Listening Post: Judas Priest - Stained Class

"Breaking the Law", "Another Thing Coming", that's just about the depth of my Judas Priest knowledge. Well, I know about the alleged backwards masking. I know that Halford is the leader of the metal/leather image. And gay. I now that the terrible move Rock Star was based on them. Sort of. And I know that a Halford imitator, named Ripper Owens took over when Rob left.
So. In summary. I know more ABOUT the band then their music. Let's change that.




Judas Priest - Stained Class - 1978 (Buy It)

Are you looking for speed metal's ground zero? Because, unless I am mistaken, Stained Class is it. The themes, mostly about death or the harbingers of doom, are almost second place to the sheer fire that is the music. All that mid-70s mysticism and prog has given way to straight ahead blistering metal. If you don't find yourself playing Heavy Metal Parking Lot or air guitaring on Invader, I can't do nothing for ya, man.
Funny that, as blistering as this album is, the song that caused all that ruckus with the lawsuit was a cover of a Spooky Tooth song, Better by You, Better than Me.
Alas. Legacies are a hard thing to live down. This record is better than the mess caused in it's name.

Grade A
A Side: Better by You Better than Me, Exciter, Invader
BlindSide: Stained Class, Beyond the Realms of Death
DownSide: Saints in Hell