“Hey listen, don’t you let’em get your mind/
Fill your mind with orders, and that’s not right/
They’re playing a game that draws you closer/
Till you’re living in a world that’s ruled by fear/
We are screaming, screaming for vengeance/
The world is a manacled place/
Screaming, screaming for vengeance/
The world is defiled in disgrace.”
“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 a 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 thinking like a fool, 'cause it’s a case of do or die/
Out there is a fortune waiting to be had/
You think I’ll let it go, you’re mad/
You’ve got another thing comin’.”
The philosophy of Judas Priest is all here: probably the most influential group in the Heavy Metal scene ever after Black Sabbath, the Priest, recently reunited with their original singer Robert Halford, released in 1982, in the middle of the NWOBHM era, this pleasant album with strongly controversial content towards society and the government, encouraging people to enjoy life and not care about anything or anyone.
Slightly overshadowed by the other main child of NWOBHM, the legendary Maiden’s “The Number Of The Beast”, ”Screaming For Vengeance” is actually a little gem in the discography of the Birmingham band, slightly underrated (the Priestian titans such as “Sad Wings Of Destiny”, ”British Steel”, ”Stained Class” and the magnificent “Painkiller” eight years later slightly overshadow this remarkable album) but absolutely worthy of being re-evaluated.
Always accompanied by endless leather outfits that only let us guess the smell of their onion-scented armpits (to be honest, I wouldn’t be the one to talk, since for me, meeting water is a close encounter of the third kind), the Priest wrote and recorded this album in a Florida studio, and probably the warm atmosphere of the place must have influenced their songwriting, as usual handled by the “Metal Gods” Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing, because many of the songs contained here are capable of giving us not only chills but downright cold sweats.
Just the intro “The Hellion/Electric Eye” is capable of taking the listener's breath away, with perfectly fitting riffs and the usual great guitar work of those two geniuses Glenn Tipton (Benton? Eheheh) and K.K Downing (but do the K.K stand for Kerry King? Who knows).
Excellent is the third “Riding On The Wind”, which showcases the stunning vocal abilities of the great Rob Halford, followed by the beautiful “Bloodstone”, the song with the classic triplet bass line that makes you stand up and dance around the room.
Following is a funny cover of someone I don't know, ”(Take These) Chains”, in which it seems like hearing Bon Jovi played by Priest, a good but tired “Pain And Pleasure”, perhaps the least successful song along with “Fever” of the priestly decade, followed by the "very evil" (for the Priest, that is, it’s not Death Metal!) title track, which together with the subsequent, epic “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”, with a title too long to write, forms the perfect musical duo, the two songs that have become a genuine anthem of the Heavy Metallers of the era, and just the intro of “YGATC” (I write it abbreviated otherwise I’ll still be here tomorrow morning) is worth the price of the trip.
Between two masterpieces lies the tired “Fever”, lacking bite and inspiration, followed by “Devil’s Child”, a song that closes another priestly masterpiece as best it could.
Nothing to say: as the Priest themselves say about this album…
“Great times and great music!!!”
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 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 KingJudas
The Judas Priest, the first Metal band I got to know, the last one I will stop listening to.
In 'Screaming for Vengeance,' Judas Priest reached the creative summit and unleashed their compositional ability.
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."