-like choppy guitar in “The Rage”, now one of the standouts for me. I do think there are better individual songs on earlier albums, and more subtlety, but British Steel is a classic, an incredibly influential album.
End of 70s heavy metal. Really poor. Liked the genre but it had died. This sounds like a spinal tap tribute album and is definitely not worth listening to. There's nothing you can't hear in led zeppelin or deep purple and though the singer is competent it's only of interest in a historical sense to witness decline. The live track at the end was OK. Listened on Spotify and it didn't seemed remastered for spotify at all. On the other hand it's possibly not worth the investment. Two stars for effort Sorry lads
Mid
Heavy metal is not my thing but I did like the guitar and drums sound. The voice not so much.
Not my cup of tea. Or beer while driving. One song I recognized, and one song I liked.
Solid. Getting a little tired of metal but good album. My not be my go to though. 3/5.
Like a campier black sabbath that taps into the same heritage but more pop. This is campy and fun, trashy and great percussion. Glory days of hair metal begin here! It’s fun, maybe a bit simple but they invented this formula so full credit
Heavily frontloaded Super boring riffs Just listen to the singles
Dude better be careful he's going to hurt his fingers with that razor
The first song of the album got me super excited. It is a super energetic and fast track with a lot of attitude from the voice and with a killer sounding guitar riff. But after it, no other song could catch my attention again. From the second song moving forward, the album slows down and turns into standard hard rock with some very cheesy moments, such as 'United' or 'Living After Midnight'. I'll admit that the quality of the sound is quite good, that there are some decent sounding riffs, and that Rob Halford's is an incredibly talented singer, but I think in general this album lacks in power and can get a bit repetitive. Everything that should be striking, like the high notes from the singer or the fast solos, didn't do absolutely anything for me. Unfortunately, I can't say I liked this. Loved how promising the first track sounded, but I disliked a lot how disappointing the rest of the track list is.
Bad ass. Awesome album
Nice
One of the first 80s metal albums I’ve ever encountered <3
3 or 4
Some of the music was ok but not my taste of metal. I liked the beginning of The Rage but once the vocals come in, I check out...
I enjoyed the album, especially the hits, but some of the songs towards the end really blur together. I do like heavy metal, but I think I prefer Black Sabbath a little more.
I'm relatively bored of what this album does after the 5th song. It's heavy metal, with the heaviness coming from the thrash and intensity, but music has changed so much nowadays that it just feels like a pop album at times. This just isn't my thing. This is interesting to look at from a historical point of view, but it's just boring for the most part.
Not my thing
Not my vibe but I get why some like this
I discovered I love Judas Priest. It was just the right level of heavy.
A pretty easy listen for heavy metal and there's nothing inherently wrong but it just sounds like any iron maiden album or just any power metal album of that time. That doesn't mean it's anything bad and I'm sure it's an amazing album for a lot of people and there some good songs but just for me it brings nothing new to the table it's just a really average power metal album. Bonus points for being the first though that's pretty auraful
Stomping British Metal - some great tunes on this. Loads of unreleased bangers
Good old metal album, now seen as a dad music. I liked hearing the album in its entirety, appreciating the old tunes. When I was younger I didn’t really liked this kind of music, but now at my almost 30s I can appreciate it more.
4/10
не моё
I have always liked Living After Midnight, so it was fun to hear this album after all these years. Flashbacks to the early 80's when Metal and Hard Rock was taking over! Rob Halford was never my fave metal singer, but still quite listenable
Enjoyed.
Camp, cheesy and a fair amount of fun in places. Great guitar work and several highlights such as Breaking the Law and Living after Midnight. Not bad overall, but not brilliant.
Great sound, I'm very particular about what heavy metal I like, I don't like just a thrashing of the guitar, a noise, it has to be melodic. Although heavy metal is not my favourite genre, this album ticked the right boxes.
Admittedly, this record was squeezed out by a large number of much better records in 1980. This LP didn’t make my Top 100. It’s an okay record. Breaking’ The Law was a catchy pop metal single, Ragin’ which is honestly a clone of AC/DC was also catchy, but the rest of the record is, well, meh, eh? AC/DC put out Back In Black, Iron Maiden’s debut record, Dead Kennedys Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, Circle Jerks - Group Sex, Moorhead - Ace of Spades, Black Flag - Jealous Again, Def Leppard - On through The Night etc. all of these were better than British Steel. They still are. This record doesn’t stay with you even the Halford’s vocals are just fine. It’s the sameness that dooms this record. It’s average metal by an average metal band. 3/5
A pretty heavy album, but sounds good - angry, vivid and powerful. Listening all songs back-to-back was a bit hard on the ears, but overall a decent album.
Not a terrible album, but was slightly disappointed since screaming for vengeance is really good. Besides the two most popular songs on the album, none of them really stood out besides United. Not bad though.
si me siguen haciendo escuchar metal me voy a retirar.
Amazing album!
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
Ok rock
Just what I needed to drag myself to the office on a freezing Friday.
Respect, but sonically it’s just standard ’80s rock and never really goes anywhere for me
Não gosto de Metal dos anos 80, e esse álbum não mudou minha opinião. Acho o gênero brega e tosco, bem vibe de tiozão que diz que ama Rock mas não consegue nomear 5 álbuns. As guitarras são legais, os vocais são irritantes, a bateria é boa como sempre, mas o produto final me causa enjôo. Não quero não. 2/5
Not bad - definitely more tolerable than other rock albums - maybe adding the rage (fave) to a playlist
Rapid Fire: 6/10 Metal Gods:5/10 Breaking The Law: 4.8/10 Grinder: 4/10 United: 5/10 You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise: 6.4/1 Living After Midnight: 5/10 The Rage:5/10
This is so...of its era. Not a fan of any of it. Homie has PIPES though
2/10
The funny thing about this randomizer is that it feels ever so slightly not random. We all know there is some control over it, that's why everyone got an Ozzy/Black Sabbath album after he died, or a Beach Boys record after Brian Wilson passed away. Beyond this, there are times when things go on runs that seem more than just coincidental. That's where I am at right now, as in the last 4 albums I have had Iron Maiden, a live Motorhead album, and then this one. All early 80s metal and, chronologically, I think these albums are within 20 of each other in the countdown. Kinda strange. Unfortunately, for JP, that means they are being compared directly against contemporaries which I had just listened to and this record, while good, pales in comparison to the other two. There are some highlights, Living After Midnight is an excellent track. The Rage was a great one for me. But another listen to Breaking the Law and others on this record just feels like it is lacking a bit of something. Maybe best said, I think this felt a bit more formulaic than organic for me - i.e. Iron Maiden's debut album and the live Motorhead had more raw energy and power to them. In addition, Rob Halford is a good frontman, I just found some of his abilities a bit lacking on this. All in all, good to go back and explore this album, but nothing that really wowed me, and maybe some inherent bias down because of recent listens which were considerably better.
fun listen. my favorite was grinder, hard af
Loved the first half, the second half was really boring to me
Not my thing. Sounds like Jack Black in School of Rock, but I’d rather listen to Jack.
Hilariously campy. I think it performs masculinity to such an extreme that it comes off super gay. The only good thing about this album for me is that it’s so closeted gay, sometimes the drums are fun. I’m going to be so sad and disappointed if this list is all mid white dad rock. This album was way less about music than a strange performance of 1980s masculinity and strange patriotism after the counter culture. It feels gross. It’s funny to me this is considered heavy metal. I just wanted him to shut up by the end of the album. I’m sure there are other lyrical or musical feats that I’m missing—but overall it’s stupid I looked up the history a bit and turns out the lead singer was gay and highly influenced by tom of Finland. Everything makes sense now. I appreciate the album better but I still hated listening to it
It's Judas Priest, what's not to like? The song "Grinder" might not have aged well, though. Energetic, but if I listen to it back-to-back, it gets a little same.
It's a transition between the sound of the 70s and into the 80s for Judas Priest, it dons iconic songs such as Breaking The Law and Living After Midnight, Rob's vocals shine through, sound is excellent and it's an easy to listen record. Absolute recommendation.
4/10
mid
Ground breaking. A regular ass shovel getting stomped into dirt. Made a hole. Apparently there's another drummer.
This generator has taught me that I love 80s British heavy metal. And I'm grateful for that. Exception in this album is 'united' which genuinely sounds like it was made to be a song sung for Man United at a football ground!
way more fun than i thought! breakindalawbreakindalaw
I’m learning things about myself. Namely, I do not like heavy metal.
I thought the sound will be like....a razor blade on glass... But it wasn't that bad!
Ich hatte geringe Erwartungen, aber das war ganz cool!
This was alright, not super my vibe. Very 80s rock vibes
An absolutely classic rock album with two huge hits on it. Breaking the law, which sounds like the soundtrack to a chase scene in an 80s cop movie. Living after midnight, which I always forget is Judas Priest. It is a classic rock radio staple. So I always feel like it is more recent than it actually is. You can hear the influence that this album has had on other rock bands. United sounds a lot like The Wildhearts. And the punchy guitars and driving drums sounds like Van Halen. This is much more melodic than it's classic metal album status might make you believe. I enjoyed it and would listen again. 4.299
Never listened to much of their stuff, but liked the hits just fine. I'm trying harder to take the release date into context on these reviews, which is much easier when/if I was alive when they were released. I like these songs plenty, I don't find myself checking how many tracks are left on the album, like I have on other days. It's difficult to know the impact a record like this had without knowing the sonic landscape before, during, and after its release. Is this album groundbreaking, or just a Judas Priest record? "United" doesn't seem to fit on this record. Maybe neither does "The Rage". "Red, White & Blue" also seems out of left field. 3, would be a 2.5 if I could do it. Went and checked out their highest plays on spotify. Maybe this album is exactly what I think of when I hear "Judas Priest" is the cause of my underwhelmed take away. I listened to "Painkiller" and felt a whole other way about Judas Priest as a whole.
Just can't handle 80's metal these days. I appreciate that it was ground breaking for it's time but it does not serve me at all.
Loud heavy metal but some decent tunes
Foundational yet dated. A lot of the songs just kind of blended together.
sukk igjen. jaja jeg skal prøve ' // Dette oppleves veldig pompøst for meg. Teatralsk og show-off. Det er kult på samme måte som en motorsykkel er. Jeg liker ikke motorsykler
malo je pederski al je lepo. od tih kao hardrock/metal (ne bih ovo nazvo metalom) brijâ podsjeća me najviše na black sabbath, koji zapravo nečemu i valja. i ovo je bilo okej poslušat, ugodno iznenađenje, tako da trojčica
This sounds extremely dated to me. I guess you had to be there.
ich weiß nicht, hat mich beim ersten Mal durchhören nicht so richtig überzeugt
Good.
Look kinda hiphopie. Uhm i tried buttuh i don’t like it😣
Pop version of heavy metal - all the bombast seems like a way just to get girls rather than being deeply felt and authentic. Some good grooves and hooks but not experiencing this a must-do listening
Although this is not my type of genere the lyrics and the sound are a pice of art
I know the bands’ hits, but have never listened to a full album. Within a few minutes, my first thought was “this sounds like tamer Black Sabbath” (complementary). Finding out they’re from Birmingham and produced by the same sound engineer as Sabbath certainly comes through. I think I like early 80s thrash metal. Really enjoyed this record. Not too complicated, but a good listen. Similar vibes to Iron Maiden, which I also enjoyed.
Not great, not terrible
Now this is something I can respect and listen again. I liked it. Though I prefer the Turbo album. Contrary to some rock albums on this list, this album even if not strictly rock, has some substance to it. Guitars play good meaningful riffs.
Maybe I just don’t like rock and roll
Not my tempo
Echt gut, nur das Genre ist Mist…
Überhaupt nicht mein Genre, aber wirklich sehr gut gemacht.
*prostrating* All hail the Metal God First of the Leather Daddies!
Metal usually isn't my favorite genre, but this definitely slaps! The earlier metal is still good music instead of just noise.
OK. 2/5
Judas Priest is familiar to me only through one of my favourite Dylan tracks, the Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest off John Wesley Harding. British Steel was in the news recently when re-nationalised by the UK Government. That's probably the best way to have it. This album is just dull, I thought that every song sounded the same with no variation to be seen.
Meh but girls liked it. One or two bangers.
Early heavy metal is not a genre I enjoy generally but I think this album has a really balanced mix of driving rhythm and melodic flourishes which makes it a solid entry point.
Whether you like metal or not, this is a definitive document of NWOBHM. I could do without Red, White, and Blue but that’s just personal preference. Perfect.
Really energetic, interesting, that iconic heavy metal sound, I'm half the album and it havent feel tiring. 9/10 So far. I always choose to stay away from these kind of bands and I just realized I was gravely mistaken.
did not like
Not for me! I knew Breakin’ the Law which was fine, but I didn’t like anything else.
Like Spinal tap with a straight face (?)
I mean it's alright but since I'm not a big fan of this band I did not enjoy the album as well but I can see why people like it Just not my thing
parts are super good!!
I’ve been looking forward to tackling some Judas Priest as I have a few friends who praise this band. I’ve listened to songs from Judas Priest. Never full albums. I had to keep remind myself that this is the cheesy metal. I bet that will piss off a lot of Judas Priest fans… but it’s kind of the metal that people make fun of. Dressing in leather, cheesy lyrics, but the riffs are great. The guitar solos are killer, and Rob Halford has incredible vocal ability. This record is very similar to early Iron Maiden. In a good way. I bet there is a huge cross over of fans between the two bands. Unless there is some sort of rivalry that I’m unaware of.. sort of like Neil Young vs Bob Dylan, or The Stones vs The Beatles. Never understood either comparisons… but here we are. This record was…. Ok. I don’t love it. Again, I had to keep reminding myself that this was super cool at the time. It definitely doesn’t hold the test of time, lyrically. Maybe that’s where and why it lands sour for me. Or perhaps it’s the praise my peers give this record. Nothing on this album is shocking or awe inspiring. Its a straight forward, on par album.
I genuinely liked it, it was a nice metal rock album to listen to (acc not sure if it is that genre) and there were very nice tunes i could add to my playlists. this album made me realize that there are more metal rock albums i should listen to, to expand my music taste, this was a great start, overall maybe a 7/10, some songs sounded similar but overall it was a great album
Not my favorite but still a solid Priest album
Solid
OG NWOBHM!!! 🤟🤟
Ooooh yes this one I can get on board with
en vrai très sympa comme découverte, du heavy metal mais étonnement accessible. L’album commence très fort, bien énervé bien provocateur bien métaleux ; après un grinder qui décrit parfaitement une société qui broie les individus, le son united arrive un peu comme une lueur d’espoir, ensemble on peut combattre cette machine aliénante. J’avoue que je trouve que la fin de l’album perd un peu en intensité et en intérêt, même si pourtant rage avec l’idée d’une colère intérieur rampante et l’énergie de steeler sont cools. Mention spéciale pour « you don’t have to be old to be wise », la jeunesse envoie un peu chier et c’est cool.
No me gusta este tipo de musica
Ahh this one brings me back to road trips with my dad. My dad loves Judas Priest and we listened to all their albums growing up. This one is a banger and has some very good early metal songs on it. 8/10
I've never been a huge Priest fan based on the singles I've heard. It's decent for what it is. I don't mind it, but I don't particularly love anything here. "Breaking The Law" is fun. I liked "Metal Gods" more than I thought I would.
I enjoyed this one. The music was fun, although the lyrics were occasionally a bit repetitive. I liked the inclusion of the live track at the end. Overall a good, energetic vibe. Fav song: Living After Midnight Least fav: Grinder
Not bad but quite samey. I never knew breaking the law was from this. Have heard snippets of it so many times. Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song- grinder Least fav - united
First day of Job! Exciting Album! (I am still jet lag and being awake is very rude)
Good energy, some proper bops, but did get a bit repetitive. Found Red, White & Blue really weird- like they were trying to make a football song- a bit too patriotic for me personally. Favourite song: Living After Midnight Least: Red, White & Blue
Fun and crunchy, but not really my bag
This album might be the epitome of doom-laden malevolence that bands in the heavy metal genre were celebrated and caricatured for in equal measure, but it possesses a polish and panache that allows it to truly stand the test of time. Most of the tracks have the sharpness and shine that the title proffers. 'Rapid Fire' sets the precedent as a scorching opener reminiscent of their contemporaries, Black Sabbath and Motörhead. With 'Metal Gods' steeped in science fiction grandeur, and 'The Rage' dripping with dark fantasy ambiance, both tracks offer up satisyfingly dramatic, almost glamorous and operatic ballads that sometimes seem at odds with the more radio-friendly numbers. 'Breaking the Law' holds firm as a decadent and menacing slice of punk polemicism - heavy metal with intent. 'Living After Midnight' shows out as a radio-ready hard rock chant-along, but ultimately lacks a little venom, while in a similar vein, 'United' is a run-the-numbers clarion call to action but sits a little stolidly in the middle of the record. Lyrically and sonically, the three singles together ('Living After Midnight', 'Breaking the Law', 'United') present a clear and simple metal manifesto for freedom, rebellion, autonomy, and solidarity, yet the band almost sells themselves short fronting these tracks when the rest of the album possesses such a depth of character and more fearsome licks and solos than you can shake a stick at. This album houses an evocative trio of arena-ready, politically-minded crowdpleasers that seems almost focus-groupped in their production to simultaneously rouse and satiate baying mobs, nestled amongst a glut of fantastical rock operettas and sludgy declarations of identity, provding an altogether fascinating snapshot of Thatcherite Britain from the viewpoint of jaded stalwarts in the counterculture.
Very fun intro song. I liked rapid fire, but some of the songs looked very similar to me.
Some of these songs are pretty one-note. Not bad overall, but not anything which I'd return to. 2.7/5 -> 3/5
wanted to hate it but breaking the law is a great song
Rob Halford’s vocals are just so great. I love how this album blends a pure punk sound with a little more of the rock & roll tone that some records of this genre tend to miss at times. Really good. Best Track: Metal Gods
3 Stars - Overall a solid album with a great start but not entirely consistent throughout with a somewhat lackluster Side B in comparison to tracks like "Rapid Fire" "Metal Gods" Breaking the Law"
A couple good songs, solid album. Rapid Fire ★★★☆☆ Metal Gods ★★★☆☆ Breaking the Law ★★★★☆ Grinder ★★★☆☆ United ★★★★☆ You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise ★★★☆☆ Living After Midnight ★★★★☆ The Rage ★★★☆☆ Steeler ★★★☆☆ Red, White & Blue ★★☆☆☆ Grinder (live) ★★★☆☆ Average Album Rating: 3.2/5.0 ★★★☆☆
not normally my kind of thing but didn’t hate this as much as i thought i would…. i actually didn’t mind united
come dicono gli inglesi not my cup of tea 🍵
Tutto di fila too much peró è storia del metal
3.11
This isn't my thing at all, so was going to give it a 2, but it's not that bad so I'll go with 3.
Not as good as bands this guy is grouped with
This was pretty solid. I’d heard the hits but never the whole thing, and there’s a good running groove through all of it. It’s classic 80s heavy metal and a furtherance of the genre that would lead to more genre defining albums from guys like Motörhead, Iron Maiden, etc. Halfords voice is probably the best it’s been on this record, and the drumming is really great as well. The only track I didn’t like was the weird patriotic anthem at the end, but at least it’s not about America. I did a laugh at Grinder; I don’t think I put the connection between the app and the term “meat grinder” together before I heard it. Good time, great performance, great groove. Not much to dislike.
I consider this classic metal. I have joked recently and called it Grandpa metal even though it's from my childhood. It's because it's different than modern metal, more operatic, clean even with the amazing guitars behind it all. They influenced so many bands its wild. These dudes got so many kids into music it's wild to think of. They also upset a TON of parents while doing it. Also while listening to it I don't see why. It's really tame when you sit down with it. It's got some cheeky lyrics but it's not like they are telling you to worship Satan. Well unless you play it backwards.
Old metal, kinda corny. 3.5 rounded up (especially compared to most of the albums so far). Particular<3 to the riff in Breaking The Law
Not my vibe. Very loud
🤘🏻
Starting off with this one was a nice way to begin the journey. Being already familiar with tracks ‘Breaking the Law’ and ‘After Midnight’, I knew I’d at least have some interest in digging deeper. Judas Priest are a band I was exposed to a bit growing up but have never had my ‘Priest stage’ as an adult as I may have with others. The album was relatively fast paced with songs that all made sense together. The songs I already knew still stuck out though as the stand outs on the album. I heard elements ACDC in ‘The Grinder’ and the kind of punchiness you’d get from the Ramones in ‘You’d have to be old to be wise’.
Favorite Track: Breaking the Law
Día ya me olvidé (6 creo??): primer álbum que escucho de judas priest, y me esperaba algo mucho más pesado, con ese nombre. Tendré que seguir indagando en la banda, pero banco el metal.
I realised once again that I am a sucker for the electric guitars. Even if I don’t usually listen to this type of music the electric guitars gets a hold on me.
It’s alright; not really my thing, but I can appreciate it.
Solid rock tracks!
Good, solid British metal. I should listen to more from JP.
No interest in the "I'm so evil" guitar and singing metal style, so this is the first whole album I've listened to that I put in that bucket. It reinforced my prejudices, but I was surprised how little development any of these songs have - contrast with anything by Led Zep that all go on full and wild journeys - you can start on the first 30 seconds of any song then jump to anywhere else, and it's got the exact same tone and dynamics, all without the ease of modern looping.
Home sick yesterday and listened to the whole live album too. Sounded like a fun concert to be at. Judas Priest definitely knows how to entertain
I feel like you gotta be in the right mindset and scenario for this music. Like pumping iron in a gym, this music is perfect. A fast n steady rockin guitar rift with some crazy guitar runs and solos. They definitely don't stray far from the mold for this one, each song sort of falls into adjacent circles of a ven diagram for metal, and joyous hairpin metal. Breaking the law is a fucking classssic, love that song, and there are defs some head bangers in here. 7/10
A little repetitive but strong and moving
A classic album that stands the test of time.
not really my cup of tea. the guitars made you feel excited and energized but the overall musicality of this album is not something i'm looking for. sick riffs tho. standard testosterone charged songs.
Great beats, more fun than a lot of hats rock, of choice with united but maybe they landed a football contract.
nie miałam siły za bardzo się w to zagłębić, ale jak kiedyś dawno temu słuchałam Judas P. to piosenki z innego albumu bardziej siadły
I didn't like it
Liked it. Wasn't crazy about it.
Best Song: Rapid Fire Worst Song: Red White and Blue BESMERCHING the image of the 80s. Should be left in the past Went into this with very low expectations but was not quite as bad as I expected. Much too 80s campy for my liking. Some of the lyrics and added effects are very dated/cringey. In general I didn't find the lyricism interesting or impactful. I did enjoy the guitar riffs and the drumming; although it doesn't compete with other bands of the time . I don't like how the vocalist has the artificial gruff/rock voice affect. Judas Priest is ranked as one of the best heavy metals band, but I view Judas Priest to Back Sabbath what Nickelback is to Nirvanna/Pearl Jam -although more lacking in hits.
4/10 Best: Rapid Fire Worst: Living after midnight I don’t really enjoy nor listen to heavy metal music therefore I don’t have much to compare this album to but I still did not like it. I didn’t think there was anything inherently bad about this album the guitar riffs were good and the sound effects were cool, just not my thing. Reading all the amazing reviews on this album has made me doubt my music taste l, I feel quite guilty for not enjoying it.
Unexpectedly good
not really my vibe but still cool
first heavy metal album here and i'm kinda disappointed
Alright if you’re in the mood for it; however, the singing + style of JP has never quite been my cup of tea.
It's an 80s rock album. Does what it says on the tin tbh. Inoffensive for the most part and has the 'one song on the album that means you HAVE to listen to it'. Can imagine this makes the old white people move for the first time in years. Songs are all pretty good, similar sound throughout means it all kinda blends together as an album though.
-continuing my foray into British heavy metal with this one. definitely liked it more than i thought i would – it’s not a genre i had much experience with before doing this, and it honestly sounded a bit like Diet Black Sabbath to me.. that being said it had great energy and made for a very fun listen. would experience again -Favorites: Rapid Fire, The Rage
Bon ben Judas Priest, c'est pas rien. Et c'est un bon album, mais je comprends pas pourquoi choisir British Steel, plutôt que Painkiller, qui est l'un des meilleurs albums de metal de l'histoire et l'un des plus fédérateurs ou encore Screaming For Vengance, qui est plus recherché que British Steel. Si l'un de ceux deux albums fait partie de la liste, pourquoi avoir aussi inclu cet album ? Bon, ça reste quand même un album de qualité.
Kakva nostalgija 😁 treš, a opet na neki način toliko dobro 😄 2/5, 4.5/10
I'm more familiar with Painkiller. However this album is full of hits for a reason.
Okay, expecting stereotypical British metal. Distortion, fast guitars, terrible lyrics and taking themselves far too serious. Let’s see… Backing pretty impressive but lyrics make it all a little too close to spinal tap for me. Just struggle with how close it is to parody now. Yeh, have to say, pretty much as expected. Does what it does very well and can see myself grooving to this in a dingy bar or club but otherwise, not so taken (3.5)
TOO MUCH ENERGY
Not my favorite Priest album, but still a banger. I know Rob Halford can sing very high, but I actually always preferred his lower registers. Legendary riffs and songwriting. 5/5
I think my issue with the new wave of heavy metal banks circa 1980 is the delivery, in that it is uniform and I lose interest. I can understand their fandom, but not for me. 1. Rapid Fire 2. Grinder 3. United
El mejor acero británico
eh metal işte 👎
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. Strong sounds, with pretty decent vocals. 3.5 but on the 4 side.
All the fun parts of 80's metal without getting too cheesy. Didn't feel super ambitious, more of a gateway to bigger and better metal projects
Well 'ard. The sound of Birmingham. Obviously good at what it does but means nothing to me. Three and a half
Not for every mood but still a good album
It’s crazy listening to this as a 59 year old - JP were one of my favourite bands as a teenager. This album sounds surprisingly good all these years later. In my head I had relegated Judas Priest with Saxon, Tygers of Pang Tang etc to the lower leagues or ‘Spinal Tap’ end of heavy rock -keeping Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Rush in the Premier League. But I was wrong. Yes the lyrics are a bit cringy, and Rob Halfords forced vocal style can grate a bit - but blimey there are some really great riffs and songs on here. I want to give it 4 stars but I’m removing a star to allow for my rose tinted nostalgic spectacles. Really enjoyed listening and would have probably died without ever hearing it again were it not for 1001 albums. Hooray!
Punchy and raw at the time. It sounds thin and 2 dimensional compared to other metal
Repeat
Ive had too many rock albums in a row so might be an unfair rating, not fully my taste
So this is why my dad would always say “breaking the law breaking the law”
3.5
Not for me
Shite
Breakin The Law is pretty cool but that's about as far as I go w these lads. Sorry, not my bag.
I never really got into Judas Priest in my headbanger years, but I always respected them, especially Rob Halford's distinctive voice and vocal range, so I'm glad to see them in this collection. (I also respected Halford even more when, many years later, he came out as gay on MTV, and despite his fears of being shunned by metalheads everywhere, he also got a lot of support.) And while this album doesn't really have many of their enduring hits, it seems like a good selection of the (limited) range of Judas Priest's heavy-hitting spiked leather metal, and of course the long-time classic "Breaking the law" (with a pretty amusing bank heist video) and the hard-hitting anthem "Living after midnight". Long live the long-lived elder statesmen of metal!
Breaking the Law is a classic that I'll gladly listen to anytime. The rest isn't as good and at times (You don't have to be old to be wise) sounds almost like kiddie heavy metal.
Good classic rock album. 7.1/10
Nothing
“Pounding the world Like a battering ram” Judas Priest are without a doubt one of the most talented and important British Heavy Metal bands of all time. Their longevity both in the studio and on stage is nothing short of staggering. Having formed in 1969 they released a genuinely brilliant record only last year in “Invincible Shield”. British Steel contains some of their biggest radio friendly tracks and although I am extremely familiar with almost all the material here I was shocked to find I had never listened to it front to back. It is a truly masterful piece of work that ushered in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the 1980s and stands up today as one of the best what I would call “gateway albums” into heavy music. You get the catchy and instantly recognisable “Breaking The Law” and “Living After Midnight” which are the two most commercially viable Priest tracks from any album. There’s also the slower and slightly ponderous “United” which holds a soft spot in my heart from when my beloved Sheffield United would walk out to it years ago at Bramall Lane. My only issue with British Steel is an odd one; it is that “Painkiller” and “Screaming For Vengeance” exist. Those two albums are damn near perfect and showcase Judas Priest at the absolute peak of their powers in terms of the pure visceral speed and excitement they are capable of producing. Whilst Rob Halford’s vocal performance is undeniably brilliant here it doesn’t utilise anything like the full range he shows on subsequent albums. There were so many moments while listening to this where I just wanted the whole band to put their foot to the floor and not lift it until my face was sufficiently melted. That sadly never happened and it left me longing for the blistering no holds barred sound that I know Judas Priest has in their locker. That said, I am by no means minimising the quality and importance of British Steel. But I will say, if this is your introduction to Judas Priest then brace yourself, it gets even better.
banger after banger.
Not for me but the band can play
5/10 - a bit generic rock
When Judas Priest is on, they're on. When they're not on, it's Rob Halford leading some grovely vocals over cheesey 80s heavy metal...but for the most part, they're on.
🤘
I knew a couple of these. Solid.
When I bought my first house about twenty years ago, one of my first luxury purchases was an old-school record player, speakers and a subwoofer, basically so I could play old Judas Priest vinyl and feel like I was the dude in the old Memorex ad. Oh the thrill I got when this album showed up in time for my Monday morning commute. It’s odd to me that I’ve seen dozens of rock albums ranking over the years and Priest seems always neglected, even though the leather and spike stuff belied watershed rock anthems like Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight. Connoisseurs would probably point you toward their earlier albums, and metalheads will tell you that Painkiller is one of the best thrash albums ever, but this is a great metal album that should be in any respectable collection.
Ich hasse metal 1/5
I hereby sentence the defendant to death by...death by...saw off his tweeter. BREAKING THE LAW! BREAKING THE LAW!
Very enjoyable record and my first exposure to Judas Priest's music beyond their 3 biggest hits. Just straightforward, peak cockrock and just a really fun listen. Beyond the 2 big hits, some surprising highlights were "The Rage" and "Metal Gods". If not for the inclusion of the out-of-place "United" which is a stinker, a near-perfect record.
Breaking the Law is an absolute banger. This is a very important album in a genre I’m not big on, but don’t hate.
This was fun. 4/5
not my style at all
En todo el album el ritmo es igual, pero el sonido es muy bueno
I've been meaning to listen to more classic metal, twas very good. I was pleasantly surprised as I thought it was going to be quite cringey.
Pretty fun, mostly just reminds me of Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band, I forget which one, LOL. Not really my thing but enjoyable enough.
This was fun, but too samey
Solid NWOBHM offering. Performs as expected Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆(6/10)
An iconic cover artwork and three all-time-banger ("Breaking The Law", "United", "Living After Midnight") and a decent rest sum up to a strong three stars album for me. 3,5
Love the hits, a few of the songs are really solid, but honestly, I’m kind of disappointed considering it’s Judas Priest. I’ve listened to multiples of their albums outside of this and maybe that’s by me a little bit, but I feel like every other album. I’ve listened to is quite a bit stronger. It’s close to a poor, but I’m gonna go with the three because the ones that aren’t hit don’t have as much better impact.
Wasn't offended by it.
Feels like I'm watching peacemaker, in a good way. Fun times.
3.5 (36:10, 9 tracks on the "U.S. release", 6th album, 1980) Heavy Metal Who would have ever thought that a guy in leather singing a song about Grinder (looking for meat) would have turned out to be gay? I like this album. Recognize Priest and Sabbath contributed more to heavy metal than almost any other bad. The thing is Sabbath did it in 1970 (coincidently, or not I got Paranoid (Sabbath) just the other day. I give a lot more credit to Sabbath for clearing the path but the English sure did embrace metal. This was their 6th album, and I consider their best, moving away from a darker sound and more melodic (some criticize as 'over polished' but I like it - what is wrong with music sounding good? However, if you were into their earlier stuff there is no doubt this sound must have felt a bit like 'selling out.' Remember no British Steel, no RATT (some may say that's argument against it) or any of the other metal that surged in the 80's)
It was fine again not a huge fan of the past despite it shaping the future but I'm stilll tryna do my due diligence
Hi energy metal album. Standout songs: Metal Gods Grinder Living after midnight
Really good. Need to relisten.
Iconic Metal Album!!!!
<3
Honestly liked it more than I thought I would.
Strong 3
I’m shocked at how much I liked this. I never considered myself as a metalhead but this was a fun listen from end to end. I love how distinctly 80’s this is and the vocals and guitars were amazing. Big fan
Pretty good! Was unsure when I heard the first song but enjoyed the rest. Recognized some songs too!
Boy, between this and Iron Maiden, metal really popped in 1980. Personally, I would consider Screaming For Vengeance for this list, but I think British Steel is a worthy choice to put here. It is a vital piece of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and it’s just a classic of 80’s metal overall, retaining its edge without going into corny territory. Shame this is the only Judas Priest album I’ll get here. Favorite track: Breaking the Law Other hits: Rapid Fire, United, Steeler, Metal Gods, The Rage, You Don’y Have To Be Old To Be Wise
Metal classic. I know it was their "sell out" album but they are locked into their thing and it's pretty awesome.
Solid, well-crafted collection that is pretty palatable to a non-metal head (me).
A bunch of dudes wearing full leather fits, singing about Grinder? Ahead of their time tbh. Love sum priest! This album is pretty good, feels a little samey from time to time, but Breaking the Law is really there best song.
Classic Judas Priest
All I knew of Judas Priest was the song Turbo Lover. This album widened my appreciation of the group. The songs rock although the lyrics are lacking. Flat out fun! 3.5 on my scale.
A cornerstone in the world of heavy metal. Whilst "metalheads" will and have debated about British Steel being a heavy metal record, there is no denying that these 9 tracks rock!
Dobre, nawet bardzo. Trochę zbyt dużo takich piosenek meh, żeby zasłużyć na 5. Wolę szybsze, ostrzejsze w stylu Grindera lub Rapid Fire.
Fav song: Rapid Fire I usually hate this type of music but it was so fun to listen to. Side note: The chorus for Grinder being 'Grinder, looking for meat' made me LOL
Awesome 70s heavy metal
There are times when Judas Priest can be a bit much for me. This album was not one of those times. Enjoyed it, this album was one of the better efforts.
Not a heavy metal person
Lange überlegt, ob ich 3 oder ganz knapp schwache 4 Sterne geben soll. Spaßiges Album, „Breaking The Law“ alleine ist schon einer dieser ganz krassen Songs. Insgesamt gibt es aber andere Heavy Metal Bands mit denen ich mehr anfangen kann und irgendwie hat das Album an der einen oder anderen Stelle doch ein paar Längen.
Abgesehen von den beiden Hits ziemlich langweilig. Schwache 3 Sterne.
Bin eigentlich gar nicht so der klassische Heavy Metal-Hörer, aber diese Platte ist wirklich voller Hits. Eigentlich neben Kreator die einzige Metal-Band aus der Zeit, die immer noch relevante Musik produzieren.