New Priest Album is Finished!

I really like the return to more complex vocal melodies and the reintroduction of the blues flavor to what they're doing. Not sure I'd rank it as highly as others here have, but it's a solid "good" album.

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Not sure I'd rank it as highly as others here have, but it's a solid "good" album.

Agreed...

If Judas Priest's name wasn't stamped on this album, then I'm pretty sure that significantly less people would've hyped this thing up.

Like I said, it's decent, but Judas Priest's a band with incredibly high standards for music quality. We will never have another album as flawless as Stained Class, but I know they still have some fresh ideas in mind.

This album is yet to do some wonders for me. It is nice, but not exceptional.

The more I listen to this album the more I think theirs something missing.

I think the songs are decent enough, some great riffs and solos and i think Robs voice sounds pretty decent considering his age. I do think the songs needed to be sped up a touch. Not into speed metal territory but they chug along at a pretty mid paced dare i say it boring pace. A lot of the time i'm listening to a song and it gets to a section where i expect things to speed up and get a little intense then it just carries on chugging along. Kinda like watching a firework do its thing expecting any minute for it to burst into life then it just fizzles out.

I still think it's great... Will be a top ten for me in 2014.....

Wayne wrote:

The more I listen to this album the more I think theirs something missing.

I think the songs are decent enough, some great riffs and solos and i think Robs voice sounds pretty decent considering his age. I do think the songs needed to be sped up a touch. Not into speed metal territory but they chug along at a pretty mid paced dare i say it boring pace. A lot of the time i'm listening to a song and it gets to a section where i expect things to speed up and get a little intense then it just carries on chugging along. Kinda like watching a firework do its thing expecting any minute for it to burst into life then it just fizzles out.

Anyone wanna speculate on whether this is down to modern studio techniques requiring that these guys play to a click when they used to probably plug in and go live?

The reason this album sounds lacking to some is the bizarre production. The guitars are robbed of all power and buried in the mix. I have no idea why. I really, really enjoy the album but the production blows and it robs many of the songs of any kind of immediacy or catchiness. That's why it takes repeated listens to get into it.

I know what you're describing, but it's a lot less oppressive than standard "brickwall" mixing.

It almost sounds monolithic. Things end up having appropriate space carved out for them in the mix, but it does feel like this big granola bar of sound.

Runicen wrote:

I know what you're describing, but it's a lot less oppressive than standard "brickwall" mixing.  

It almost sounds monolithic.  Things end up having appropriate space carved out for them in the mix, but it does feel like this big granola bar of sound.

This album is brickwalled (DR rating or 5-6) and loud as always, but the guitars are buried. It may be the worst production job Priest has had - Sin After Sin held that title previously.

I still like the album very much and it will probably be a top five album of the year for me.

Yeah, the production is a bit washed out...but I like the album.

I'm falling in love with this album, but the mix is abrasive. Not as bad as the Overkill album, which is drowned in midrange and overloud guitars, but the issue here is no matter how you eq it, that classic Priest tone is missing and replaced with a very messy spectrum. Again, i don't understand why bands succumb to this very error these days. But these songs just magically popped out (I'm actually listening to it on the road today) after more commitment then usually required with a Priest album, and suddenly i five myself raising the horns to Valhalla. Definitely in my top ten this year.

They're coming to my province in a few months in support of the album.

Finally, I'll be getting to see Priest live toward the end of the year. This news really makes up for what has been so far a rather lackluster summer.

Witchfinder wrote:

Runicen wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

Loch Ness is awful.  One of the worst tracks in the band's discography.

I didn't say THAT.  I just said I didn't want anyone to catch me rocking out to it.    

Ugh. The lyrics are total garbage and the song is a turgid, boring mess.  It's a real stinker at the end of that album.  They should have ended AOR with "Eulogy" - that makes more sense anyway from a lyrical standpoint.  

But anyway, rock out to it if you like it.  

That was the first song on that lp that caught my attention, loved it then and still do!

I like that little doomy, dirge too.

Loch Ness is a cool tune. You naysayers are crazy !

It's my favorite on the album by a long shot

Although there are no real grounds for comparison, I believe that redeemer of souls is better than the book of souls. So far, at least.

I haven't stopped listening to it for almost a year now!

You haven't had a year to judge Book of Souls by that metric yet.

Lochness is a great song sans the corny lyrics in the chorus.

Runicen wrote:

You haven't had a year to judge Book of Souls by that metric yet.  

redeemer of souls had an immediate impact on me.

book of souls, and most maiden albums, rarely have such impact. They require numerous hours of listening. This exercise might prove boring, with some albums ending up as dust collectors.

Music that takes much study and effort to fully comprehend is generally the most rewarding in the long run.  Albums I like right away...I tend to get bored with them quickly.

Like Redeemer Of Souls...which I listened to a bunch for about a month and then haven't had the desire to listen to again in about a year.

Loch Ness lyrics aren't that awful as long as you remember Rob's singing about the lake, not the monster, in the chorus.

Lari wrote:

Loch Ness lyrics aren't that awful as long as you remember Rob's singing about the lake, not the monster, in the chorus.

Uh, he's singing about the monster:

A beastly head of onyx
With eyes set coals of fire
It's leathered hide glides glistening
Ascends the heathered briar

Yeah, but I was talking about the "Loch Ness, confess" part that sticks to your head. I don't even remember those lyrics you posted.

Rob's addressing the lake, not the monster.