Halford - Made of Metal

Any thoughts on this one? I listened to about half of it on the way home tonight. I dug it. But it's definitely not more metal than his last two, which is a wee bit ironic given the title. And God! There are some insipid lyrics to get over. The choruses of "Undisputed" and "Made of Metal" are cringe-worthy! The lyrics are so stupid!

"Read to fight and make it all right
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
Taking the prize to dismiss and demise
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
The undisputed heavyweight champion of the world"



"Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal racing aliens beings
Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal rides a laser beam

Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal races NASCAR teams
Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal rides a laser beam"



Hahahahahaha! Those are some listen-with-the-windows-rolled-up-and-the-volume-turned-down songs. Haha.

Sometimes I think metal lyricists write insipid, ridiculous crap because they think their audience is so dumb that's all they can accept. 'Tis a shame really, I never liked being sung down to.

I seldom pay attention to Halford's or Priest's lyrics. I mean seriously, can you name one Priest song that sound more serious or mature than "Made of Metal"?

If you look at Priest's back catalog, you won't find too many downright serious lyrics. Almost all of their hit songs tend to have lyrics along the same lines as Made of Metal.

The only real and obvious exception for Priest would have to be Nostradamus.

So it should come as no surprise that "Made of Metal"'s lyrics do not read as a Nevermore song or even say, Metallica's Fade to Black.

Why do i have the feeling that this CD is going to disappoint me? I didn't even put it on my want list.

The issue I have with this song isn't so much the lyrics, it's that it sounds like stock Priest / Halford material. It doesn't add anything new, it doesn't push the limits in any way. Do we really need a song like Made of Metal from Halford in 2010 - Priest already have a rich enough back catalog with similar songs as Made of Metal that sound a lot better.

So I don't really see how this song enhances in any way what Halford is about. I mean no disrespect because I still think he's a great vocalist but I think I would be more interested in hearing something new than a watered down, 2nd rate version of Freewheel Burnin...

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

The issue I have with this song isn't so much the lyrics, it's that it sounds like stock Priest / Halford material. It doesn't add anything new, it doesn't push the limits in any way. Do we really need a song like Made of Metal from Halford in 2010 - Priest already have a rich enough back catalog with similar songs as Made of Metal that sound a lot better.

So I don't really see how this song enhances in any way what Halford is about. I mean no disrespect because I still think he's a great vocalist but I think I would be more interested in hearing something new than a watered down, 2nd rate version of Freewheel Burnin...

I totally agree.

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

The issue I have with this song isn't so much the lyrics, it's that it sounds like stock Priest / Halford material. It doesn't add anything new, it doesn't push the limits in any way. Do we really need a song like Made of Metal from Halford in 2010 - Priest already have a rich enough back catalog with similar songs as Made of Metal that sound a lot better.

So I don't really see how this song enhances in any way what Halford is about. I mean no disrespect because I still think he's a great vocalist but I think I would be more interested in hearing something new than a watered down, 2nd rate version of Freewheel Burnin...

You're thinking too much. If it's a good song that breaks no new ground, it's still a good song.

Eyesore wrote:

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

The issue I have with this song isn't so much the lyrics, it's that it sounds like stock Priest / Halford material. It doesn't add anything new, it doesn't push the limits in any way. Do we really need a song like Made of Metal from Halford in 2010 - Priest already have a rich enough back catalog with similar songs as Made of Metal that sound a lot better.

So I don't really see how this song enhances in any way what Halford is about. I mean no disrespect because I still think he's a great vocalist but I think I would be more interested in hearing something new than a watered down, 2nd rate version of Freewheel Burnin...

You're thinking too much. If it's a good song that breaks no new ground, it's still a good song.

It's an okay song at best. It's neither a good song nor a band song. It's one of those songs that doesn't make any difference to Halford's career.

I love Halford whether it is with Judas Priest or his own solo band but he was never known to be a great lyricist, alot of his lyrics are just as silly as this song and some even sillier.

I do like the song but IMO Alex is right, this is not a song or I suspect an album that is going to make you reevaluate him as an artist, I think it will be an album full of solid metal anthems that will appeal to long time fans such as myself.

I think Halford's voice sounds great but I am not sure I like the music all that much.

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

If you look at Priest's back catalog, you won't find too many downright serious lyrics.

Um... how'bout pretty much anything on SAD WINGS OF DESTINY? SIN AFTER SIN?

Just sayin'. Priest are/were capable of more "serious" lyrics though as their focus shifted towards more radio-friendly stuff in the late 70s/early 80s the songs tended to be more about metal unity and how gosh-darn cool Metal is. Not that there's anything wrong with that of course,

As for the new Halford - haven't heard it in its entirety yet, just the two advance tracks ("The Mower" and "Made of Metal") but they sound OK to me. Typical goombah head bang stuff. Fine by me.

Even cheesier than normal.

And trying desperately to appeal to the NASCAR audience.

Quote :

"Read to fight and make it all right
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
Taking the prize to dismiss and demise
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
The undisputed heavyweight champion of the world"

Lyrics like this coming from a man that in the last few years moves around the stage with the grace and speed of a tranquilized sloth seems funny to me. At least Tim Owens shadow boxes.

Quote :

And trying desperately to appeal to the NASCAR audience.

That's NEVER a good sign. Fast cars for slow minds.

[quote="MetalGuy71"]

Quote :

Quote :

And trying desperately to appeal to the NASCAR audience.

That's NEVER a good sign. Fast cars for slow minds.

"500 miles in a circle? CHILDREN could do that!" - George Carlin

I don't even understand the NASCAR angle.

And "Thunder and Lightning" totally reminds me of Bon Jovi.

The NASCAR angle is an attempt at American attention and potential license tie-in's...

As big a fan as I am of Rob Halford in general, the more time goes on I just prefer Priest to anything else he does.

Maybe he's just trying to get his foot in the door of all that sweet NASCAR merchadising and advertising? Just another marketing angle I guess.

He's not gonna get much radio air-play, but if he's hooked into the NASCAR circuit, they'll play it over PA systems, use it in commercials, sell his merch at stands, etc.

Quote :

The NASCAR angle is an attempt at American attention and potential license tie-in's...

EDIT: I'm putting on my tin-foil hat. Stop stealing my thoughts.

Sleazeroxx has an interesting story about the "making of" this album.

http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news10/0928jud.shtml

Hmmm...the lyrics to "Heartless" don't appear to be about sfincter paramedics. Great song, though. Very different, totally not metal, but a really good tune.

Maybe he should continue to let others write most of his songs. Anyways, I like it for the music it is, straight ahead rock. Didn't expect the guy, at his age, to reinvent the wheel.

KK and Glenn consistently write more interesting guitar parts than Roy Z/Halford band/FIGHT but this isn't bad, just not great.

I think them working together full time helps. Roy is doing so many things this is just another project in the works.

Temple of Blood wrote:

KK and Glenn consistently write more interesting guitar parts than Roy Z/Halford band/FIGHT but this isn't bad, just not great.

According to an interview I just read w/ Rob, he hums and or plays most of the guitar parts to Roy and Roy plays them (although I'm sure he adjusts them as needed)...so most of those guitar parts come out of Rob's head...which explains why they may not be as interesting as he's not really a guitarist...

Eyesore wrote:

"Read to fight and make it all right
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
Taking the prize to dismiss and demise
He's the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world
The undisputed heavyweight champion of the world"

"Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal racing aliens beings
Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal rides a laser beam

Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal races NASCAR teams
Supersonic silver flying machine
Made of metal rides a laser beam"

Those lyrics make my balls hurt.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

According to an interview I just read w/ Rob, he hums and or plays most of the guitar parts to Roy and Roy plays them (although I'm sure he adjusts them as needed)...so most of those guitar parts come out of Rob's head...which explains why they may not be as interesting as he's not really a guitarist...

Yeah. And that seems to be true of FIGHT's first album especially. Which I thought was the one aspect of that disc that could've used significant improvement.