Reviews (page 7 of 11)
Not bad
...
nice
The difference between rock and metal isn’t always obvious. Unless we’re talking about Judas Priest. Then it’s very clearly metal. Amazing musicianship and while the Lycia aren’t going to win any awards, Rob Halford’s voice is top tier. Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight are standouts.
Lo escuché hace años y no me gustó nada su sonido. A ver ahora... Pues me ha gustado más que la otra vez. Me han resultado incluso melodiosos.
Another Rock Classic but leaning on the Metal side a bit. Can appreciate the work just not my tempo.
A landmark in metal history, no doubt — but not quite my thing. Rob Halford’s dynamic voice is impressive, but can feel a bit over-the-top after a second listen. The riffs are tight and the songs punchy, but as someone not deeply into heavy metal, I found it more interesting as a genre milestone than something I’d return to often.
Surprised how enjoyable this is? Same shock as I felt about Iron Maiden. Turns out I like heavy metal as long as it's what was deemed heavy in the 70s (aka operatic and entertaining). The chorus of Metal Gods is good. Breaking the Law is fun. "Grinder - looking for meat" - true of the app today amiRITE. (Fun song too.) United is sweet. Steeler - I like the relentless bridge.
Ok
Perfect for 1980! Songs are nice and focused.
I was familiar with Breaking the Law but don't have a lot of other Judas Priest in my background. It was much chiller then I was expecting. It has some really good guitar riffs (The Rage). On a lyrical side I had to go back and listen again. At first I thought, wow not a fan could be a little too right/conservative for me. Looking at the song United and thinking through the typical Metal fan, I was a little bothered. The songs aren't super deep, lyrics are pretty obvious and seem to be lacking substance. But doing a little research, Rob Halford is gay and not a fan of uber conservatives...he does say the band members disagree on political things but it gives me a little hope that he signs these songs with his personal background and feelings in mind. That maybe Red, White and Blue means something different to him (and maybe it is tongue and cheek because he is British, but wants to become an American citizen). Knowing this raises it a bit, because maybe they are simplistic but he is the key to the deepness they lack on the surface. They are not my favorite, but a good reminder to not judge music or people without digging a little deeper
This album doesn't have my favorite Judas Priest song (You've Got Another Thing Coming). But it does have Breaking the Law (Beavis & Butthead's favorite song) and Living After Midnight. The rest of the songs were okay but didn't especially move me.
"Not sure why this is considered such a classic. It has their one big hit single on it I suppose, but other than that there's not a lot here. There are far better Priest albums to listen to before you die. I suggest starting with Screaming For Vengeance." That was going to be my review, typed out before playing it, being familiar with the band and having heard the album not too long ago. Now though, listening back through it, perhaps I have judged it too harshly. The opening riff of "Metal Gods" is great. Nice solo too. Breaking The Law was their biggest hit for a reason. Grinder also great. United is cheesy in an embarrassing way, rather than a fun way. Almost like something you would hear in the west end. More Queen than Judas Priest. I am not the type of person to skip album tracks, if I am listening, I want to hear the whole thing. This is a track I would definitely skip on my next listen. "Old To Be Wise" didn't make much of an impression on me, but it's saved by a ripper of a solo. Living After Midnight also kinda passed me by. The pseudo reggae intro of The Rage is actually awesome. Its good to hear them trying something different, even if it doesn't entirely come off. Halford's vocals are on point as always. Steeler is a solid closer too. I'm not going to include any "Bonus Tracks", I always try to rate the original release. All in all, a couple of awesome tracks, a few passable if unremarkable ones, and one I don't care to ever hear again. Not quite the dud I remember. I'd still rather listen to "Screaming For Vengeance" though.
Metal has never been my cup of tea, but I think this album changed that for me. I loved some of the tracks on it, but to be honest it’s right in the middle, since I didn’t like some of the tracks. It’s good though!
I only know three Judas Priest songs, and lo and behold, two of them are on this album. The metal albums I've reviewed so far have been really hit-or-miss with me. Metallica and Black Sabbath have been my favorite metal artists so far, but Slayer and Motörhead were really disappointing. I own a copy of Screaming for Vengeance on vinyl, but sadly, this will be my first time listening to a Judas Priest album. I'm hoping that this album will land pass up Motörhead, and land amongst Metallica and Sabbath. I'm ready to break the law with Rob Halford and company! I enjoyed British Steel more than I did Motörhead and Slayer, but this fell short of Metallica and Sabbath. Overall, it was a fine album with some bright moments, but the moments that didn't stand out felt like standard heavy metal music. Judas Priest are all very good musicians, especially Rob Halford, but not all of this album landed with me. I do understand what some reviews pointed out about the drumming though; it never took center stage, but it served as a steady and stable road for the guitars and vocals to drive on. As for the songs that I enjoyed: -I loved the guitar on "Metal Gods," and that backing vocal on the chorus was great. I see why the drumming on this album is noteworthy: it's tight and clean, and it allows the guitars to do their thing while completing the sound. That metal marching sound at the end kicks ass, and it was the perfect exclamation point on this song. -"Breaking the Law" is a classic. I love Halford's vocals, and how he goes from a lower register to those high notes with such ease. That guitar riff on the chorus is so excellent, and the sirens are an awesome touch too. I love the slamming of the drums and rhythm guitar coming out of the bridge, giving this song even more of a hard sound. -"United" had some unique guitar playing that I really enjoyed. I loved Halford's vocals too; there was a dated sound to the tone of them, but I love it. -"Living After Midnight" doesn't have a lot of depth, but what it lacks in depth, it more than makes up for with its incredibly fun chorus. There might not be a lot of meat to British Steel, but it's a decent album, and I think it's a good showcase of Rob Halford's talents as a vocalist, and the rest of the band's solid musicianship.
Growing up in the punk scene, I always thought these guys were buffoons. (The "Breaking the Law" video didn't help.) I'm less judgmental these days, and this album is fun, though probably not something I'd return to much.
I love that Judas Priest exists as a band. Distinct sound, epic look, killer guitars. But it all feels a little on the silly side of metal compared to Sabbath, Metallica, Maiden, etc. And lets face it those bands are not exactly unsilly.
Is it really any different than steel from anywhere else?
He estado mirando cables y alfombrillas porque me hacen falta. Solo he encontrado un cable. Judas Priest no es mi estilo de música, pero no está mal el álbum, aunque, repito, no es mi estilo.
I always thought I disliked the singer's voice, but this wasn't actually that bad. The guitar (as it always is on late 70s/early 80s metal) was LOVELY. Standout tracks: - Breaking the Law: 4/5 (that riff will always be one of my faves) - The Rage 3.5/5
Judas Priest are British?!?? Did Beavis and Butthead know this? Hell, they probably didn't care since Breaking the Law is a banger of a song.
breaking the law
Classic 80's metal. Solid, heavy grooves. Breaking the Law is the best. This is still a 3 for me.
3,25
It was exactly what I thought it would be. Rock on.
Despite only having one big hit on the album, it was overall great. It had a cohesive sound and it is distinct sound.
I didn’t know “living after midnight” was a Judas Priest song. This was much poppier than I thought it would be, but I’m also listening to it with ears 45 after this album came out. The songs were catchy, Rob Halford’s voice was super cool, and it piqued my interest to finally check out the rest of the catalog.
Things were looking pretty tenuous, but the back half pulled me in. The Rage totally rocks and Steeler is positively jumping. Though Iron Maiden remains my preferred provider of 🤘🏾🤘🏾 …
Dit is weer een album waar ik op hoopte toen ik aan de 1001 begon. Een overbekende band, waar ik nooit iets van heb geluisterd. (Of wel, maar dan was het een vergeetbare 3.) De band is groot wat betreft de vermeende kwaliteit en expressie en wat betreft de kwantiteit (wiki toont mij zo'n 20 albums). Het internet spreekt vooral over Heavy Metal. Het geeft de richting wel aardig weer. Maar het is niet overdreven Heavy (vanuit mijn perspectief vanaf het jaar 2025). Het is wat rauw, maar tegelijk best toegankelijk. Wellicht ook omdat het allemaal prima is elkaar zit. Ik moet wel moeite doen om de instrumenten te beluisteren. De zanger trekt mijn aandacht naar zich toe. En dan heb ik het over het geluid. Want het internet roemt vooral de visuele presentatie van de zanger. De stem pakt mijn aandacht dus, maar dat bieden andere zangers uit het genre ook. En Judas Priest is niet de enige die kwalitatief goede Heavy Metal brengt. Vandaar waarschijnlijk dat ik het nooit gehoord heb of het niet meer weet. Het onderscheidt zich niet zo goed. In die zin klopt de vergeetbare 3 wel. Tegelijk tikt Wiki me op de vingers. Deze band was er vroeg bij en de inspiratie voor velen.
Ik vraag me af of ik uberhaupt een nummer ken van Judas Priest, misschien Breaking the Law. Ze zijn meer bekend qua naam en van de extravagante pakjes van zanger Rob Halford. Ik zou het bijna gay willen noemen, en dat mag in dit geval ook, want de zangert is uit de kast gekomen lees ik. De muziek varieert van vrij harde en strakke thrash metal naar 80s glammetal. Sowieso is alles vrij strak, industrieel bijna. Ik kan me goed voorstellen dat dit best een startpunt was voor veel andere metalbands en stromingen, nu ik dit zo luister. Daarmee lijkt het me een zeer terechte uitverkiezing in de 1001. En muzikaal zit het ook echt wel goed in elkaar. Hoewel het ietwat gedateerd is, kan ik het prima luisteren. Het zit qua score op een ruime 3, maar of het voor mij genoeg is voor een 4, dat betwijfel ik.
It could have gotten a four but it actually has some pretty boring songs that brings it down
Driving sound and some interesting musical elements, but very much a sound of its time - do I need that much more of it? Metal Gods was cool. 2.5/5 stars.
Favorite track: Rage other picks: breaking the law, rapid fire, living after midnight
Yet another band for whom I had never listened to an album in its entirety. There are 2 classics here that received tons of radio play that 16 year old me heard - “Breaking The Law” and “Living After Midnight”. Those are classics for a reason. While I appreciate the role of JP as standard bearers and the forefathers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, these two classics are offset by some really cheesy rock, namely “Red, White & Blue”. Solid but flawed in my opinion.
Fire 🔥
I liked it, heavy metal stuff yaknow. Some of the lyrics weren’t bad either, but I honestly wasn’t paying too much attention. It was nice noise
It’s not my jam, but it also isn’t as heavy as I thought it would be: it’s quite quaint compared to metal nowadays.
Generally have a soft spot for heavy metal, especially of the operatic rather than roaring type. I’d bump it up to 4, but none of it really stood out. 3.5.
Meh, not my stuff, and not their best
Nice riffs and right rhythms. Lyrics and melodies / song structure I didn't vibe with so much. Can see the importance but not for me personally. Might listen again
When I was a kid, I would be browsing at Sam Goody in the 1980’s and pass the “J’s” and see Judas Priest albums. I was more frightened by the covers than I was interested in what they might sound like. So scarred I was that at 48 years old this is the first Judas Priest album I’ve ever heard. It’s a shame because I probably would have dug this album more I had listened to it back then in my heavy metal phase of music. It is typical 80’s heavy metal that served a time and place for the metal genre.
It was fine
Rating (1-5): ✩✩✩ Will I be listening to this again: Not really, but it's good What do I like about it: It's sounds like a very classical rock british band, so it's not necessarily my 'cuppa tea' hahahhha What I dislike about it: I'm not very used to listening to this genre of music Higlighted songs: Red, White & Blue
Liked it better on 2nd listen, would actually rate a 2.5.
It’s an important album but a little to by the numbers for me. Good god the drums on that opening song though. Breaking the Law and Livjng After Midnight are fantastic United and Red, White, and Boue are terrible. Rest of the album is okay.
great rock record!
I’m not really a big fan of Heavy Metal but, this album was okay. “Breaking The Law” and “Livin’ After Midnight” are two awesome songs. Everything else was just average.
heavy metal, 1980 -> 3
Slow songs are not great; R,W and B and united. Other stuff rips, vocals are awesome as expected from priest. Have listened to this a bunch in the past but never really to judge it. Id like to give it a 3.5 honestly
5/10… 80s hard rock
I had fun listening to it, but is it one of the greatest albums of all time? I would have liked more tempo changes. Everything started to sound the same after a while.
classic heavy metal album, with a surpise anthem at the end. it sounds dated now, but you gotta respect it for it's influence on so many bands to come.
Pretty standard 70s/80s British metal album. Judas Priest is listed as an influence by so many bands that have come after that it's hard to quantify their influence. This is a good album but not one of my favorites, overall. Pretty middle of the road for me.
Niet mijn genre, maar toch wel genoten
Favorite track: Living after midnight. Overall score: 6,2/10
I’ve known of Judas Priest and heard some of their music second hand from old school metal heads throughout my life, but never really listened to them. I had lowish expectations for this album and they totally blew through those expectations. This album was pretty damn good. The lead singer has a great metal voice and the band can really shred. This album is a perfect bridge from 70s metal (Sabbath/Motörhead/Deep Purple) to the 80s that will just takeout off with so many great metal bands (Metallica/Anthrax/pantera/Megadeath and so many more). This has the sounds of the 70s but with strong fire shadowing of what the next decade of metal will bring. I will definitely give this a another listen or two and can see why it’s on this list. This album, and band, have their fingerprints all over 80s metal, and beyond. 7/10 #62/1001
Butthead: Uh huh huh huh, Beavis this freakin' rules! Beavis: He he he he, YEAH! Breakin the law!
Starts off pretty high energy with Rapid Fire. Breaking the Law is a classic, obviously, probably the song I know best by JP. Well, and Living After Midnight. The singing on Grinder sounds like it inspired Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. This is probably one of those albums that will get better on subsequent listens, but not sure I love Judas Priest as much as some of the other OG metal bands. 3/5
united muy chula el resto me suena todo un poco igual pero no está mal
Again, not my usual style but it has something to it. Rebellious and angry but catchy.
Some cool metal on here, but also a little dull in parts.
Umulig å høre på uten ironisk distanse, fordi det høres ut som en parodi på sæsjøl (ikke så rart når det vel e grunnlaget for alle parodier, men likevel). Generelt for bråkate for min del, og ikke veldig interessant, men ok.
I really do like Judas Priest and I am glad they made the HOF
5/10 - it was like a default rock album idk it was fine
I haven't listened to a ton of Judas Priest before but I had a good time with it. Interested to listen to more.
Pretty solid. Prob 2.5
3/5 probably
been a while since I got a heavy metal album , a cool switch up from the recent run It’s very well done , a few classics tracks and clearly ahead of its time . Enjoyed it
great album !
Man metal has grown leaps and bounds beyond British Steel. But this album goes so hard. Blistering bombastic drums and groovy basslines with perfectly intonated metal riffs. Coupled with Halford delighful vocals, this album is a hit. Its aged itself into a new genre, that being hard rock/dad rock. But its so damn good. Don't you ever forget that Rob Halford has homophobic men in the 1980s dressing like gay bikers in assless chaps and bedazzled leather jackets. And in the ultimate trump card he was literally like "If you listen to the lyrics closely i was talking about getting [my back blown out by another dude.]"
I have a high tolerance for silly classic metal, but this pushed it a bit. The guitar work and attitude are something to behold, but if I'm looking for a classic British metal fix, it's going to be Maiden or Sabbath, not this.
# 468 : 28/04/2025 : British Steel They've done a pretty decent job. Short, effective, energetic. A great metal album. Favourite Track : Breaking The Law
As a kid I thought they said “back in the car” instead of “breaking the law”. I wasn’t allowed to listen to “the devils music” but that song was on the radio a lot.
I expected to hate this. But honestly it kind of slaps. Is it for me? No. Am I glad I listened to it? Yeah! By the time we got to United and You don't have to be old to be wise I was like hell yes!!!!!
Interesting to see the blueprint for how to get heavy metal break into the mainstream. But as someone who is not a fan of heavy metal as such or the thrash and speed sub genres that came from this, I can only appreciate it so much. I prefer a little less polish. Some great solos though.
Tidlig hard rock. Typ heavy metal
Good enough. Middle of the road.
I am not a huge fan of heavy metal but this album is pretty good. 3 stars or C+.
Almost a 4 - just a bit cheesy and off the rails a couple of times. A few tracks had me really boppin' along for sure.
This was a bit disappointing. It's still nowhere near bad, and I swear I'm not one to gatekeep genres but this felt more like slick hard rock than something that possessed the requisite heaviness of, well, Heavy Metal. Maybe I listen to too much Extreme Metal, but I still get a lot of enjoyment out of Black Sabbath and even JP's magnum opus, Painkiller, which really should've been on here instead. Biggest highlight was definitely the vocals.
I don’t think it’s anything spectacular but I did enjoy it. I was already familiar with some of the tracks
Never really got into Judas Priest. Pretty rad first song. Breaking the Law is a jam as well. Gets pretty hair rocky with United. Didn't enjoy that sing-a-long I must say. The bass on the Rage is great. Really vibing with this one. Red White and Blue is pretty lame. High's were pretty high and lows were super low.
Great singles and great cover art, 3.5*
It's not for me, but it was a lot better than I was expecting.
Classic metal album. Fun listen.
Not bad for Metal but still not something I would want to listen to again.
3/5
Ha this was sweet. I didn't realize how thrash Judas Priest was, and also didn't realize that the well known songs on this record were Judas Priest songs. Sweet for sure, nothing incredible by any means.
It’s cool. I’ve never really listened to Judas Priest besides some hits.
Bit of proper old school British Metal. Nothing unexpected and nothing to argue with here.
Like a more British AC/DC. I enjoyed the simple hard rock of this. Not my bag but good, honest, double denim clad, inappropriately haired, pot bellied, middle aged hard rock.
One of the original metal bands finally breaks through. The album is good in its' own right, but what's best about this is how much other 80's metal you can hear between the covers.
This gets upgraded from a 2 to a 3 solely for Breaking the Law. I love how rebelliously non-specific the sentiment is. Which laws are we breaking? Who knows, we're just breaking em.
It’s obviously good, but not my cup of tea.
Feels like a lot of other metal at the time. Still enjoyable though
A great classic metal album. Not their best album, but some proper bangers on it.
Judas Priest have never been on my regular rotation like Iron Maiden. I do understand their huge influence on Metal as a whole, including the adoption of leather clothing as the genre's unofficial uniform. This is a good album, probably their best. Key tracks: Breaking in the Law Living After Midnight
Yeah it was Judas Priest music that Judas Priest made
Eh, if this is their best album then the rest must be crap. Proper Nathan music. For one of the most influential metal albums it kinda misses
Nikki would be froffin this one ‘ey
its ok i guess but i like it when metal kills me and this is not that
It's alright. Very mighty chords, tremolo voice, epic drums. I'd listen to it when I play PnP or astral project my body into a 6'6 berserk with a war rage buff.
BREAKING THE LAW BREAKING THE LAW Best Song: Breaking the Law Rating: 7.0/10 3 Stars
I had never listened to this all the way through. Great for mornings.
3.5
Honestly I think this is my second Judas Priest album here. They are just good rock. Not like crazy metal like I always thought.
Pretty good album. Not my jazz but I enjoyed the vocals
Not bad. I can't even name a Judas Priest song off the top of my head.
eh ok mas nao chega nem perto do screaming for vengeance. e nem united nem red white & blue deveriam existir, especialmente essa última (mas até que united não é tão horrível). resumindo: meu-pai-core (daria 2 estrelas e meio se pudesse)
This is a 2 but I'll give it an extra star for the Guitar Hero nostalgia of "Breaking the Law"
Judas Priest puts in a pretty solid album that from start to finish. It's got some signature heavy bass/drum, good guitar work and distinct vocals from Rob Halford. While I understand that it is likely a grassroots heavy metal album it's hard for me to wrap my head around it. Due to how the genre has evolved and what it currently represents it's hard for me to lump it into the same place. It's clear I've previously overlooked some of the early pioneers like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, etc. because I don't consider metal to be one of my favorite genres. As we get through this list I'm realizing that what was once considered heavy metal or hard rock from the 70's is a lighter sound that is much more palatable than I expected. I'm hoping more early heavy metal shows up as I feel I may have unfairly overlooked some quality stuff. Solid marks for British Steel for me. 3.31 stars
no me encanta el heavy metal pero good
Honestly I misjudged this album. When I think Judas Priest I think deathcore kinda music but it’s wasn’t like that (for most of it). I loved United it gave We are the Champions vibes. Wouldn’t listen to it again but it wasn’t horrible listening to it this time. Oh and it gave Black Sabbath vibes which is never a bad thing AND it was recorded at Ringo’s house and we love Ringo.
rating - 3/5. > tbh just classic 80s hard rock/dad rock. not much else to say. Not bad, just wouldnt listen again. Very ac/dc-ey like victor mentioned today lol…. Idk > thumbs up: breaking the law Sorry Mr. Priest we’ll get em next time (no we wont)
3- Stars (7/15)
I used to hate this genre but now its my favorite and I really liked this album
Too corny for my liking but generally well done. Needs more shredding.
Listened to this too early in the day to be able to appreciate it much but I did like “The Rage”
This is absolutely fine. I'm just not into Judas Priest. And after having listened to British Steel? I'm still just not that into Judas Priest.
Classic metal. Love to hear the simpler structure and emphasis on vocals. Breaking the Law is an all time classic metal song.
Eh, it's fine. At least it's got "Living After Midnight"
Judas Priest, along with Black Sabbath, influenced pretty much every metal band for the rest of time. This isn't the one album from them I would choose though. Sure it has their biggest hit, but I think it's one of their weaker offerings, mostly due to how fucking bad the two song run of "United" and "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" is. Some killer tunes are here but my god those 2 songs left a stain on the album. Rob Halford kicks fucking ass
Not my jam, but I see why a generation loved it.
7/10 Very enjoyable. Merging the sounds of metal and eventually 80s stadium rock to create a nice palatable product that also appeals to metal fans. This genre has its place and is a fun listen when in the mood but I don’t feel anything revolutionary is happening here. Very good at what it’s trying to be and definitely will take a song or two from this album into future playlists. Fav song: living after midnight
Entertaining rockin’ 80s metal
I liked the opener (Rapid Fire) but after that it got a little too clean and a bit dull. It wasn't quite cheesy, but it headed that way sometimes (Living After Midnight). A bit of post-punk (The Rage) was nice to break things up. Iron Maiden did it better though
Classic metal Can't tell if nothing is really outstanding or if it was at the time and I'm just accustomed tho this kind of stuff Breaking the law is an earworm
Heavy metal isn't my preferred genre, but this album was enjoyable to listen to it. it wasn't the 'scream and distortion and nothing else' sort of style, it had a lot of really clever stuff going on throughout it while still being clearly within that heavy metal genre, particularly as it was in it's early stages of development.
I never really listen to priest in my youth. I know most of the singles and never loved them, but hot damn those deep cuts are great.. Great example of the NWOHM that influenced a lot of thrash bands in the 80’s Grinder is so good; love the heavy bridge breakdown. Least favourite is red white and blue. What a terrible way to end an album.
cover album smash it
Some good songs and stuff and much more enjoyable (heavy?) metal than another certain album. Lowkey got bored tho I feel like the tracks just all blend into one. If it was 1980s I’d give it a 4 probably
Not a huge amount to say about this one, some pretty good tracks on here although did struggle to keep my attention all the way through though as lots of the songs seemed to blur into one. Fav song: Breaking the law
This is a high 3 (perhaps 3 and half) for me. It wasn't boring, it came out the gate swinging, but it also didn't have that song that got you fired up.
Sounds alright, but also sounds like every other metal album I've listened to Fav Songs: The first three
Classic heavy metal, head banging
Just a lot of clunkers - United, you don't have to be old to be wise, red white and blue etc Breaking the law is so much better than every other track it's notable. 3/5 for that alone otherwise would be lower
An influential album that sounds pretty tame to modern ears. A few bangers that have aged well.
First Judas Priest album I've ever listened to. Not too shabby.
Classic metal album. Rob Halford's voice is just commanding. I like Painkiller more but this is undeniably a great record for metal music.
I’m not a metal fan generally. But this wasn’t bad at all! No frills. Straightforward rock without the painful screaming, both vocally and on the guitar, that metal sometimes has.
jahas ulos astuttiin ja vesusade ropiaa. katsokaas herrasväki päivämäärää. toki aurattu pikkulumi pois tieltä..heh..nyt turvallisemmat tiet kato ku aurattu heh. ja toki pieni tuulenvire 30metriä sekunnissa pikkupuuskat pikkutihkua työntää naamalle..raikastavaahaan se on.. hyvää joulua ja uutta vuotta herrasväki..kyllä suomi winter wonderland. taistelijat: kaikilla on oma syy miksi taistella, onko perhe..jumala..vai tämä kaumis maa joka meitä elättää..taistelijat..täytyy löytää syyy..(real speech) breaking the law
Felt like a classic 80s rock metal album. Nothing I’d probably purposefully listen to again, but not a bad listen.
норм, но не зашло. лютый рок.
Weak
Perfect for: • Car Chases • Crushing Beer Cans Over Forehead • Bowling Hype Videos • Revenge
metal
I don’t know if metal will ever click for me but Judas Priest tried their best <3
Пару песен интересных есть
3.5
Good listen
I'm not a metal fan but this was surprisingly listenable. (But what's up with "United"? It doesn't seem to belong here.) This album doesn't reach an outright 3 in my books but I recognize that it's probably excellent for it's genre. 2.75/5
Really good heavy metal. Maybe it just got assigned when that's what I was in the mood for, but had fun with the album
i saw a review that was like the songs sound the same after a while and like thats so real omg hard asf cover though united is also good, in terms of chorus, it plays with the expectations you build of the musicality of the album breaking the law is a bop of course you know i don't understand non-album listeners, albums are so much fun to listen to all at once,, why would you put your music on shuffle living after midnight is kinda meh like basic, only thing that makes it notable is its hook "loaded, loaded" i much prefer the rage
Never listened to Judas Priest before especially not when this album came out. To be fair it’s not as bad as I expected.
Never heard the album before. Good solid rock/metal album with solid guitar riffs and vocals.
Metal is so much better when it’s fucking stupid. It’s the dumbest genre, and Judas Priest knows that. Which makes this way better than a lot of other metal albums. Also Rob Halford seems like a nice guy. But the albums also doesn’t reach the absolutely stupid heights the later ones do when they almost become a parody of themselves. Look at the album cover for Defender of the Faith. It’s amazing. But uh. 3.5 I guess
British Steel was almost shockingly melodic, I came in not know what to expect. Outside of Metallica, metal typically falls very flat for me. But this album, while not overly complex is dynamic and way ahead of its time. Could even be called revolutionary. 6.9/10
enjoyed it!
I guess they hadn’t really figured out metal vocals yet. The instrumentals are cool though. Favorite Song: Breaking the Law Least Favorite Song: The Rage
Good
🤘
Okay i guess
It was nice.
The Iron Maiden and ACDC 1980 albums were both better, but this is still good Metal
This is #day98 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... let's break the law, shall we? When I first dove into heavy metal, British Steel (along with Sad Wings of Destiny, I believe) became one of those albums I kept on hand as a Priest classic. While I don't revisit it often, if ever, it's still undeniable how the album set the blueprint for '80s heavy metal. Tracks like "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" are metal staples, the rhythm section is tight, the riffs are contagious, the drums are crisp... The record rocks hard (or, rather, heavy). I also appreciate Rob Halford's outspoken support for Ukraine against russian aggression. This is a 3 out of 5, though, as I'm not sure I'd be playing this in full soon. Looking forward to #day99.
Uh huh huh. Hey Beavis. Judas Priest rocks!
Pretty forgettable but fine. Simpsons: Yes
Pretty standard early-80s metal/hair band sound. Not bad overall as an album, but not a lot to make it stand out from the crowd for me.
Breakin the law! Breakin the law! I listened to this and nothing really caught me outside of Breakin' the Law. I know they are metal gods and I think the lead singer is gay. I guess I'll revisit this when I get into my metal phase. Julian is working on me but still has aways to go.
Those two huge hits aside, this kind of dipped too far into generic arena rock territory in the second half. Big ass album, but I prefer Painkiller musically. Both deserve to be on here though. I'll have "Breaking the Law" stuck in my head for the next three days.
great rock album. fave track: the rage
British Steel is the sixth studio album by Judas Priest, originally released in 1980. It's hard to look back on the history of Metal without mentioning Judas Priest. I'm not a big fan of them but I sure respect what they did for the genre. I was expecting it to be more hair metal-ish but man this was pretty heavy. Especially for 1980. Sure, it maybe hasn't aged as well as, say, Metallica, but there's no Metallica without Priest. It's corny but fun.
The Metal Gods were with them on this one! Saw them live at Manchester Apollo possibly on the tour for this album. Fab concert, every rock cliche to the MAX!!
A couple decent tracks, but mostly meh
Nej men det här var inte mitt album. Breaking The Law och You Dont Have to Be Old to Be Wise kan inte lyfta det här hårdrockande mer än till en 3a. Det är något med det här jagade soundet som är ganska enerverande och jobbigt.
Not my kind of music but it wasn’t bad.
Great metal. Beats and guitar are on point, lyrics discernable and overall enjoyable
Never thought I’d really appreciate metal but this is not bad
Liked it more than expected! Some of the singaglong anthems seemed a little cheesy but I didn’t feel bored like some of the other listens so far.
I understand that it’s the birth of thrash metal, but I felt that perhaps AC/DC, or Motörhead, or even Van Halen did it better, or at least thrashier, as contemporaries. It’s good but I found the pace of some of the songs a bit…sleepy. I’ll up-vote it a star for history. Maybe that’ll appease the Rock Gods. Probably not.
It's heavy. It's metal
This was fine. I still don’t like metal and I’ve made my peace with that.
I’ve never been a huge Priest fan, sticking mainly with the mainstream hits. However, I really enjoyed the second half of British Steel, as it held up more than I expected.
Thrash metal doesn’t do anything for me. It’s the sort of music that’d be played in an action film - specifically a montage of the characters ‘tooling up’ for the big fight. Of course, it’s fun, especially the (surprisingly short) well-known Breaking the Law. But past that - it’s not... any good. I can perhaps appreciate the instrumentation somewhat, but other than this, it’s just run-of-the-mill metal.
Of the heavy metal I've listen too, this maybe some of the best overall. I still don't love it, but it's better than the rest.
A Surprisingly Fun Album I Will (probably) Not Listen To Again
I love 'Breaking the Law' and, from what I've heard, I love Judas Priest! But this earlier release in their discography is steeped in some of the more irritating hard-rock sounds of the time that I'm not so much a fan of. It's also missing those iconic Rob Halford theatric yelps and vocals that make the JP records iconic—I mean, they're still there, just to a lesser degree. 'The Rage' has hints of those incredible Rob Halford vocal cries and chops I love so much from JP's later albums - including a kickass solo to send the track off, it might be my favorite song on here. 'Steeler' follows suit and is equally as effective with its closing blazing guitar passages. 'Red White and Blue' is a unique change-up, though I'm not entirely sure how to feel about it upon first listen. Not the best crop of Judas Priest songs I've heard, but then again it's an earlier release in their discog.
A good album, with some punchy songs. I am missing a bit of variation between the songs. 3/5
It’s hard to take them seriously when every other song feels like it was written by some kid playing D&D in his moms basement. The instrumentation on this album really shreds but overall it lacks variety.
This one was punchy, heavy, and a fun listening experience
Most of Judas Priest's biggest hits seems to be packed on this record, which is quite a feat. I still felt a bit let down though, the songs didn't punch as hard as I remembered. And though it might be an unfair and unnecessary comparison, I kind of feel like Rob Halford is just a bit of a less good singer than Bruce Dickinson in Iron Maiden. Getting 3 strong stars from me, but could definitely deserve more if this is your cup of tea.
I love me some Judas Priest and some Heavy metal! Was stoked coming into this album, the album art alone makes want to listen to it. Was a bit disappointed after listening to it though. While the singles are great, the rest you can kind of leave. I also truly believe that Judas Priest really hit their stride with "Screaming for Vengence". "Living after midnight" just sounds a bit flat in comparison (Breaking the Law still is one of their best songs though). Strong 3 stars! Listen to the singles and other Judas Priest albums!
I thought it was going to be horrendous. And it was 'meh'. That's a compliment, even though it's trying hard not to be.
I would actually call it Rock/Hard-rock, but apparently it's metal. Not a bad album.
Hard rockin’! Leather jackets! Patches! Cigarettes! Long hair! Heavy metal!
I’m not a heavy metal fan. But ok.
Twas pretty good! I definitely preferred the more fast-paced "thrashy" tracks such as Rapid Fire and Steeler, but I also enjoyed Grinder. I'd probably listen to this album again.
It’s was alright Fav songs: rapid fire, breaking the law, grinder, the rage
One song I love on here
'United' was my favourite track. Quite enjoyable, once I got into it.
It was interesting to hear such a foundational metal album. I'm not really a metal fan though.
Sometimes you have to let your inner Bevis take over and just enjoy stuff that is dumb as hell but indisputably rocks hard as hell. These are pretty basic essential thrills: big distorted riffs played at a medium-high tempo with some guitar heroics, a machine of a drummer, and an incredible vocal performance that really pushes into the high end extremely forcefully. The more time passes the more the distinction between metal and classic rock fades away and the idea that this is an especially hard, loud, or aggressive sound or a distinct genre seems kind of absurd.
I quite enjoyed this on my 2nd listen. It has an extremely random composition called Red, White & Blue. 3.5
Judas Priest indeed.
Didn't expect to like this album. Great pick me up on a Tuesday afternoon.
Man, I just realized that all these new bands are just ripping off Judas Priest...
I thought it would go harder. Breaking the Law was iconic, but the rest wasn’t my favorite.
I warmed up to this more after a second listen. It's still not a 4 or 5 for me but I at least wouldn't mind listening to again.
🎧solid heavy metal. Highlights: Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight
I know they’re hugely influential on the metal scene blah blah blah but I didn’t enjoy this album. It felt so over produced but maybe that’s their point…
This may have been influential on thrash metal bands, but I wish it hadn't been. Not a genre I care for, and I didn't like this album. I'll give it a point for the sleeve design and a point for influence.
The lyrics to grinder retrospectively make it sound like they're looking for dick. The other songs are pretty decent but not really our genre.
Must be the first album by Judas Priest that I ever have listened to straight through without other music in the mix. Old school Judas for sure, and I still am unsure how big of a fan I truly am. I appreciate them in the music history and they earned that place. For me, Judas Priest has some really really really good songs, and some others that I care nothing for. In an album like this, some songs really do fall in the back as just noise when my mind wander elsewhere. As a result, I believe Judas works best in mix settings to not get uninspiring where everything sounds the same.
LAM bom
Breaking the Law 3.2 Rapid Fire 3 Metal Gods 3.1 Grinder 3.3 United 2.8 Living After Midnight 3 You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise 3.4 The Rage 3.5 Steeler 2.8 Score: 3.122222222
First day of the 80’s and it sounds like it. There’s a little bit of AC/DC sound in there too.
I have never actually listened to this album, it's really good. Not just the hit songs but most of the songs really rock. Excellent guitar and vocals. Great beats, I think the lyrics are good but I wasn't paying super close attention. Definitely going to listen to this one again.
Not my thing, but wasn't terrible.
I thought I hated metal, but I enjoyed this.
legal, mas as músicas desceram que nem água: sem gosto. generiquinho do metal.
Pretty good, probably the first album of theirs that I’ve listened all the way
This is exactly the type of stuff I like listening to - but for some reason it just wasn't clicking for me Wasn't bad at all, just couldn't get into it 3 ⭐️
In my younger self I listened to some metal, now, not so much. If I had to endure a Heavy Metal band and album, Judas Priest's, British Steel is a solid bet. They continue to be the gold standard of what metal should sound like and British Steel delivers the goods, if this is what you're into. I tolerated it, guilty pleasured it briefly, but I'm fine to move on. It's good to bang your head once in a while! Right?
Troede ikke jeg kunne lide JP, men det her er faktisk helt ok - Breaking the law er en klassisker! United kan også noget. Ellers ikke de helt store numre, men højt bundniveau og det skal anerkendes 3/5
I set my expectations a little too high. It grew on me, and definitely has some bright spots, but it doesn't quite have the bite or weirdness I enjoy from early metal/hard rock. At least a possible invite to dig deeper into their catalog.
6/10 Yup, this style of route-one 80s-ish metal is the area of the genre I like. Totally competent and listenable album. Nothing clever: chugging riffs, metal singing style at the non-annoying end, and some genuinely good melodies “Breaking the Law” makes me think of Beavis & Butthead Best: Rapid Fire
Normalito. Es completamente dsitinto a todo lo que escucho pero no se me hzio pesado en ningun momento.
3.5
This record was a ton of fun to listen to, but it never felt great enough to wow me. There were a lot of tracks I liked and I loved the overall sound that they captured here. It feels powerful and influential. Favorites were Metal God, Breaking the Law, and Steeler
Some slappers but some songs that were just corny as hell from a modern perspective. I can definitely see how it was influential. From looking at the Wikipedia page I learned that Red, White, and Blue was not on the original track list and so I will ignore it. Thank god, that song is not good. Favorites were Breaking The Law, Grinder, and Steeler.
Like a lot of metal bands that seem to take themselves very seriously and whose image seemed to be based on acting like tough guys and writing songs about scary things and being intimidating, and who like to make Christianity seem scary (which, I mean, it can be), I never quite took Judas Priest seriously. So all of that being said, I was ready to not take this album seriously. But that’s the thing I’ve learned about metal - you aren’t really supposed to take it super seriously. Sure if there’s a message, hear it. Understand it. But sometimes things can just be fun or expressive and not be so self important. There was some good stuff here. It all kind of hits the same note with very little variety (that’s my main criticism of metal in general), but for that it is, it’s a good time. The album cover is badass, too. I was a little suspicious of this album’s selection for this project because it contains one of their most recognizable hits in “Breaking the Law.” Whenever this happens, I just kind of assume an album made the list/book because of that one song. I can safely say that I don’t think that was the case here. Obviously some very talented musicians who just love to play some hard, loud metal and have a good time doing it. Not at all my favorite album but solid nonetheless. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Rapid Fire, Metal Gods, Breaking the Law, Steeler
It’s was fine. Music was pretty fun though his voice was the worst part for me.
Never listened to Judas Priest before and it was better than I expected. Kind of corny but fun and they did a decent job of bending the hard rock/heavy metal style. Living After Midnight was my fave.
Fine metal but not as good as the Iron Maiden albums on the list.
Not at all what I wanted to hear today but I can’t fault Judas Priest for that. What I can fault them for however is how freaking corny this sounds today. Maybe it didnt at the time so it was cool, but it’s not timeless like The Rolling Stones or Black Sabbath to me.
Yo he escuchado Judas Priest antes pero esperaba algo mejor... Painkiller es una canción que es muy thrashera, pesada y con uno de los solos de bateria más icónicos y reconocibles del mundo y en este proyecto no me sentí de esa forma con ninguna canción. Sentí que escuchaba un disco de Bon Jovi. I felt disappointed. It's a good record, but i was expecting way more. 5/10
Not my musical style, but it’s a worthwhile listen.
good metal. Old school. didn't need the LIVE redo
Better than expected
I don’t like metal but it’s good
Me parece una buena banda, y un buen disco, a pesar de ser metal. Musicalmente es lo más parecido a AC/DC que escuché y la voz es agradable.
Ordentlicher Heavy Metal.
Well all right! Thank you album club for kicking off my morning.
I enjoyed this one ok.
I enjoyed this one pretty well, doesn't have the super iconic tracks like some of the later metal albums it inspired, but I can see where those were influenced by this one.
This was a fun listen. Cheesy, yes...but still pretty rockin' and didn't overstay its welcome.
Okay, um I’m not sure what the deal is with this album? Like the good songs are really good and the rest is not. Fav Songs: Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight, and The Rage.
Judas Priest has never been my style, but I respect them. They clearly shared and have a great time doing it. Probably not an album I’ll get back into a ton, but always glad to have a Judas Priest album come across my desk
Fun.
Sick sounds, don’t know if this has much replay value though
This surprised me, I anticipated just another 80s rock album but it was actually pretty entertaining throughout.
Hair metal genesis. This band thrashes and rocks on this record. Never been a big Judas fan, but I can appreciate what they did for music. This record is what I thought it would be, and that’s okay. No other strong emotions about this one.
Background classic metal which to background music to. 5/10
Not a big priest guy, but this is fun.
This is enjoyable. Don't know if it's legendary.
normally I'm not a fan of early 80's metal. maybe it's because we've had 2 other absolutely wretched albums to listen to, so this one was a (comparatively) huge improvement. it's not my normal sound, but since they had lyrics, and could play instruments it was fine. it's the stereotype 80's metal sound but what would you expect from them
Classic rock album. Not bad for 1 listen
Surprised to check the listens and see it's so popular. Though it could make sense as it seems quite accessible for metal, didn't impress me too much in terms of originality/uniqueness compared to other metal albums.
Cool/cheesy 80s metal. Think I should just give in and listen to this all the time.
I know and love Grinder and Breaking the Law, but otherwise the vocals are a bit too cheesy for me. The Rage had a great 80s bassline though.
Four-stars seems generous, but it is better than 3
United is fun.
I've listened to Breaking the Law before, but hadn't listened to really anything else by Judas Priest. It was ok, but nothing that I'd actively seek out again.
Not bad, but got fairly boring in the second half of the album. I wouldn't turn it off, but I wouldn't pick it out and put it on either.
New listen for me. Okay
Thought it would be worse, lol.
I wouldn't listen again, but I wasn't unhappy listening to it.
It's Priest. You know what you're getting when you sign up. Dual-guitar riffage, three or four different tempos of metal, lyrics you can scream along with. (I mean, how did people pretend that Rob Halford *wasn't* gay with a song like "Grinder.") Straight up and straightforward. If you're a metalhead, this is a touchstone. If you're not -- at least there's "Living After Midnight." Unexpected banger -- Steeler.
Mildly entertaining.
I mean its a rock album. Nothing crazy imo
Good fun, wouldn't listen to a whole album by choice.
Such a meat and potatoes rock album lol. I kinda wanted it to be more metal but I think the corny 80s rock works in the right moments. The guitar solos are indulgent and sloppy and fun. Some of the tunes do sound very dated, and the perfect kinda stuff for my ready unsalted playlist, but there is certain kind of fun to it too. Best Track: United Worst Track: Red, White & Blue
Did not expect to like this. Was more musical and listenable than expected
You certainly can hear where 80s-era metal went after this album.
Not bad, got a bit repetitive though
I was never one of those people, a fan of Judas Priest. Having said that, I thought I'd give this a try over 40 years later with fresh ears. One thing I'll say is that lead guitarist absolutely SHREDS! His leads are consistently impressive (assuming it's one guy). Living After Midnight still holds up as a solid (pop) rock song, solid from the very first beat. Steeler is definitely a head banger! I think 3-stars is well deserved from someone who couldn't stand this band. You can tell that this album is well produced. From a sonic perspective, it still holds up. Having said all of this, I'm still not a fan!
A bit overhyped.
I've always been meh about Judas Priest. Ill hear the songs and rock out but never search them out. Are there die hard Judas priest fans or just fans that go to Judas Priest concerts? I think if they came to town I'd say "Hey look Judas Priest is playing" then go about my day. It's basically how I approached this album. I have no real feelings.
Very solid metal album. Dave Holland is fantastic on the drums. Tracks like “Living After Midnight” and “Grinder” are timeless, but others, like “Rapid Fire” and “The Rage,” are a more forgettable.
To me it was fine. Fun to break the law, but everything else didn’t really grab my attention. No hate to JP, though, it was still good.
Heavy Metal…it has its moment(s) for me as does this album…but I’m not going to add it to my playlists any time soon. Much respect to Halford.
Not my kind of thing but I enjoy the guitar solos and driving drums.
I’m not big on Metal as in I never really got very into it but sometimes it really just hits and I really enjoy some of it. This for me is a great record of the genre. The band noted that their producer helped them cutaway all the fluff and this really elevates the album for me (many albums I rated poorly and prior to this made this more apparent). I was familiar with the hits like Breaking the Law but never listened to less popular tracks. Some songs had patriotic vibes that I did not like. Halford’s voice really gives it a recognizable signature.
It's okay. Not as good as Painkiller. Too clean. Steeler was fun.
3.3 stars rounded down. "Breaking the law", "Living after midnight", and "Steeler" are the standout tracks. Basically the singles are great. The rest is decent metal filler, but filler nonetheless.
Not a genre I particularly care for, but I didn't mind this. I didn't pay too much attention but I remember thinking "Steeler" was pretty good. Obviously some talented musicians here.
BREAKING THE LAW BREAKING THE LAW BREAKING THE LAW
This one just made me want to listen to Thin Lizzy. But it did grow on me as it went. B-side was much better. The lead guitar work was fantastic throughout. Great tone.
Classic hard rock sound. The singer has huge variety in his his voice. From the “grungy” rock sound to operatic in some instances, and the more flat (but still good) sounding in songs like “United”. Nothing stood out a whole lot, but it was all enjoyable.
Enjoyed it. Another one of those old rock albums that blends together for me. Nothing breakout, but I liked it throughout.
Other than knowing of them, my only prior experience with Judas Priest is when my friend Josiah commits minor traffic infractions he sings the chorus from Breaking the Law. And if Ozzy didn’t have such a unique voice I’d probably easily confuse them for Black Sabbath. But being like Black Sabbath definitely isn’t a bad thing, this was a solid listen and I definitely enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I also thought it was interesting to have this album the day after Van Halen to really see the different ends of the spectrum when it comes to the metal genre 40 years ago. Nothing stood out all that much, but it definitely wasn’t bad.
Their bio says they were influential on the genre.. they didn’t have to influence it to all sound the same
Tough week for me, this ends a full week of albums from 1969-1980. Most metal is a bit hard for me to really dig into, since modern dubstep festival kinda fills a similar role for me. But I super respect this regardless. A little samey all the way through but that’s expected. Super tight arrangements. A neat feature for me was all the drum fills peppered in throughout the album
Kinda interesting I guess. Nothing really stood out.
my father could sing this in his garage.
Enjoyed the energy even if it's not my type of music Favorite track: Breaking the Law
Hey ja chli langwiilig und repetitiv aber loses trz no gern eig
fangt no powerful undhigh energy ah reeeeecht heavy für 1980. boah de siech cha siiiiinge. metal gods isch meeega 80s gitarre sound, so hend nocher alli gitarre tönt. finds en geile song. breaking the law au cool, anschinend de hit. find metal gods cooler. grinder kiffe moment. united irgendwie patriotismus komiscj mitgröl findi nöd so geil. d strophe isch aber geil. uf the rage siiiingt er wieder hobla. pke red white and blue isch asss und au en bonus track loses nöd wiiter
Solid in your face, unapologetic classic rock. If that's your jam, this is an album for you. If that's not your jam, you'll likely give this one a pass. I thought it was a solid listen. Nothing overly extraordinary, but a solid classic rock album.
I have established my distaste for the hyper-machismo, play-acted bravado, and contrived darkness of a lot of metal music. This album contains some of that, although tempers itself at times. Where it is most successful is in its more melodic, poppy songs—like “Living After Midnight,” which almost feels out of place among the chug-chug postulations on the rest of the album. I guess I prefer my heavy metal closer to Def Leppard than Black Sabbath, and this fits somewhere in between.