Judas

Judas Priest is a pioneering British Heavy Metal band and was a forerunner in the ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’ movement, laying the groundwork for the speed and thrash metal of the ’80s and ’90s with numerous classic LPs…

Judas Priest was one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the '70s, spearheading the New Wave of British Heavy Metal late in the decade. Decked out in leather and chains, the band fused the gothic doom of Black Sabbath with the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin, as well as adding a vicious two-lead guitar attack; in doing so, they set the pace for much popular heavy metal from 1975 until 1985, as well as laying the groundwork for the speed and death metal of the '80s….

The most complete Judas Priest collection all in one bundle! Contains ALL 17 Judas Priest albums featuring the classic line up of: Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing and Ian Hill. Newly Re-mastered versions of 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'. Each individual album is packaged in a replica mini-LP sleeve reproducing that album's original cover art. Also contains a 40 Page booklet with photos, liner notes & album credits

Tim "Ripper" Owens, who had previously sung in a Judas Priest tribute band called British Steel, was hired in 1996 as Judas Priest's new singer. This line up released two albums, Jugulator and Demolition, as well as two live double-albums – '98 Live Meltdown and Live in London…

Judas Priest's METALOGY, an impressive four-CD behemoth of a box set that also includes a bonus DVD, proved a fitting tribute to a band celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2004. Kudos to the creative team whose use of studded trim and faux leather texture in the packaging is fitting for a group whose visual legacy is inextricably linked to their own S&M/biker apparel. As impressive as the outside of this package is, the music contained within is more important, especially when you consider that this Birmingham outfit laid down many of heavy metal's stylistic touchstones…

Nuria Rial and Lothar Odinius are the stars of the show. Rial has a fine voice, and excellent diction, and her text expression is mostly very good. The arias 'Pious orgies' and 'O liberty, thou choicest treasure' are two examples. She also performs the recitatives in a truly declamatory style. A particularly telling example of her treatment of the text is the delightful aria 'So shall the lute and harp awake' (act 3). Lothar Odinius shows the same qualities, and I was especially impressed with his differentiated performance of the coloratura passages in his arias. Like Nuria Rial he performs the recitatives very well. The aria 'Call forth thy pow'rs' (act 1) and the aria with chorus 'Sound an alarm' (act 2) are particularly well done.