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Year 1976: the genre of Heavy Metal is officially born, and if this happens, we mainly owe it to the second work of Judas Priest, with the poetic name of Sad Wings of Destiny. The English quintet led by Rob Halford gives birth to an absolute masterpiece, destined to remain in history for the talent with which the songs were composed (mostly by the brilliant guitarist Glenn Tipton) and the mastery with which they were performed, but above all for the musical revolution it represented. Although stages worldwide had already been haunted for some years by the legendary Black Sabbath of Iommi and Osbourne, who are credited with inventing the genre, the first true album considered 100% metal is precisely the one in question.
The album immediately starts with a myth, the Judas Priest pearl, the indestructible and unbeatable "Victim Of Changes," a song that talks about changes and is the symbol of the aforementioned musical change sought and found by the group. An unforgettable guitar phrase guides us to the crushing riff, followed by the verse where Halford showcases all his class and the originality of his piercing voice (a feature that makes him absolutely indispensable for hundreds of subsequent metal singers), while the atmosphere darkens more and more, the deadly guitars of Tipton and Downing hammer simultaneously, leading to the black finale where Rob explodes with screams worthy of a soprano. Sharp are also the notes that start the second track, also historic, revolutionary, and metallic. "The Ripper" is in every way a stunning metal song, still unmatched today, and at the time, simply devastating (we're in '76! It would be 4 more years for Iron Maiden! I mean, do we realize? Eh?), the story of the bloodthirsty Jack the Ripper is told at a rampant pace of squared guitars and climbs on ingenious key changes, all duly seasoned with the usual vocal feats of the most famous bald head in metal. The track is number three, but the quality level doesn't change: this time, it defines the genre of metal ballads, and some even consider "Dreamer Deceiver" the best of all time: the atmosphere is surreal and soothing, the composition superb, the melody timeless, Roberto's final vocalizations, unreachable just to change, and the guitar solo, the true heart of the song, in a word heavenly. We have finally reached the first piece of the album that isn't also a masterpiece: "Deceiver" is fast and lively, doesn't amaze but doesn't disappoint either. What follows are two melancholic instrumental minutes where the piano makes its appearance, representing the prelude ("Prelude," indeed) to another historic band piece: the fast and powerful "Tyrant," in full Judas style, with a well-crafted chorus and a great moment where Bobby (um... still talking about the singer, eh? I don't know what else to call him...) is accompanied by a second voice; the Tyrant will remain for many years a staple of Judas Priest's live shows. "Genocide" is a more hard rock piece than the previous ones, with powerful and fitting riffs, presenting in its lyrics an apocalyptic scenario where the human race is completely annihilated (much luck...), "Epitaph" is a serenade where the piano is the only instrument supporting the voice, and surprisingly it harks back to the sounds and tones of Queen, while "Island Of Domination" closes the album, which from a typical fast and heavy ride becomes at times a slow and gloomy blues.
In conclusion, Sad Wings of Destiny, probably the group's best album, was not one of its biggest sales successes (like Turbo or Painkiller), nor does it contain many of its most famous tracks (as British Steel or Screaming for Vengeance do), but its merit lies solely in one feature: the music. Let's give thanks to the Gods of Metal.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
02 Tyrant (04:28)
[Tipton - Halford]
Behold 'tis I the commander
Whose grip controls you all
Resist me not, surrender
I'll no compassion call
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Your very lives are held within my fingers
I snap them and you cower down in fear
You spineless things who belly down to slither
To the end of the world you follow to be near
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned
I listen not to sympathy
Whilst ruler of this land
Withdraw your feeble aches and moans
Or suffer smite from this my hand
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned
My legions faithful unto death
I'll summon to my court
And as you perish each of you
Shall scream as you are sought
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
03 Genocide (05:51)
[Tipton - Halford - Downing]
Mercenary batalions
Are poised to strike us down
Terminations conquest
Upon us now full grown
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Devastation hungers
She waits to leap to earth
Imminent liquidation
Before the grand rebirth
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Sin after sin I have endured
Yet the wounds I bear are the wounds of love
Frantic mindless zombies
Grab at fleeting time
Lost in cold perplexion
Waiting for the sign
Generations tremble
Clinging face to face
Helpless situation
To end the perfect race
Flashing senseless sabers
Cut us to the ground
Eager for the life blood
Of all who can be found
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Slice to the left, slice to the right
None to retaliate, none will fight
Chopping at the hearts, snuffing out the lives
This race departs, no one will survive
Heads to the feet, feet to the air
Souls in the soil, heavy in despair
End of all ends, body into dust
To greet death friends, extinction is a must
04 Epitaph (03:08)
The old man's sitting there, his head bowed down
Every now and then he'll take a look around
And his eyes reflect the memory-pain of years gone by
He can't regain nostalgic dreams he'll never see again
With trembling hands, he wipes a tear
Many fall like rain, there's one for every year
And his life laid out so clearly now, life that's brought death
So nearly now life once he clung to dearly lets go
But spare a thought as you pass him by
Take a closer look and you'll say
He's our tomorrow, just as much as we are his yesterday
A lonely grave, and soon forgot
Only wind and leaves lament his mournful song
Yet they shout his epitaph out clear
For anyone who's passing near
It names the person lying here as you
And you...and you...and you...
05 Island of Domination (04:32)
Beware of their coming
Take heed our time is near
Fatality relinguish not
Brutality in arms doth seek to destroy.
They smashed through the clouds into the light of the moon
Their steeds were full charging, called destruction and doom
'Twas as if all hell had broke loose on this night
And all in all it was a terrible sight
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
We gotta get, we gotta get, we gotta get out of this place
There's a man with a needle who's pleading to get at my face
Hide me and hold me control free as best as you can
It's all becoming too much, I can't cope, for one man
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
Skyrider supersonic flyer
Nightdriver demon of desire
Spinesnapper you tried your best to break us
Throatchoker thought that you could take us
The fright of your life, the fright of your life
The fright of your life is here guaranteed
This is no illusion confessing confusion you're freed
Lashings of strappings with beatings competing to win
Oh what a mess I am blessed, dominations set in
Now we are taken unto the island of domination...
06 Victim of Changes (07:47)
Whiskey woman don't you know that you are drivin' me insane
The liquor you give stems your will to live and gets right to my brain
Don't you know you're driving me insane
You're tryin' to find your way through life
You're tryin' to get some new direction
Another woman got her man
She won't find no new connection
Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through
Takes another look around, you're not goin' anywhere
You've realized you're gettin' old and no one seems to care
You're tryin' to find your way again
You're tryin' to find some new...
Another woman's got her man
But she won't find a new...
Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through
You 'bin foolin' with some hot guy
I want to know why is it why
Get up get out you know you really blew it
I've had enough, I've had enough, good God pluck me
[SOLO (K.K./Glenn)]
Once she was wonderful
Once she was fine
Once she was beautiful
Once she was mine...she was mine
Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore
Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore
Changes, changes, changes, changes
Victim of changes
07 The Ripper (02:50)
You're in for surprise
You're in for a shock
In london town streets
When there's darkness and fog
When you least expect me
And you turn your back
I'll attack
I smile when I'm sneaking
Through shadows by the wall
I laugh when I'm creeping
But you won't hear me at all
All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper
You'll soon shake with fear
Never knowing if I'm near
I'm sly and I'm shameless
Nocturnal and nameless
Except for "the ripper"
Or if you like "jack the knife"
Solo (glenn)
Any back alley street
Is where we'll probably meet
Underneath a gas lamp
Where the air's cold and damp
I'm a nasty surprise
I'm a devil in disguise
I'm a footstep at night
I'm a scream out of fright
All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper...the ripper....the ripper
09 Deceiver (02:41)
[Downing - Halford - Tipton]
Solar winds are blowing
Neutron star controlling
All is lost, doomed and tossed, at what cost forever
Meteors fly around me
Comets die, and then they
And then they, you wanna see how they try to surround me
I can say, here today, we shall stay forever
If you want to find us in a hurry
Oh let me tell you don't you worry
I can't say, here today, we shall stay forever
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Other reviews
By Nero
When "Victim of Changes" stops halfway and you follow with your ear, eyes, and heart that echo that fades into the distance... this is METAL.
Sad Wings of Destiny is something you absolutely did not plan to do but became a perfect synthesis of metal's story-songs and dark emotion.
