Best track on "Stained Class" by Judas Priest

Released-February 10, 1978
Recorded-October–November 1977, Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire and Utopia Studios, London (track 3)
Producer-Dennis Mackay, Judas Priest, James Guthrie (track 3)

Personnel-Rob Halford – vocals, K. K. Downing – guitar, Glenn Tipton – guitar, backing vocals, Ian Hill – bass guitar, and Les Binks – drums.


Tracks-
"Exciter"  
"White Heat, Red Hot"
"Better by You, Better Than Me"  
"Stained Class"  
"Invader"
"Saints in Hell"  
"Savage"  
"Beyond the Realms of Death"
"Heroes End"

'Beyond the Realms of Death'. Just because it was probably the first "epic" metal song I ever heard. This was their 'Stairway to Heaven'.

'Exciter' was a close second, because of Rob's insane high note at the end.

I didn't discover this album until last year. Someone at work knew I collected records and they gave me a copy on vinyl and said I could keep it if I made them a CD copy. So I did and this is one that I enjoy quite a bit so I made myself a copy on CD and some other vinyl rips and listen to it in my truck. I went with "Exciter". I am more familiar with the Unleashed version but this one is excellent too. Also "Better By You, Better Than Me". I did not know this was the "controversy" song until I wanted to learn more about the album and Googled it. I was also familiar with Invader but only because it was covered by Saint (I heard the Saint version first). Great album, I need to go back and get Hell Bent For Leather again, I had it on cassette back in the 80's and loved that album.

For some reason Savage has been a personal favourite of mine. It's probably not the best, but I find it underrated. So I went with that. But this is easily my favourite 70's Priest album. Count that as a vote for all the songs. It's just a masterpiece from beginning to end.

Racing' cross the heavens
Straight into the dawn
Looking like a comet
Slicing through the morn
Scorching the horizon
Blazing to the land
Now he's here amongst us
The age of fire's at hand

Saints In Hell for me. Excellent song (but they're all really good)

Honestly, I can't choose. This is my fave of Priest's '70s albums and nowadays it's the CD I reach for most often when I'm in a Priestly mood. I love every track on it.

This was the album that drew a line in the sand between their early "progressive" style and the beginnings of their straight up "metal" era.

Exciter gets my vote.

"Beyond the Realms of Death" for sure. Some of the best lyrics ever.

Fat Freddy wrote:

This was the album that drew a line in the sand between their early "progressive" style and the beginnings of their straight up "metal" era.

Yeah, I can sort of agree with that, though I still have a hard time using the word "progressive" to describe that era. It's just not as narrowly focused as Priest (and 80s metal in general) would become.

10 out of 10 album for me and one of my three favorite Priest albums. It's also their best studio album of the 70s. It's nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite track, but today I'll go with "Saints In Hell."

Well this is ridiculously hard. This album is wall-to-wall . I almost went with Invader, such a catchy song with Binks on fire in the chorus. But I gotta say, Better by You has always been a close friend of mine, so I went with it.

I know that "Exciter" gets a lot of love on this album, but like "Metal Gods", those have been two Priest songs that don't resonate with me. I enjoy them, but they're not even close to being my favorite songs on their perspective albums. I know I'm in the minority regarding feeling this, but that's okay. "Stained Class" is my favorite Priest album from that decade. I will give "Beyond the Realms of Death" the nod, but narrowly over "Stained Class", which would be followed by "White Heat, Red Hot", "Saints in Hell" and "Heroes End". I always love the story behind "Realms" and Les Binks role in that song and how the band were floored that Les had an opening riff like that within him.

stained class for me.

I like the drumming on this album. But the guitar tone is very, very weak.

Saints in Hell is what I'm gonna go with.

The guitars sound like real guitars (pre-active pickup) and real amplifiers (tube).  Just the way I like them.

I voted for "Saints In Hell" but could have just as easily picked any other song on the album, it's all good.

The best Judas Priest studio album in my opinion.

"The best Judas Priest studio album in my opinion."

Seconded.

I voted for "Saints In Hell" just amazing!

Realms

the sentinel wrote:

"The best Judas Priest studio album in my opinion."

Seconded.

I voted for "Saints In Hell" just amazing!

better than the mighty painkiller??

Such a beautiful album.



My pick is Beyond the Realms of Death.

Gilbert wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

"The best Judas Priest studio album in my opinion."

Seconded.

I voted for "Saints In Hell" just amazing!

better than the mighty painkiller??

Everything up until Turbo is better than Painkiller. Its overrated.
Voted "Stained Class"

Gilbert wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

"The best Judas Priest studio album in my opinion."

Seconded.

I voted for "Saints In Hell" just amazing!

better than the mighty painkiller??

Can't they both be the best? Why choose, when you can enjoy both

Fantastic album, I would go with Beyond as my favorite track (plus I can play it note for note on guitar)

I don't like Painkiller. The last Judas Priest album where I liked the whole album was Screaming For Vengeance. After that record there are some songs here and there that I like but a single disc compilation could contain them all.