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THE REVIEW
A bloodbath, the steel of "Jugulator" tempered in the toxic waste of a decaying industrial civilization, this is how the character of "Demolition" can be summarized, the darkest and most controversial album in the entire career of the Judas Priests: a record with a highly restless and more introspective soul than its predecessor, seventy minutes of genuine sonic orgasm that can unsettle or stir, creating strong sensations for anyone who listens.
The work opens with the wonderfully brash and defiant "Machine Man", marked by Scott Travis's pounding rhythms, paving the way for heavy-industrial salvos like "One On One", a true declaration of intent, and the more melodic but equally illustrative "Hell Is Home", followed by the most concise and sharp of the album, "Jekyll And Hyde".
The spirit of this album is best represented in the dark and sickly atmospheres of songs like "Bloodsuckers", "Feed On Me", and the industrial-doom of "Cyberface", but here also are ballads, completely absent in "Jugulator"; these are dark, intense, and pessimistic ballads like "Close To You", of rare emotional involvement, and the troubled "In Between", not forgetting the more sunny "Lost And Found", which might not fit at all with the rest of the album but remains a great piece, that can be listened to more than willingly.
Ripper Owens' performance is truly breathtaking: to the incredible vocal range and boundless charisma, already amply showcased with "Jugulator", here is added versatility, which leads him to effectively mimic Marilyn Manson in "Devil Digger" and "Subterfuge" and Layne Staley in the aforementioned "Close To You" and "In Between".
A separate chapter certainly deserves "Metal Messiah", the splendid anthem that closes this album, an authentic metal manifesto, in the most total and complete sense of the term, creating a sort of mystical ecstasy that concludes in the best way the short but intense and highly fruitful marriage between Judas Priest and Ripper Owens, who shortly thereafter would continue his career with the magnificent Iced Earth, effectively leaving JP this masterpiece which is in fact their last great album.
HE'S THE MAN
ARMAGEDDON
WALKING THROUGH FIRE
METAL MESSIAH
HE'S THE ONE
THE FATHER THE SON
CREATOR DESTROYER
METAL MESSIAH
THY KINGDOM COME
THEY WILL BE DONE
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Summary by Bot
Demolition is Judas Priest's darkest and most introspective album, blending heavy industrial metal with emotional ballads. Ripper Owens delivers a versatile and breathtaking vocal performance throughout. The album stands out for its intense atmosphere and powerful tracks like 'Machine Man' and 'Metal Messiah.' It's regarded as the final great statement of the band's career with Owens.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Judas Priest
Formed in Birmingham in 1969, Judas Priest are among the pioneers of heavy metal, known for twin-guitar attack and Rob Halford's high vocals. Their career spans classic studio albums and acclaimed live records.49 Reviews
Other reviews
By AndJusticeForAll
This album with mediocre sounds brings to mind factories, presses, welders, pneumatic hammers. Metal is also this.
It may be the worst album of the Judas for a Judas fan, but trying to give an objective final judgment, it manages to pass thanks to a lot of technique, a great singer, and some good ideas, but interpreted with confusion, too much craft and really little feeling.
