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Rating: After reviewing their latest work, Nostradamus, I can only retrace their history in the context of the global metal scene, which reached its peak precisely with this epic album, "Screaming for Vengeance"... screaming for vengeance, against our enemies, against our worst nightmares, against the entire world that doesn't understand our worth and encloses our hopes, our dreams in a phantom crystal ball where they slowly fade and vanish into the dark folds of time that passes.
The Judas Priest, the first Metal band I got to know, the last one I will stop listening to... every piece of their work is meticulously crafted and represents the ingenuity of these guys turned into art, into exquisite art, so that it can be assimilated by everyone.
Their charisma, their adrenaline on stage, their skill, their awareness of being small in such a big world packed with numerous other bands capable of doing anything to achieve that deserved and flaunted fame every music-loving kid would like to have. These aspects have made them one of the most influential bands in the metal scene and one of the most inspiring.
Just take a tour on YouTube and you will discover many bands that have learned from their style, both musically but especially in terms of stage presence. They were a novelty in the '70s... those madmen with motorcycles, studded leather jackets, chains... while the rest of the world was used to listening to Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple... simple and traditionalist bands.
This is how they stood out from the crowd and became a phenomenon, first in England and then slowly all over the world... the peak of all this, as mentioned before, is this fabulous record.
In "Screaming for Vengeance," Judas Priest reached the creative summit and unleashed their compositional ability.
We find fast and aggressive songs like the title track, the majestic "Hellion/Electric Eye," "Devil's Child" alternating with other gems of rare beauty like "Prisoner of Your Eyes," "Fever" that stand out for their refined sweetness and simplicity of sounds.
This is only the beginning of the Priest era that continues to this day and breaks the Heavy barrier to sail with the latest work into a classic metal never seen so hallucinatory and lavish.
The Judas Priest have made history in the past, the present, and who knows, maybe even the future... I am sure they still have much to offer their fans, who now expect anything, but I am already happy that they have released this fantastic album!
THE HISTORY OF METAL!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Electric Eye (03:38)
Up here in space
I'm looking down on you.
My lasers trace
Everything you do.
You think you've private lives
Think nothing of the kind.
There is no true escape
I'm watching all the time.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.
Always in focus
You can't feel my stare.
I zoom into you
You don't know I'm there.
I take a pride in probing all your secret moves
My tearless retina takes pictures that can prove.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.
Electric eye, in the sky
Feel my stare, always there
There's nothing you can do about it.
Develop and expose
I feed upon your every thought
And so my power grows.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm elected. Protected. Detective. Electric eye.
03 Riding on the Wind (03:10)
Shooting for the stars
Cruise the speed of light
Glowin god of Mars
Body burning bright
Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Tearing up through life
Million miles an hour
Blinding all in sight
Surging rush of power
Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Thunderbolt from hell
Shattering aloud
Screamin' demons yell
Bursting through the clouds
Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
04 Bloodstone (03:52)
I've been trying
There's no denying
It's sending me
Out of my mind
I've seen reason
Change to treason
It's losing it's sense
Of all kind
How much longer will it take
For the world to see
We should learn to live
And simply let it be
Bloodstone, bloodstone
In the night time
Wake in fright
I'm so scared of the game
That's being played
Start to wonder
What's going under
And how many deals
Have been made
How much longer will it take
For the world to see
We should learn to live
And simply let it be
Bloodstone, bloodstone
Bloodstone
I can't take it
You got me living
On a bloodstone
I don't want that that bloodstone
05 (Take These) Chains (03:07)
I move away it don't do me no good
Three thousand miles don't help like I thought it would.
Help me, I'm beggin' you please.
You've got the power down on my knees
Give me some kind of life.
Leave me be.
Take these chains off
Take 'em off of my heart
Reach out to me, as if from the grave
I tried to run but I'm tied to you like a slave.
It's my fault for loving you so
You were so precious, how could I know.
You turned mean overnight
Poor poor me.
I don't owe you anything
Why don't you get out of my life.
Through it all the memories cling
And I can't sleep at night.
Help me, I'm beggin' you please.
You've got the power down on my knees
Give me some kind of life.
Leave me be.
06 Pain and Pleasure (04:17)
I wanna tell ya, hey I think you oughta know
The way you're treating me, I feel I'll have ta go.
I've heard the rumours and it seems they're comin' true
You do waht suits ya, but then that's nothin' new.
Do what you wanna do
Oh what you put me through.
How I suffer for your love.
Say what you wanna say
You know that you're gonna pay
For all the times that I've cried.
You give me pain, but you bring me pleasure
Get out of my life.
You bring me pain, but you give me pleasure
You don't know what I like.
You've got me tied up, dog upon a leash
Instead of messin' 'round, practice what you preach.
Your days are numbered, my day's arrived
The way I see it, we're dead or we're alive
07 Screaming for Vengeance (04:42)
(G. Tipton, R. Halford, K.K. Downing)
Hey listen don't you let 'em get your mind
Fill your brain with orders and that's not right
They're playing at a game that draws you closer
Till you're living in a world that's ruled by fear
Always takin' baby out that's o.k.
What they're givin' maybe it's out of phase with me
Told you once you're never gonna win the race
Same old no tomorrow kicked in the face
We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace
Tie a blindfold all around your head
Spin you round in the torture before the dread
And then you're pushed and shoved into every corner
Then they lead you out into the final slaughter
As the sweat is running down your neck
All your praying for's to stop your body breakin' up
Oh your heart is pumping gonna soon explode
Got to fight the horror of this mental load
We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace
So you wait it out and bide your time
Rip off that straight jacket gotta break that line
Everyone who wins in the great escape
Leaves a thousand more who suffer in their wake
I don't talk about it but that's alright
Table's turned now there's a revenge in sight
If it takes forever babe I tell ya I can wait
Send them screaming back through their hell's own gate
We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace
08 You've Got Another Thing Comin' (05:09)
One life I'm gonna live it up
I'm takin' flight I said i'll never get enough
Stand tall I'm young and kinda proud
I'm on top as long as the music's loud
If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by
You're thinkin' like a fool cause it's a case of do or die
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
That's right here's where the talkin' ends
Well listen this night there'll be some action spent
Drive hard I'm callin' all the shots
I got an ace card comin' down on the rocks
If you think I'll sit around while you chip away my brain
Listen I ain't foolin' and you'd better think again
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
In this world we're livin' in we have our share of sorrow
Answer now is don't give in aim for a new tomorrow
Oh so hot no time to take a rest yeah
Act tough ain't room for second best
Real strong got me some security
Hey I'm a big smash I'm goin' for infinity yeah
If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by
You're thinkin' like a fool cause it's a case of do or die
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
09 Fever (05:21)
I'd spend my days alone
I used to stay at home
Lost in seclusion there
Like I was in a cell
A captured heart as well
Surrounded by despair
Darkness filled my soul
Losing all control
Down on the streets below
Bright city lights would glow
The energy would rise
And through the heat I'd gaze
Still counting empty days
With fire in my eyes
Living through this hell
Can I break this spell
Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night
Then one night as I walked
I heard your body talk
I saw a shooting star
In some magnetic trance
Our beating hearts would dance
And crash down from afar
Oh how strange fate is
Never dreamed of this
Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night
So destiny has bought us
Oh so close together
We were like angels in the night
Living the dream
At last I'll be with you forever
And all at once it feels so right
Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night
10 Devil's Child (04:50)
Hypnotize me
Mesmerize me
Feel my willpower slip
Light my fire
With cold desire
Losing all my grip
Eat my diamonds
Drinking all my gin
Feast your eyes on
A whole lotta sin
Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child
Took my dreams
And now it's seems you're nothing but a liar
Smash and grab at all I had
Build my funeral pyre
Stop pretendin'
Got me growin' old
Your tormentin's
Fit to snap my soul
Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child
You took my heart
And left it blown to smithereens
I gave my body as a slave
You cut my flesh
And drank my blood that poured in streams
I'm left here broken and ashamed
Goin' under
Hear the thunder
Death defying grace
Your condition breeds ammuntion
Shoots me in the face
Vicious talkin'
Stabs me like a knife
Scratched and bruised, so abused
I'm a human sacrifice
Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child
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Other reviews
By jigoro
Probably the most influential group in the Heavy Metal scene ever after Black Sabbath.
Just the intro 'The Hellion/Electric Eye' is capable of taking the listener’s breath away.
By lukather88
The Priest are at the peak of their form, and present an album capable of competing with the previous Sad Wings Of Destiny to become the best album released by the Glasgow band until then.
The album becomes 'the album that all heavy fans should own and know by heart.'
By Federico95
"Screaming For Vengeance is the most aggressive track on the album, as well as the best."
"A masterpiece steeped in technique, power, and symphony, an album not to be missed for any lover of heavy metal."
