Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny: The story and the influences.

Recorded during November - December of 1975 and released on March 23rd of 1976 by Gull Records, the second studio album of Judas Priest is one of the blueprints of heavy metal.

by Andreas Andreou

Having the same business arrangements just like the first album Rocka Rolla (a recording budget of £2,000), the band entered the Rockfield Studios in Wales, with producers Jeffrey Calvert and Max West, while Chris Tsangarides was listed as co-engineer. The band was very happy when Rodger Bain was brought to produce Rocka Rolla in June - July 1974, because they were fans of Black Sabbath and having the producer of their first albums was something important for them. However, the result didn't meet their expectations but it was an eye-opening learning experience. At that point, the recording line-up was Rob Halford (vocals), K.K. Downing (guitar), Glenn Tipton (guitar, piano), Ian Hill (bass), Alan Moore (drums) and the band were listed as "co-producers" convincing the producers to add in the new album tracks that were previously rejected by Bain.


Things were ready for the next level and there was going to be a departure from the Rocka Rolla sound but those years, where music terms were abstract, they didn't really want to be labelled as a "heavy band". "We don't like to be called heavy. We'd rather be thought of as a dramatic band", Glenn Tipton said to Sounds magazine in May of 1976.


Before the recordings of one of the most important albums of their catalogue (and the last one for Gull), the band visited former singer Al Atkins to sign a contract so they will include parts he wrote in the album. Those parts were added in "Victim of Changes" and "Dreamer Deceiver". However, Atkins doesn't really remember which part was included in "Dreamer Deceiver" (and if any was used) so in a few later pressings of the album his credit is discarded. "Victim of Changes", a song with a heavy influenced Black Sabbath riff, is a combination of the older "Whiskey Woman" track written by Atkins and Downing, and Halford's "Red Light Lady".

Read about the formation of Judas Priest.

"Victim of Changes" is by far the most-times performed-live song of the album, followed by "The Ripper". Sad Wings of Destiny is heavily influenced by Black Sabbath (who already had released 6 albums at that point) since a few Priest members were listening to Sabbath even during the writing and the recordings of the album. From the riffing of "Victim of Changes" up to more melodic arrangements, even lyrics themselves, and from the "Children of the Grave"-influenced riff of "Deceiver" (with a touch of "Under the Sun"), just like Rocka Rolla, this album is also dominated by Black Sabbath, mainly from the albums after Master of Reality. The heavy, progressive and diverse vibe of albums like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is all over Priest.

The late Chris Tsangarides has told Martin Popoff, "They (Judas Priest) started writing lyrics that kind of set the way forward for most of metal, doom, gloom, that kind of thing, the odd demon here or there, but it was mainly that. They loved the Sabbath. In fact, they (Black Sabbath) were recording in the next studio to us and we would talk with them and go in there, listen to a couple of hours and whatnot." Chris Tsangarides, who worked again with Judas Priest for the Painkiller album, added, "Definitely Black Sabbath was the band that they liked and loved very much".


But it wasn't just Black Sabbath. This was the key influence, but there was also Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Queen. Queen and Freddie Mercury had the biggest impact on Halford who was impressed when he saw them live at the Birmingham Town Hall before Priest recorded the debut album, and when an early manager tried to nickname him, he gave him the awkward, Rob "The Queen" Halford, something that didn't last for a minute.

"Purple, Sabbath, Zeppelin, I was a fun of those bands'', Tipton noted, while Downing wrote in his autobiography, "As proud as I was of Sad Wings of Destiny, I could see  the influence of other bands slowly creeping into our songwriting on what was a very important album" and he is very correct. An album blueprint for heavy metal, is actually a masterpiece that's balancing between their influences and the search of their personal style. A turning point where Judas Priest were still searching for their own identity and vision, even if it is considered nowadays as one of their best albums. For example the strong Queen influence that is all over Sad Wings of Destiny wasn't really present in the albums that followed.

From that point on though, Sad Wings of Destiny took the torch and influenced more people and bands, leading to the next albums where Judas Priest finalized their own unique heavy metal style. Added to that, the huge leap from Rocka Rolla (a Bottom-5 Priest album) to Sad Wings of Destiny (a Top-5 Priest album) is probably one of the biggest gaps in the catalogue of all major bands.


The album wasn't an instant success. Actually, it took a few years to be recognized and that's why its influence wasn't instantly, just like Black Sabbath's albums.

The original track list was
Side A:
1. Prelude
2. Tyrant
3. Genocide
4. Epitaph
5. Island of Domination
Side B:
1. Victim of Changes
2. The Ripper
3. Dreamer Deceiver
4. Deceiver

but Gull Records pressed the vinyl by putting side B before side A, even if in the back cover of the first pressing it was written as intended to be. Actually, the original idea makes more sense (who would put a "Prelude" track in the middle?) but that mistake is how we learned the album and what's considered correct in the history of Judas Priest. After all, the history of music itself has many stories of mistakes which later considered as the "normal" because that's what was presented by the labels or the artists or the press.


There is a diversity that might be considered as a flaw in the track list and the final recordings, something like the track list of Black Sabbath's Vol. 4 or Sabotage, where it is uneasy for someone that listened to those albums for the first time having in mind what followed. "Prelude" probably makes no sense before "Tyrant" and it was scrapped from a few later album repressings, while "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Deceiver" sound better as one track with the first part being the "dream" ("followed the dreamer through the purple hazy clouds") and the second part being the "deception" ("all is lost, doomed and tossed").  For some people "Epitaph" sounds out of place and equally different in the flow just like Sabbath's "Changes". K.K. Downing felt the same and didn't like the song but it ended in the album as a Tipton composition and a homage to Queen who Halford loved.

And finally, you have the fade-in at "Victim of Changes", a criminally editing decision that's corrected in the live versions of the track where you listen to the twin guitar harmony of the intro in its full glory. The intro of "Victim of Changes" had many incarnations, from the early stages of "Whiskey Woman" up to the unreleased track "Mother Sun" whose beginning was also considered. But let's remember that Judas Priest were experimenting those years, looking for their identity between their influences and their raw talent, shaping the foundations of heavy metal.

The "Fallen Angel" cover art was commissioned for the album by Dave Howells of Gull and created by Patrick Woodroffe, also known for his work on Budgie's Bandolier, Pallas' The Sentinel and Stratovarius' Fright Night. Around the angel's neck, we will see the Devil's Cross, a symbol adopted by Judas Priest, while the band's gothic-style logo was used one more time in the next album Sin After Sin before it would be replaced by the band logo on Stained Class. The iconic cover art is an undeniable link to the lyrical, dramatic and mournful side of Sad Wings of Destiny.

Speaking of Sin After Sin, the cover of "Diamonds & Rust" song (originally written and performed by Joan Baez) was supposed to be included in Sad Wings of Destiny after Gull Records's suggestion (a version of the track was already recorded in those sessions) but finally ended in Sin After Sin. At that point, Judas Priest broke the contract with Gull, losing all the rights of those two albums, and joined CBS. They became full professional musicians and quit their daily jobs. Judas Priest also had the opportunity to fill the gap other major British acts created after Deep Purple's disbandment in 1976 and Black Sabbath's inner problems after Technical Ecstasy. It was a period where everything worked in favour of the band and they grabed every chance creating the albums that helped shaping heavy metal music.


Just like a few more Priest albums, there is not a track with the album title, that is mostly used as a statement for the content and the aura of the music and lyrics. In the album Winter Ethereal of Arch / Matheos (released in 2019), there is the track "Wanderlust" with the line "so whimsical and she'll be no angel falling, sad wings of destiny won't carry her away" that sounds like a beautiful and poetic reference.

Sad Wings of Destiny is one of the most important heavy metal albums and one of the best Judas Priest releases. Decades later, its influence is a huge part of the metal history that led to Priest's iconic style.

 

Heavy Metal, Caviar and Meths: The formation of Judas Priest - Interview with Al Atkins.

The roots of Heavy Metal go deep somewhere around 1970. Maybe earlier, maybe later but if we must name just one band as the starting point, it has to be Black Sabbath. As it was written somewhere once and many people keep repeating it, "Black Sabbath created heavy and Judas Priest added metal", so next to Black Sabbath, there is Judas Priest. And if there are a few people that will have a debate between those two bands, in the end, it all comes back to Birmingham in England; the birthplace of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, the birthplace of Heavy Metal.

Located in the West Midlands, Birmingham, the City of a Thousand Trades, was a part of the industrial revolution and suffered a heavy bombing during World War II. During the mid to late '60s, Birmingham had a very important music scene with bands like The Moody Blues, Traffic and The Spencer Davis Group and when the '70s entered, there were already Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath. Among those bands and people, there was a singer named Al Atkins who formed a band called Judas Priest. The story of Judas Priest is widely known but their roots are not so much...

Al Atkins never reached the top and Billboard charts, didn't headline major open air festivals and didn't sell millions of records. As he wrote in his book "Dawn of the Metal Gods", "at this point of my life, I never will, but I gave it a bloody good go". His story with Judas Priest started with the long road in pubs and clubs but ended the hard way. Maybe it was just meant to be, but Al Atkins was kind enough to offer an interview about those early years since we're celebrating 50 years of Judas Priest but you won't read many often about those early years. 

written by Andreas Andreou

In my opinion, there are actually two different Judas Priest bands. Let me be clear: the first one was your band (1969-1970) and the second  was the band formed by Kenneth Downing (guitar) and Ian Hill (bass) with John Ellis on drums, joined by you who also brought the name. What's your personal view in the formation of Judas Priest?

Al: Well I was in the 1969-70 and 1970-73 line-ups... and we got through four drummers in four years, so I think the link is there with me and they were both my bands. I was the main spokesman, singer and songwriter after all. The name Judas Priest is the main thing no matter who comes and goes along the way but in my opinion I think now, after 50 years together, it has nearly run it's course and if Rob (Halford) left again that would be the end of the story. The band first started in 1969 but with lots of bad luck like losing our record contract with Immediate Records and firing the drummer, our bass player Bruno Stapenhill decided to leave us for another band and to tour around Denmark... so that was that.

 

What's the origin of the "Judas Priest" name?

Al: Bruno, the bass player, came up with it. He took it from a song called "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" from the album John Wesley Harding by Bob Dylan.

 

Who registered the name?

Al: Our friend and manager David Corke at the time had it registered.

 

Kenny Downing also auditioned for "your" first Judas Priest, what was your first thought for each member of Judas Priest the first time you met them?

Al: Yes, Kenny (K.K.) came to the guitar auditions in 1969 after our first guitarist John Perry commited suicide at the age of 18. Kenny was very inexperienced at the time but had the looks with his long blonde hair. But at that point we decided to give the job to Ernie Chataway from Birmingham.

Sometime after the 1969-70 line-up split, I went looking for another band and listened in on a group who were rehearsing and it was K.K. who had formed a three piece with Ian Hill (bass) and John Ellis (drums). I don't remember what song they were playing, I think they were just jamming together but it sounded really good and I asked them if they wanted a vocalist and they said yes. I didn't like what they were called, which was Freight and suggested they use my old band's name "Judas Priest" and they all agreed so JP MK2 was born. They were a great bunch of guys and listened to what they told them, I was four years older than them and had a lot of experience playing through the '60s with various bands, They were very enthusiastic and couldn't wait to hit the road.

 

Later John Ellis left the band and was replaced by Alan Moore who in turn was replaced by Chris "Congo" Campbell. During that period did you write any original material and what kind of songs did you play in live shows?

Al: John Ellis had a breakdown so we hired Alan Moore who later left and joined a country type rock band for a much easier life because we were now playing any place anywhere doing over 150 gigs in 1972 alone. We played alongside some great bands at that time including Slade, Spirit, Status Quo and Thin Lizzy just to name a few. Drummer Chris "Congo" Campbell took Alan's place and I was writing all the songs which K.K. contributed too, songs like "Winter", "Never Satisfied", "Caviar and Meths", "Morpheus" and "Whiskey Woman" which eventually was called "Victim of Changes"... K.K. came up with his first song called "Run of the Mill" and many of these songs ended up on their first two albums. Alan Moore rejoined later to play on Sad Wings of Destiny.

 

Did Judas Priest ever cross ways with Black Sabbath during your years?

Al: I had met and spoke to Ozzy in a music store in town but no we never really crossed paths with Sabbath.

 

Do you really believe that Judas Priest was a "heavy metal" band in your years or just hard rock?

Al: We were all hard rock or progressive rock, the name "heavy metal" hadn't been invented back then not until a few years later.

 

At some time you also performed with Trapeze in 1972. What do you remember of your meeting with Glen Hughes and Dave Holland who later joined Judas Priest?

Al: I remember it well ,it was at Henry's Blues House in town. It was a very famous little venue with a reputation like  Liverpool's Cavern. You could go and see Robert Plant jamming with some band or other and Black Sabbath played there frequently too in their early days. Trapeze were a great little three piece rock/funk band who were a great bunch of guys.

 

Do you want to share your personal opinion on Dave Holland since you were friends, the accusations and his death?

Al: Well I couldn't believe or didn't want to believe in what happened to Dave... such a nice guy and great drummer. He played on my Victim of Changes solo album which took off with big sales and we decided to stay together and record another one. We had meetings in London with various record companies and things were looking up for us and then the bombshell... He spoke to me on the telephone saying he was being stitched up and not to talk to the press... I never saw him again. He got 10 years prison and court costs of around £10,000... Shame because after serving his time, he moved to northern Spain and died with cancer.

 

When did you leave the band and how did they continue using the Judas Priest name? Have you ever met Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton during that period?

Al: I left the band in May 1973. I was the only one married and now with a small child to feed, I decided to get a 9 to 5 job and support my family because we just couldn't get that big record deal we so wanted to give us some financial backing and although we were getting bigger, we had more overheads to go with it. Norman Hood at the agency helped me out sometimes with some cash but it wasn't enough.

A few months after leaving the band, K.K. and Ian came knocking on my door and asked me if they could use the name Judas Priest and if they could have the songs too and I said yes and best of luck... They said they had found a new vocalist to take my place, named Robert Halford, who I had never heard of but his band Hiroshima had been on our agency books too. They hit the road pretty soon and toured the UK and Europe and the following year they added Birmingham guitarist Glenn Tipton from The Flying Hat Band who were also in the same agency and we both played on the same bill together once at the Plaza Ballroom, B'ham. So now Judas Priest were a five piece for the first time.

 

In your years, Judas Priest were somehow managed by Norman Hood and Dave Corke, both of them related to Black Sabbath. However, we're already in 1973, Black Sabbath have released 5 studio albums and probably you don't have material ready even for an album. Do you believe there was any "missed chance", you just didn't have the proper material or contract, or it just happened this way?

Al: Tony Iommi  had formed an agency in Birmingham for up and coming bands and we signed a contract with them in early 1973 and that was the first time we had met Tony who was a really nice guy. Norman and Dave both worked for him in the agency and they started booking us into bigger venues and trying to secure us with a record deal. We had deals offered us but they were only small independent labels and I turned them down. We were good enough, no doubt, and we had enough material which I said earlier that some of my songs ended up on Priest's first two albums but it just never happened...  Don't forget The Beatles were turned down by every record label in Britain and look what happened to them... Sometimes it's just about the right time at the right place.

 

So, since you and K.K. Downing were obviously the writing team those early years, how did you feel when a few of your ideas ended in the first two Judas Priest albums that were already something different as a band by then?

Al: The only difference in both bands was the added guitar of Glenn Tipton which was a great idea by the independent label they eventually signed with (Gull Records). Dave Corke had left the agency in Birmingham and went to work for Gull in London and pushed the label to sign them but David Howells who owned the label, said only if they will add another guitarist like one of their other bands, Wishbone Ash and it worked brilliantly. Dave Corke worked tirelessly for the band, even getting them a spot  on the popular music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test and the band started to get bigger, especially after their second album Sad Wings of Destiny and top labels had eventually started to take an interest too.

 

And what was your last thought for each member the moment you were off the band?

Al: Everyone was great to work with over the years and I have remained friends with them all.

 

I am sure you've seen a couple of times Judas Priest live over the years. How was the feeling the first time and how was the last time?

Al: It was strange seeing Rob singing my songs after I had left them and I didn't like his high range vocal style at first but he got older and his voice matured. He was incredible especially during the eighties... really wicked.  I last saw them a few years back at Wolverhampton Civic Hall and they played a great set but I missed K.K. on guitar although Ritchie is a good guitarist.

I went to see K.K.,  Tim Owens and Les Binks last year at his new venue The Steel Mill and the band was just amazing. It was great to meet them all back stage later.

 

But life in heavy metal continued. And Al Atkins is still active.

Al: I have recorded six solo albums, one album with Holy Rage album and have played live all over including Florida, New York to California... Check out my new venture with guitarist Paul May, the Atkins / May Project, we have recorded four albums now and the latest is The Final Cut but will it be the final cut?  Who knows which way the wind blows. I will keep rocking as long as I can but I have had a great time and life no matter what. 

 

Al Atkins and Paul May

Photos provided by Al Atkins.

The albums we enjoyed most in 2018... and beyond.

The usual prologue would be that no one can say that have listened to almost everything that was released during 2018. Everyone who claims that, and posting the "best" and "top" lists is wrong so we will speak just for our favorite releases and the albums we enjoyed most in 2018. 2018 was more interesting than 2017 and we hope that 2019 will be better.  Also, you need to check the physical format to have the complete experience of an album, and not just have a quick listen on social networks, downloads or whatever. We are posting later than most media and websites our list, because there were so many great albums released during December and we needed to have a proper listening and buy some of them.

1. JUDAS PRIEST "Firepower" 

(Columbia - Sony Music)

What a comeback! Probably the best Priest album after "Painkiller" and an album that some people loved to hate. But don't bother, there are many other great albums out there to love and Rob Halford is cool enough not to worry about your hate. "Firepower" sums up nearly everything Priest means in terms of songwriting and Richie Faulkner has his share on the album. Songs like "Rising from Ruins" will be future classics, while "No Surrender" is an addictive heavy metal hit.

Legends: SAXON's "Thunderbolt" is great. It is a regular Saxon album, meaning an album that sounds like thunder. Biff and Co. cannot fail. U.D.O. returned with "Steelfactory" and overshadowed  the last Accept album. His last tour playing Accept classics was refreshing and we loved that album. Plus, we always support ideas like the one behind the song "One Heart One Soul".

Check also: MAGNUM "Lost on the Road to Eternity", MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST "Resurrection", URIAH HEEP "Living the Dream".

2. SOLSTICE "White Horse Hill" 

(Invictus - Dark Descent - Iron Bonehead)

Loud Epic Heavy Metal. Outsiders and unbound, Rich Walker and Co. follow their path against the odds. Too loud for soft ears, to epic to pass by.

Sword-swingin' heavy metal: GATEKEEPER's first full-length album "East of Sun" is finally here and the Canadian sword wielders have finally a strong line-up ready to lead the battle. Kenny Powell's OMEN are "Alive"! A new singer and two new songs in the vein of the glorious past. VISIGOTH's "Conqueror's Oath" was massive and they are a leading force of a new epic heavy metal movement.

Check also: BATTLEROAR "Codex Epicus", LETHEAN "The Waters of Death", SMOULDER "The Sword Woman".

3. SABOTER "Architects of Evil" 

(No Remorse Records)

Sinister Ultra Metal! SABOTERʼs new album is an aural horror of merciless sinister Metal. The music of "Architects of Evil" is a blend of pure Heavy Metal with epic, power and tech thrash elements that will fit in the taste of a variety of Metal fans who worship bands from Manowar, Judas Priest, old-Iced Earth and beyond. Just check "The Temple of R'lyeh" and the epicness of "To Glory We March" and don't miss the chance to catch them live.

Check also: BLACK CYCLONE "Death is King", BLACK VIPER "Hellions of Death", CARRIAGE "Visions", IRONFLAME "Tales of Splendor and Sorrow", LUCIFER'S HAMMER "Time Is Death", SABATEUR "Vicious Circle", VERMITHRAX "Imperium Draconus".

4. SACRAL RAGE "Beyond Celestial Echoes" 

(Cruz Del Sur)

Insane! Progressive and tech speed metal lunacy influenced by Annihilator, Mercyful Fate, Watchtower and sci-fi visions. Sacral Rage is probably the best band of its kind for 2018 and "Beyond Celestial Echoes" an ultra-metal brainstorm.

Check also: ARTILLERY "The Face of Fear", METAL CHURCH "Damned If You Do", SEPTAGON "Apocalyptic Rhymes", VOIVOD "The Wake".

5. DAWN OF WINTER "Pray for Doom" 

(I Hate)

(True) Doom Metal is weird. (True) Doom Metal is the soul of Metal. You can call many things "doom" and we put this label to many bands and albums, but truth to be told, (true) Doom Metal is the purest form of metal. But what is true Doom Metal? Let's just say that for 2018, Dawn of Winter's album is the essence of true Doom Metal. Now that you've read so many times true and doom, you probably know the meaning. (True) Doom Metal has to be regressive and "Pray for Doom" is the best Doom Metal album of 2018. We love Doom Metal and we listen to many bands inspired by the Riff Lord (Iommi) and the Doomfather (Edling) but only few of them are within the borders of despair. We pray for them.

Doom or be Doomed: EVANGELIST released "Deus Vult" in the last days of 2018, MIRROR OF DECEPTION with "The Estuary" mark the second great return after Dawn of Winter and LORD VIGO with "Six Must Die" is the third band from Germany that deserves to walk in the darkness and gets an extra credit for the concept inspired by John Carpenter's film, "The Fog".

Check also: ACOLYTES OF MOROS "The Wellspring", DAUTHA "Brethren of the Black Soil", IRON VOID "Excalibur", SOLEMN CEREMONY "Solemn Ceremony".

6. HEIR APPARENT "The View From Below" 

(No Remorse Records)

Nearly 30 years after their second album, Heir Apparent return with another different record. The band has a general philosophy about mankind being the guardian of the planet, and the importance of rising above cultural delusions and inequality, and these are things that can be found in the lyrics of "The View From Below". We miss good lyrics in modern metal, and Heir Apparent's view on progressive metal, is inspired and intelligent. We need more bands like Heir Apparent.

Prog Visions, Power Vibes: CONCEPTION's "My Dark Symphony" is the natural evolution after "Flow" and we are waiting to see the next step since there seems to be a grey zone regarding the album's distribution and how Conception are promoted. Emotional and inspired, "My Dark Symphony" may heal the bloody wounds that never bleed. "Divine Intermission" is the debut full-length album of OPEN BURN, a new progressive power metal band from USA, featuring three members of the legendary US metal band Lethal and their classic era of the "Programmed" album. If you love this style, this album is highly recommended.

Check also: HAKEN "Vector", LEVIATHAN "Can't be Seen by Looking: Blurring the Lines, Clouding the Truth", RIVERSIDE "Wasteland", WITHERFALL "A Prelude to Sorrow"

7. MANACLE "No Fear to Persevere" 

(No Remorse Records)

The astonishing debut album of Manacle from Canada is highly recommended for fans of Judas Priest, Savage Grace, Agent Steel and early-Omen. Professional production, to-the-point songwriting and passionate performance. A deadly debut album that you must listen (and worship) if you love real heavy metal.

Blades of Steel: British legends SATAN returned with "Cruel Magic" and deliver for third time after the reunion everything we love in classic heavy metal. Power, passion, the voice of Brian Ross and the most underrated metal guitar duo.

Check also: ARIA "Curse of the Seas", OLD WOLF "Faustian Mass".

8. KHEMMIS "Desolation" 

(20 Buck Spin - Nuclear Blast)

In the second interview I've done with Khemmis for Iron Fist magazine, I mentioned to Ben Hutcherson (guitars/vocals) that Khemmis sound like ZZ Top meet Thin Lizzy and jamming on doom metal. He loved it! You can't describe easily "Desolation"; it is doomed heavy metal, doomed rock 'n' roll or just great solid heavy music. "Isolation" is the harmonized doom hit you have to love.

Into the Void: KING WITCH "Under the Mountain". Heavy Doom from UK with female vocals. It has to be great. And it is great.

Goddess on Heavy / Doom: CASTLE "Deal Thy Fate", HAUNTED "Dayburner", HOLY GROVE "II", LOWEN "A Crypt in the Stars", MANSION "First Death of the Lutheran", WINDHAND "Eternal Return", WITCH MOUNTAIN "Witch Mountain".

WOLFTOOTH from Richmond, Indiana, United States, obey The Riff, if you know what I mean. Their same-titled debut album is too groovy for the regressive doom metal fan, too epic for the stoner fan, too awesome for the rest. And speaking of awesomeness, the track "Sword of My Father" is one of the most addictive songs of 2018.

Check also: BLACK OATH "Behold the Abyss", FIRE DOWN BELOW "Hymn of the Cosmic Man", GOAT EXPLOSION "Rumors of Man", RIPIS "Shadow Dies in Morning Light".

9. PROFESSOR BLACK "Sunrise" 

(High Roller)

Chris Black is one of the most talented and productive artists out there. In 2018 he released three (!) albums, one EP and one split, everything different from each other! He is also behind bands like High Spirits, Aktor, Superchrist, he was the leading force behind Dawnbringer and also member of Pharaoh. "Sunrise" might considered as a tribute to the legacy of Quorthon and Bathory and that comes from a real fan, since Chris is also working on a book about Bathory. "Sunrise" is probably the best Bathory-inspired album since the first two albums of Ereb Altor.

The Kodex of the Olde: Most likely, IDLE HANDS will soon escape from underground and you will hear about them in any way. "Don't Waste Your Time" is the first official release of those lads, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Youngsters but not unknown, since in this line-up you have ex-Spellcaster, Leathürbitch and Silver Talon members. Five songs in a unique style that combines bands like The Mission, Sisters of Mercy, In Solitude and Judas Priest, everything with a heavy metal production and approach. WYTCH HAZEL from UK deliver a unique blend of classic heavy metal and hard rock rooted in '70s and bands like Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy. "II: Sojourn" is the second full-length album and it is dominated by beautiful melodies, acoustic parts, great songwriting and heartful performance.

Check also: IN THE WOODS... "Cease the Day", NECROMANT "The Necromant Lives", PRIMORDIAL "Exile Amongst the Ruins", SUMMONING "With Doom We Come".

10. FIFTH ANGEL "The Third Secret" 

(Nuclear Blast)

Besides Heir Apparent, Fifth Angel is the next band from Seattle that returns after nearly thirty years. Kendall Bechtel handles guitars and lead vocals and Ken Mary is also back in the drum kit. Classic US heavy power metal with many memorable songs like "Stars Are Falling", "We Will Rise", "Queen of Thieves" and "This Is War". We need more comebacks like this one!

Angels (and Demons) in Leather: MIKE LEPOND'S SILENT ASSASSINS returned with "Pawn and Prophecy" and you have to love the second collaboration of Mike LePond and Alan Tecchio. STONEWALL from Italy released the second album "Never Fall" and if you didn’t know that these guys come from the land of Roberto Baggio, you could believe that this is a lost '80s Heavy / Power Metal album (with lot of melodic parts) from United States. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Fifth Angel, Stonewall's new album might sound closer to the '80s Fifth Angel sound than the great 2018 Fifth Angel album, "The Third Secret"... SNAKEBITE from Germany released "Rise of the Snake" and it's all about freedom and hard-rockin' attitude, all the way to the top. Or more precisely, to the underground smoke filled club, where a tune like "One Touch" would be a proper song for Tawny Kitaen to approach the stage.

Check also: WARREL DANE "Shadow Work", LEATHER "II", DEE SNIDER "For the Love of Metal"


Are you disappointed? It makes no sense to write random "bad" albums οf 2018, so let's remain to bands and artists we love and just say that we wanted something more or something different from DORO ("Forever Warriors, Forever United"), GRAVE DIGGER ("The Living Dead"), KAMELOT ("The Shadow Theory"), LIZZY BORDEN ("My Midnight Things"), RIOT V ("Armor of Light"), THERION ("Beloved Antichrist") and VENOM ("Storm the Gates").

LIZZY BORDEN does his (new) thing and there are some very interesting moments on the album but in the end of the day, it sounds more as a side-project of the artist and not an album of the band we knew. On the other hand, RIOT V keep the tradition but they copy themselves in a very awkward way that lacks of inspiration.



The Best, the Rest and More - 2018 Unmasked

A kind of review for 2018, including everything we listened to. Some of the albums that follow are really great and few of them can end in "Top-20" lists. Others, are just good or nearly good but have some elements that make them important for a specific audience. We haven't include albums we consider "bad" and of course, there are always albums that we "lost" of just didn't listen. No one can listen or catch everything. Also, we haven't include albums-releases  that were avaialable only digitally (bandcamp etc) and you will find here only releases that were available on physical format. In any way, that can work as a "guide" for 2018 including many releases-albums and be sure that you will find some cool stuff below, so keep searching!


Melodic Lines: CREYE "Creye", NORDIC UNION "Second Coming", ODYSSEY DESPERADO "Don't Miss the Sunset", OUTLOUD "Virtual Hero Society", PERFECT PLAN "All Rise", STEVE PERRY "Traces", PRAYING MANTIS "Gravity", THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA "Sometimes the World Ain't Enough", WHITE WIDDOW "Victory".


The legacy of NWoBHM: BLITZKRIEG "Judge Not!", SPARTAN WARRIOR "Hell to Pay", TOKYO BLADE "Unbroken", TRAITORS GATE "Fallen", TRESPASS "Footprints in the Rock".


New bands, old-school metal attitude and underground warriors: BLACKSLASH "Lighning Strikes Again", BLOOD CURSE "Sorceress", CHEVALIER "Chapitre II", DEATH KEEPERS "Rock This World", DEFENDER "Rising High", EVIL-LYN "Disciple of Steel", GREAT ELECTRIC QUEST "Chapter II: Of Earth", HAUNT "Burst Into Flame", HITTEN "Twist of Fate", IRON HUNTER "Mankind Resistance", LEATHURBITCH "Leathürbitch", MIDNIGHT FORCE "Dunsinane", OUTLAW "Marauders", RAPTURE "Paroxysm of Hatred", ROSSLYN "Soul in Sanctuary", SACRED LEATHER "Ultimate Force", SEVEN SISTERS "The Cauldron and the Cross", SIGN OF THE JACKAL "Breaking the Spell", SILVER TALON "Becoming a Demon", SKULL FIST "Way of the Road", SPEEDCLAW "Beast in the Mist", SPIRAL WHEEL "Resurrection for Revenge", STRIKER "Play To Win", STYGIAN OATH "Stygian Oath", SUBSTRATUM "Permission to Rock", SYLENT STORM "Sylent Storm", THORIUM "Thorium", TOLEDO STEEL "Toledo Steel", WHITE WIZZARD "Infernal Overdrive".


Heavy, Epic, Power Metal Rites: ANCIENT EMPIRE "Eternal Soldier", ANGRA "Omni", ANVIL "Pounding the Pavement", ARRAYAN PATH "Archegonoi", BLACK MAJESTY "Children of the Abyss", BLAZE BAYLEY "The Redemption of William Black (Infinite Entanglement Part III)", BRAINSTORM "Midnight Ghost", CANDLE "The Keeper's Curse", CIRITH UNGOL "Witch's Game", DIRE PERIL "The Extraterrestrial Compendium", HAMMER KING "Poseidon Will Carry Us Home", JUDICATOR "The Last Emperor", LOUDNESS "Rise to Glory", MANIMAL "Purgatorio", MANTICORA "To Kill to Live to Kill", MASQUERAGE "Hangman's Revelations", MOB RULES "Beast Reborn", NECRYTIS "Dread en Ruin", ORION'S REIGN "Scores of War", POWERWOLF "The Sacrament of Sin", PRIMAL FEAR "Apocalypse", REFUGE "Solitary Men", ROCKA ROLLAS "Celtic Kings", RUNELORD "A Message from the Past" and "The Battle for Greatness", SCORCHER "Systems of Time", SHADOWKEEP "Shadowkeep", SHADOWKILLER "Guardians of the Temple", SPELLWITCH "The Witching Hour", STORMWITCH "Bound to the Witch", TAD MOROSE "Chapter X", TEXAS METAL OUTLAWS "Texas Metal Outlaws", THEM "Manor of the Se7en Gables".


Instrumentalists, shredders and solo acts: ACE FREHLEY "Spaceman", GUS G. "Fearless", IMPELLITTERI "The Nature of the Beast", BOB KATSIONIS "Prognosis & Synopsis", MICHAEL ROMEO "War of the Worlds Pt. 1"

Special mention: JASON BECKER "Triumphant Hearts".


Cover album: ERIC & JEFF CLAYTON "Bowie Decade": Founding members of Saviour Machine, Eric and Jeff Clayton, present their year long tribute to David Bowie, celebrating his most influential decade of music (1970 - 1980). From January 2017 to December 2017, Eric Clayton (vocals), Jeff Clayton (guitars, programming), Nathan Van Hala (piano, keyboards, programming), Sam West (drums, percussion), Charles Cooper (bass guitar), Jeremy Clark (drums) and few special guest musicians including Devon Graves, recorded one cover of a classic Bowie song each month, and the result is "Bowie Decade: A Tribute By Eric & Jeff Clayton".


Best live album: FATES WARNING "Live Over Europe"


Screams from Hell: ABORTED "TerrorVision", DECEASED "Ghostly White",  DEICIDE "Overtures of Blasphemy", HATE ETERNAL "Upn Desolate Sands", HORRENDOUS "Idol", IMMORTAL "Northern Chaos Gods", LUCIFER'S CHILD "The Order", MONSTROSITY "The Passage of Existence", PILLARS "Onward to Nothingness", REVOCATION "The Outer Ones", SULPHUR AEON "The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos", VARATHRON "Patriarchs of Evil".


Ghosts, demons and chains that bound the media:

GHOST's "Prequelle" is an album that dominated media. A diverse album including songs like "Rats" with the '80s Ozzy-Jake E Lee guitar vibe, the melodic AOR dancing "Dance Macabre", the prog rock "Pro Memoria" and everything in-between. It is pop(ular), mainstream, artistic and successful. Speaking of "successful", GRETA VAN FLEET's "Anthem of the Peaceful Army" was a major rock hit. Most likely, this Led Zeppelin-inspired rock and this band will be the next big thing in rock music, and it seems that "retro" can become mainstream and hyped. BEHEMOTH "I Loved You at Your Darkest" was also a successful release that got huge coverage from the press, while ALICE IN CHAINS's "Rainier Fog" was another return many people were looking for.

Check also: AMORPHIS "Queen of Time", AT THE GATES "To Drink from the Night Itself", BLACK LABEL SOCIETY "Grimmest Hits", BULLET "Dust to Gold", CHAPEL OF DISEASE "...and as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye", CLUTCH "Book of Bad Decisions", CORROSION OF CONFORMITY "No Cross No Crown", DISTURBED "Evolution", IHSAHN "Amr", MYLES KENNEDY "Year of the Tiger", MANTAR "The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze", MEMORIAM "The Silent Vigil", MONSTER MAGNET "Mindfucker", OBSCURA "Diluvium", THE OCEAN "Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic", ORPHANED LAND "Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs", RIVERS OF NIHIL "Where Owls Know My Name", SOULFLY "Ritual", TREMONTI "A Dying Machine", TRIBULATION "Down Below", ZEAL & ARDOR "Stranger Fruit"


From the heart of the '70s: ASHBURY "Eye of the Stygian Witches", CHURCH OF THE COSMIC SKULL "Science Fiction", LUCIFER "II", GRAVEYARD "Peace", HIGH REEPER "High Reeper", SLAP GURU "Diagrams of Pagan Life", SPIRAL SKIES "Blues for a Dying Planet", SUN VOYAGER "Seismic Vibes", THE WIZARDS "Rise of the Serpent", VANISHING KIDS "Heavy Dreamer", VOID COMMANDER "Void Commander", VVLVA "Path of Virtue".


And the rest children of the Sabbathian planet: APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE "From Gold to Ash", AUTOMATON "Talos", BIRMAN WOOD "Wicked Worlds", THE BLACK SOUND "Doorways to the Wrist", BURN RITUAL "Blood of the Raven", THE HAZYTONES II "Monarchs of Oblivion", HIGH ON FIRE "Electric Messiah", HOT RAM "Where Light Goes to Die", IRON BUDDHA "Old Hex", IRON HEARSE "Lock Up the Living", MYSTIC SONS "Mystic Sons", ORANGE GOBLIN "The Wolf Bites Back", PALE DIVINE "Pale Divine", SATAN'S SATYRS "The Lucky Ones", THE SKULL "The Endless Road Turns Dark", SLEEP "The Sciences", UNCLE ACID AND THE DEADBEATS "Wasteland", YOB "Our Raw Heart".



What do we expect from 2019?

We already have listened to few of the upcoming releases, and we can tell that TRAVELER ("Traveler") and SANHEDRIN ("The Poisoner") are coming your way with great albums. It also seems that we will have an epic heavy metal revival in 2019 and during March, TWISTED TOWER DIRE return with "Wars In The Unknown" and there are also new bands like THRONE OF IRON that might surprise us with their first album. GATEKEEPER are also here, IRONSWORD and RAVENSIRE are in the studio, OMEN will record new songs to follow "Alive" EP and there are more tales of swords to come including more "mainstream" bands like GRAND MAGUS.

The bands we knew as "New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal" seem to add more melody in their music and that wave of early-Maiden and NWOBHM-inspired bands *maybe* will sound slightly different from now and on. With ENFORCER having the new album ready and expected shortly, a new era might rise for those bands and don't be surprised if you will listen to an additional influence from classic bands like EUROPE in this NWOTHM. Part of that wave will also be new bands like RIOT CITY from Canada, and Canadian metal will rise in the following months/years.

We are still waiting for an update from SAVIOUR MACHINE, CANDLEMASS will find their audience with "The Door to Doom", legendary BIFF BYFORD of SAXON will release his first solo album, TANITH (featuring Russ Tippins of SATAN) joined Metal Blade Records and KING DIAMOND confirmed that he will enter studio for the long-awaited comeback album, that will be part of a trilogy.


Have a great and healthy 2019, never surrender and praise Iommi.

Morality and inexplicable changes in the music industry.

written in March 2018 by Andreas Andreou

Metal music is changing. The signs were there. Everywhere. Record labels, artists and bands, promoters and live shows, physical and digital products, press, magazines and online media, social media. The music industry is changing.

This is probably the first time you are reading an article like this but you will remember it many times in the future. The "old" is relevant nowadays. I was listening to Saxon's Unleash the Beast yesterday and for most people around my age (and not only) this is something like "new" Saxon but this is already an album 20 years old...  

There has been a new trend in metal music since years, where "traditional", "retro" and everything related to the '80s, is overhyped. Even the younger audience is looking and dressed like James Hetfield in his youth. The '80s and before are "old" and after that, even if decades have passed, for some weird reason, everything is considered "new". Nostalgia and worship of the past is the main key of how the music industry is moving and the classic acts and brands must stay with us forever, with one way or another.

It is very difficult for the music industry to create new major acts like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, and most likely it won't happen in the near future. It is even more difficult (nearly impossible) for a new band to become like those old major acts. From time to time, there are some "new" bands that create fuss around their name and get high slots in big open air festivals but they can't make arena or big venue tours easily. On the other hand, older bands always get more attention when they are active and when a major act is touring, the music industry is moving around their name.

What will happen when all these old and major acts retire?

Underneath the current status there is a thrust to perpetuate the presence of all the major acts. We have entered a period where older bands will keep moving even without founding members or with so many line-up changes that will transform their sound and image. At this point, there is an inexplicable trend to keep in purpose some elements to those acts that will connect them with their past so they will keep going as the "old act". This might come up randomly or as a business plan, but music bands are transformed in a similar way of a sport club or team that keeps going with new members and players using the same brand name. For years. For decades. For more...

Is there a morality issue?

Let's speak with some examples that raised controversy.

Recently, and just a few weeks before their world tour (with many dates, many people and money involved) guitarist and main composer of Judas Priest, Glenn Tipton (that is already 70 years old) announced that he won't follow the band to the tour due to health problems that will affect his performance. Tipton revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, with which he was first diagnosed in 2008. In 2011, K.K. Downing also left the band with a statement, "There had been an on-going breakdown in working relationships between myself, elements of the band and management for some time", and he also added that he wasn't happy with the band's live performance. A decent and respectful decision until one point.

We all understand that people are getting older and they can't perform as they used to be at their prime. The controversy raised in the case of Judas Priest is that without both original guitarists and since this guitar duo is one of the most recognizable elements of the band, can they continue using the name with new members? You still have the voice of Rob Halford and the silent presence of bassist Ian Hill, but is it the same?

Before continuing, let's answer a simple question. What is closer to the essence of the Judas Priest sound, Demolition or Resurrection? Jugulator or Firepower?

After answering to yourself the above question, let's share another one: Is the music personified or just music matters even if the "persons" are not there?

And when you will answer yourself this question, think if Glenn Tipton knew from start that we won't follow the Judas Priest tour and everything was a well constructed business plan, or it just happened. 

 

Let's go to some more examples.

The classic Venom line-up is Cronos (vocals & bass), Mantas (guitar) and Abaddon (drums). In the mid '80s, Mantas left the band and was replaced by two other guitarists and just a few years later he came back and Cronos was out of the band. For the next few years until mid '90s, the band's main line-up was Demolition Man (vocals & bass), Mantas (guitar), Abaddon (drums) with the addition of Al Burnes on guitar. The original line-up was reformed in the late '90s, but by the mid 00s, only Cronos remained in the band using the Venom moniker. Meanwhile, Demolition Man, Mantas and Abaddon are recording and touring under the name Venom Inc. Which one is the "true" Venom? Or can we have two bands performing the same songs and sharing the same legacy?

There are more similar occasions over the years with bands like Rhapsody and Tank.

Do you want something more extreme? Giuffria is an American hard rock band formed by Gregg Giuffria when his previous band, Angel, broke up. They were active for a few years and broke up in 1987. In 2015 some members of the band reformed Giuffria for live shows, without Gregg Giuffria…

Blackfoot and Quiet Riot also caused some controversy since they are touring without any original members, and as it seems, these changes in the music industry will be something usual in the future.

 
But besides the members and persons of each band, there is also the music. And maybe this is the most important thing. We must not forget two crucial things:

1. Most musicians and artists cannot stop composing and performing. This is what they do and it is an inner need. They live and breathe music.

2. Many musicians evolve and change. No matter how much you might love a specific era of an artist or band, you don't own them. You can't tell them what and how to play. Either you like it and follow them again, or not.

For example, Ozzy Osbourne (70 years old) after the last Black Sabbath world tour, started the last tour of his solo career. This last tour might last for two years and despite the business plan and how many people might work behind the "Ozzy" brand name, you can easily spot that Ozzy, the man, lives for the stage and really has fun up there.

Fates Warning is a band with different faces and unique evolution.  There are people who like only their early works, there are people who only like their mid-period and there are people who like everything they do. Can you tell them how to play? No. You can just follow what you like. However, they did something very special that pleased everyone. Fates Warning have a specific lineup today with only one founding member (Jim Matheos) but last year, they played two special shows with the 1986 lineup performing only material from that era. They have done this before in 2010 when they reunited the Parallels line-up for selected shows.

And with that we come to another case where the "old" and "familiar" comes to present again. Nostalgia is the key and some promoters have found a way to offer this kind of special shows to the audience, so older fans will remember their youth and new fans will get a glimpse of a legendary or cult past. Music industry follows them and everyone is working in this direction. For example, when Fates Warning perform this special show, the old albums will get reissued, a live album will be released and press will cover the event and the band.

But besides that case, that was done with respect to the fans, involving all past members but without overcoming the current status of the band, there are many more different cases, especially to the underground metal scene.

Over the last few years, there have been many shows that involve just one member of a band and in some cases not even the main composer. You see an old underground "name", but on stage you see something completely different. There are many people who consider many of those acts as "tribute bands" that have nothing to do with the original group.

Let's close the examples and cases we analyze with another band and another case. Riot was one of the most underrated US metal bands that suffered from many lineup changes and musical styles, but guitarist and composer Mark Reale was always there. Reale died of complications related to Crohn's disease in January 2012, just after the album Immortal Soul was released, where he appeared as guitarist but didn't really play on that record. After his death, there were more lineup changes and the band slightly changed the name to Riot V and kept going, playing many shows and releasing albums. We all have to admit that their live shows are great but we also have to admit that it might be awkward for some people to hear live songs like "Outlaw" with completely different musicians. But they still continue. Can someone tell them that they don't deserve to do it? And yet, the music industry again found a way to follow such a case by re-releasing the Riot catalogue on different vinyl variations and compact discs. The band will also find a way to perform some special shows, and press will cover it.

Music industry will always find ways to follow the progress of each band when there is impact to the audience. But as we mentioned, underneath the current status in music, there is a thrust to perpetuate the presence of the "old" that is more safe than risk with something new. If you visit a record store, you will probably see more reissues than new releases, and it will be much easier for an old established band or brand to play live shows and get paid for those, while most of the time, new bands pay on their own, just to appear early in most of the festivals.

How will the music industry keep the "old" always up-to-day? Are there new major acts?

There is a band that might continue for many years and you will never know or care who performs. Ghost is a big band of our days but the way they are promoted makes no difference to who is behind each Nameless Ghoul or who will be Papa Emeritus. Tobias Forge is the singer and founder, but also the business leader of the act and probably he will keep his successful brand name for a long time. Ghost is presented in a way where he can do it and there are unlimited ways of moving on, behind specific persons, with just music and shows. This is an exception of a "new" that can become a successful "old" in the years to come.

There are many new bands that have all the elements a band needs to make a career but maybe they are active in the wrong time or they don't get the right opportunities. Some of them have catchy music, great production and over-the-top live performance. On the other hand, there are few other new bands like Sabaton, Amon Amarth and Volbeat, plus US bands with diverse modern metal sound that have gained great recognition from a younger audience (like Avenged Sevenfold), but we can't really say if they will become timeless. However, the "new" is relevant again, since Sabaton is already a 20-year old band.

I am going to see Judas Priest in a few months at the Rockwave Festival along with Accept, Saxon and Iron Maiden. Meanwhile, a few weeks earlier Udo will also perform a special Accept show... Will this be the last Judas Priest tour? Can't tell, but in a very weird, scientific fiction future, Rob Halford and Ian Hill might slowly step aside and the "new" guys could continue playing special festival shows under a name like "The Legacy of Judas Priest". We already have witnessed shows and festival appearances with just one original band member performing under the "old", known and classic brand name for a few shows. And most of the time, this happened because a promoter had this idea, tried to locate the members but in the end, just one member was interested... But it happened. And will happen more times in the future because we are already used to it nowadays.

Is it possible that many similar "legacy" and "special shows" could appear in the near future? Maybe including some special guests or even random past band members of the "legacy"? Will "tribute bands", "celebration shows" and "heritage act tours" be the future of the music festivals? In some cases, few similar shows are as bad and annoying as Dio's hologram tour is. But this is part of the future live shows and we can't change it. Who knows, maybe one day we will even see Kiss performing without Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, while both of them will just manage and produce the act, just as Rickey Medlocke already does with Blackfoot...

"The music that touches you in your youth is magnified as you get older. Each record can be a virtual time machine and all you need is to hear a second or two and you go back to that place and time when you first heard it. It's a brilliant feeling when music touches you so profoundly and stays with you through time." - Rob Halford

There is always an emotional bond between a beloved artist and his fan. This emotional bond can have a different impact to different people, especially when they do not separate the art from the artist. But we need to clarify this: The artist is mortal and the art is immortal.

What will happen when all these old and major acts retire?

Is the music personified or just music matters even if the "persons" are not there?

Is there a morality issue? Or is it just music after all? Don't you think musicians have the right to gain more money?

Or simply, everything about major acts will be just business, like there is a businessman that has bought a big band (or bands) or brand and hired managers to handle his investments, no matter who is in the band?