| MAIN |
|
JUDAS PRIEST – Painkiller [The Re-Masters] (Columbia/Legacy Recordings) |
RELATED REVIEWS |
|
Posted: 8/23/04 Category: Heavy Metal Original Release: 9/90 Reissued/Remastered: 3/19/02 Label URL: www.legacyrecordings.com Band URL: www.judaspriest.com
With the Judas Priest reunion in full swing, we thought we’d take a look back at the band’s remastered reissues that came out during 2001 and 2002. Some of these we covered in our Metal Dreams print magazine – MD#6, but many of them were missed when we transitioned to the web.
When I first plugged in Painkiller upon its release in 1990, I knew that Judas Priest was back with a renewed aggression. The long ‘Do It’ trial, in which the band’s music was said to have encouraged two young men to commit suicide, clearly pissed the group off enough to churn out a pure molten slab of metal. The title track’s opening drumbeats (courtesy of new skinsman Scott Travis) was a clear indication that this album was going to rectify the backlash they had received for going ‘pop’ on 1986’s Turbo.
Painkiller was the next logical step to Defenders Of The Faith and Ram It Down, carrying on the true metal feel, but in a faster, more venomous manner. Travis’ drumming style allowed bassist Ian Hill, and guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton to ‘floor it.’ And all that additional aggression also influenced Rob Halford to employ higher vocalization than he had in the past. Lyrically, Painkiller found Priest discussing all things metal. “Leather Rebel” spoke of a metal-man’s freedom and strength, “Metal Meltdown” delivered visions of power and destruction, and the title track presents a metal monster that’s half man and half machine that has exceptional strength, speed, courage, and is the savior of mankind. The music, lyrics and vocals all came together, making Painkiller a true comeback effort, and one of the band’s best recordings. Unfortunately, it would be the band’s last with Halford. Hopefully, their upcoming reunion album can live up to the standard set by Painkiller.
This re-master spotlights a beefed up sound, which really adds to the intensity of these heavy songs. While you may think that the original's production was the best of the band's catalog, the remaster has made it that much better. Two bonus tracks are also included – “Living Bad Dreams” – a decent power ballad which sounds like it came from the late 80s – and “Leather Rebel” a rather flat sounding live version.
The Bloody Truth: Track for track this is one of Priest’s best, next to Screaming for Vengeance and Defenders Of The Faith. The intensity of the title track might be too much for those that liked the commercial quality of Turbo or songs such as “Heading Out To The Highway” and “Breaking The Law.” However, the rest of Painkiller is more melodic (but still the heaviest they had done up ‘til then) than the title track. Hopefully, the new record will be somewhere between Screaming, Defenders, and Painkiller, and not pick up where Priest with Ripper Owens left off.
Reviewed by: Dirt |
|
