The Heavy Metal Crown 1976-1979

It's pretty clear from the different 70's polls that Judas Priest are the kings of 1970's metal. They won nearly every year, or at least came in a close second. I was sort of surprised that Priest won 1976 as I feel that Aerosmith "Rocks" is the heaviest of that year, even over Priest.

The top picks are...
AC/DC - Highway to Hell (79)
Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather (79)
Van Halen - s/t (78)
Judas Priest - Stained Class (78)
Judas Priest - Sin After Sin (77)
Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (76)

Which is the heavy of heavies? The cats meow? The cream of the crop?

Highway for me.

Arrrrgh! These are killin' me! None of those albums are slouches by any means, but again, I gotta go with STAINED CLASS. Top ten album of all time for me.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Arrrrgh! These are killin' me! None of those albums are slouches by any means, but again, I gotta go with STAINED CLASS. Top ten album of all time for me.

I fought between it and Hell Bent for Leather. I ended up going with HBFL, but could have gone either way.

I went with 'Highway to Hell' sentimental favorite since this was the first rock album and rock band I was ever into.

Stained Class. The opening track takes the cake for me. Speed metal!

Ouch!!!! Tough one, some classic Priest, Van Halen's amazing debut album or H2H. I ended up going with my favorite AC/DC album, Highway To Hell. Bon Scott was at the peak of his career at this point and unfortunately never able to follow up with another album.

I'm going Hell Bent For Leather...but there is not a bad album listed.

Van Halen

One of the best debuts in rock history.

My second choice would've been "Hell Bent For Leather".

Highway to Hell

Yea, tough call, but I had to go with VH.

While it may not be the "heaviest" of that bunch, it's an album that been in my collection the longest and therefore has received the most airplay after all these years.

Probably woulda went with AC/DC in a close 2nd.

I went with Highway To Hell

Just because an album is the heaviest doesn't make it the cream of the crop.

But to answer the question, it's a tough call between "Stained Class", "VH I", and "Sad Wings".

I went with "Stained Class"

In order

1. Judas Priest - Stained Class
2. AC/DC - Highway to Hell
3. Van Halen - Van Halen
4. Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
5. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
6. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny

However this poll ends up, its pretty obvious that the Priest was a dominant force.

Hey Ult

Is this still under the premise of "heaviest" or does this one fall under "favorite" ?

Just wondering, laterz

James B. wrote:

Hey Ult

Is this still under the premise of "heaviest" or does this one fall under "favorite" ?

Just wondering, laterz

I was going for the heaviest, but some people are just doing favorites. Being that they are all pretty heavy for their day, either will work.

Hell Bent for Leather, a heavy metal masterpiece. The perfect blend of seventies Priest with elements of the sound that would command our attention in 1980 on British Steel.

I didn't think too hard about this or I would've gone mad. Hell Bent was my first instinct so I went with it.

Ult said.... "was going for the heaviest, but some people are just doing favorites. Being that they are all pretty heavy for their day, either will work."...end quote.

I say, "thanks"



I just happened to have listened to "Hero, Hero" thru "British Steel" last night in succession and the earlier Priest catalog has alot of heavy tunes. "Stained Class" and "Hell Bent" are very, very close in being consistant in that regard. I am in the opinion that Halford opened up a bit more on "Hell Bent For Leather", so my vote goes for that one. For what it's worth

I went for favorite instead of heaviest in my vote, heaviest IMO would have to be 'Stained Class' but I went with my sentimental favorite

Fat Freddy wrote:

Arrrrgh! These are killin' me! None of those albums are slouches by any means, but again, I gotta go with STAINED CLASS. Top ten album of all time for me.

What she he said.

I voted for Stained Class.

Hell Highway!

Dissident Aggressor makes Sin After Sin the heaviest by far imo.

For me it has to be Stained Class.