But the Odyssey must move forward, slouching it's way to the end of my CD rack to be born.
Disc 261 is...Killing Machine
Artist: Judas Priest
Year of Release: 1978
What’s Up With The Cover?: I am not entirely sure. Obviously a close up of some biker type, complete with leather skull cap, but what's that being reflected in his aviator sunglasses? Has he been shot in the eyes, or is that the reflection of someone that he has just taken out (the album is called "Killing Machine" after all).
How I Came To Know It: This is just me drilling through Judas Priest's collection, since my friend Ross rekindled my love for the band a few years back. I've known the song "Hell Bent For Leather" for a while, so this was an early purchase in my Priest collection - probably the fourth album I bought after "Defenders of the Faith", "Screaming for Vengeance" and "British Steel".
How It Stacks Up: I have ten Judas Priest albums, and this one is near the top of the heap. I'm going to say 2nd or 3rd best.
Rating: 4 stars but close to 5.
"Killing Machine" is a fairly early Priest album, coming out in late 1978. Times have changed a lot since then. For example, at the time of release, the North American record execs renamed the album "Hell Bent For Leather" because they were worried about the violent overtones of "Killing Machine". Imagine how "Cannibal Corpse" covers would've gone over in the seventies.
What hasn't changed is this album's impact. It still delivers some of the best riff-driven rock music you'll ever hear.
As often happens when I hear early Priest and Maiden albums, I once again found myself marvelling at just how ahead of its time this music is. "Killing Machine" comes out in 1978, and is as heavy metal as anything you'd hear in 1986 - probably more so.
This album is not well known outside of Judas Priest fans, which is a damned shame, because it is consistently excellent. From the opening track "Delivering the Goods" through anthems like "Hell Bent for Leather" and the soccer-chant evoking "Take on the World", Priest displays a level of self-absorbed bravado that is rarely seen outside of a KISS record.
"Killing Machine" is an album that assumes it is good - it doesn't wait for your approval of this assumption - when this record wants your opinion, it gives it to you. In "Take On The World" we are told:
"Move a little nearer
You know you got to follow your leaders
As we need you
Like you need us for sure
We're gonna drive you.
We're gonna ride you,
We're gonna get right inside you."
None of this is optional, but the song is so infectious - the guitars so insistent and Halford's voice so inspiring, you don't mind being told what to do. Believe me, telling metal fans what to do - successfully - is no easy feat.
Priest even provides a remake of an early Fleetwood Mac song, "The Green Manalishi With the Two Prong Crown", which is incredible. I don't even know the original, but when a remake is this good, I don't feel I need to.
This is a remastered album, and the sound production is excellent. The soulless record execs couldn't resist adding some 'bonus' tracks, but even these are OK. An early studio track, and a live track - neither of which was originally on the album, both of which are passable to the point that I'm willing to overlook them and not demerit the album as a result.
So what to grade this record? I think it is every bit the equal of "Defenders of the Faith" which I graded out at 5, but "Defenders" had the advantage teenage nostalgia. Then again, the sound this album is putting out is easily ten years ahead of its time, which speaks to perfection. I wish I allowed half stars, but since I don't, I'm going to be a hard marker and go 4 stars here, but this album is as close to 5 stars as you can get and not be there.
Best tracks: Delivering the Goods, Hell Bent for Leather, Take On The World, The Green Manalishi With the Two Prong Crown, Killing Machine
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