Jugulator

Judas Priest's first album without Rob Halford and new guy Tim "Ripper" Owens. When this came out I don't think many people gave it a fair chance. Most people thought "Man Priest aren't Priest without Halford." Well I say to all the ones who threw this disc away, HA it's your loss cos this album fucking rules!! The disc starts off with the title track Jugulator. After a minute or so of industrial sounds we are greeted with a super high scream from the depths of hell by Ripper and a barrage of double bass by Scott Travis. From here on out this track beats you to a pulp and never stops. It sounds like a continuation of the classic Painkiller album just modernized for the late 90's. The following track Blood Stained kicks all sorts of ass. With a riff MADE for headbanging this song is perfect for driving 103 down the highway with your speakers blasting the powerful, brutal chorus. A song about corrupt politicians, greedy leaders, and the atrocities commited by those in charge this song should convince even the most harsh critic, the mighty Priest is back!!! Dead Meat is ok, its not amazing but it is a decent track that while not as mindblowing as Blood Stained it doesn't get the "skip" treatment. Death Row follows and is another excellent, fast, heavy track. With a sing along chorus that sticks in your head it's another highlight of the album. Decapitate, the next song, sucks. Sucks BIG TIME. I listened to it once and never again. It's slow, plodding and just plain boring. Now we come to the video single of the album Burn in Hell. I cannot heap enough praise upon this track. It is the perfect build up song. It starts off slow and brooding and just becomes more intense as it progresses, the cymbals lightly tapped, then the bass drum kicks in, then the guitar starts driving and the snare is exploding and by the time the chorus comes around for the second time you realize you're yelling it yourself as loud as you can, "YOU'RE GOING TO BURN IN HEEEEELLLLLLL!!!!" Then the guitars start pounding your head into the wall with an undeniably HEAVY riff and when the song is done you have a big smile on your face cos it really is that bad ass. I just wish Priest would play the full intro live, instead of the "radio edit", which I don't understand, its not like it was a huge commercial hit anywhere. The next two tracks are just eh. Brain Dead and Abductors just sorta sit there, no real hooks or anything just bland. Not as God-awful as Decapitate but nothing too get excited over. Bullet Train. A song as classic to me as Leather Rebel, Hell Bent for Leather, Rock Hard Ride Free, and The Sentinel is next. Tight, hard, and fast Bullet Train is a bullet to your head when you hear this totally amazing song. With strong guitar work, EXCELLENT double bass, and Ripper singing as if his life depended on it this song sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. The 9 minute plus epic Cathedral Spires rounds out the album, A song about the end of the world, about blackend skies, Spires has a dark doomy feel to it. A great performance by Ripper makes this track truly shine. You can actually visualize a lone figure standing in a burnt out cathedral, looking down as his world is charred and destroyed. A long climactic finale with a satisfying explosion ends this killer cd. Alot of people didn't like the new direction that Priest took with this album. Granted I wish there'd be actual guitar solos instead of little ditties here and there, but overall I enjoyed the new Priest sound. (until Demolition that is) Yes it is a much more less melodic and modern album but if you really listen to it it sounds like Priest and none other. If you have Jugulator dust it off and listen to it again. It'll surprise you.