Best Tune off of "Ram It Down" by JP (Judas Priest)

The drum machine brings it down several notches.

whole album is off except opener and JBG. very weak album and forgetable.

I went with Love Zone..a great song in the turbo big 80's sound...

This is even more difficult to listen to than "Turbo". I didn't know any better in 1986, so I could plead my musical ignorance as a 15 year old, but I started to know better by 1988 and though I didn't hate the album when it first came out, I clearly knew something was amiss with this album and the band. I forced myself to listen to this album over the last two days and even the stuff that's cool like "Ram It Down" is mired by the goofiness at the 2:25 mark. "Heavy Metal" has a ripping solo with a fun riff at the beginning and then it gets progressively worse, mainly due to the asinine lyrics. Every time I listen to "Hard As Iron", I believe it's going to turn out better, but then the awful chorus comes in and it's all downhill from there. I could go on about other songs, but why? "Blood Red Skies" is the crowning achievement on this album, BUT, I still think it's a poor mans "Out In the Cold".

Priest were known as innovators, but all they were at this point were a bunch of followers and bad ones at that...

metalinmyveins wrote:

Priest were known as innovators, but all they were at this point were a bunch of followers and bad ones at that...

2 people voted for Johnny B.Goode? Whoa

One of the weakest JP albums. Why the majority of fans think its better than Turbo is a mystery I'd never fathom... Anyhow, Blood Red Skies is probably the only great tune on it, and a very clear winner by a mile.

One of the best Judas Priest albums. "Hard as Iron" gets my pick for being a crushing number, with the title track following in second.

"Love Zone" should've stayed behind for inclusion on Turbo and they should've never covered "Johnny B. Goode". Everything else holds up quite well.

Damn, I guess I'm too late. Was playing catch-up with these polls after a long absence and I see that they're closed. Oh well. I'm with ToB, this album died with the drum machines. If actual skins were used here, I can't say it'd be on par with Defenders, but at least far more listenable than Turbo. Anyway, Blood Red Skies is probably one of the more effective tunes here.

Okay now I've heard it, Blood Red Skies, Ram it Down & Hard as Iron are the only not horrible songs.

Hard as Iron got my vote because I still snigger like a schoolboy at the title 

The title track, followed by Hard as Iron and Blood Red Skies. There's only a couple of other songs that I care for.

I think if they recorded this album with a proper drummer it wouldn't actually sound that bad. There are some good ideas in most of the songs. A little punch in the gut is needed, and a good drummer could have provided it. And some drum fills to keep the dull parts interesting.

Bought a new copy. 8 bucks. Remastered. Old copy scratches and skips.
I looked at all the songs....pushed play.....wow....forgot just how good this release was.
Two extra bonus concert songs. They were better than AC / DC.

A forgotten JP gem .

Glower wrote:

Bought a new copy. 8 bucks. Remastered. Old copy scratches and skips.
I looked at all the songs....pushed play.....wow....forgot just how good this release was.
Two extra bonus concert songs. They were better than AC / DC.

Agreed on the AC/DC part. Priest were never as stagnant. Whatever they did, it was always fresh and different.

Drums aside, this album has great melodies and song writing. Ram It Down is a killer opener. Guitars sound sweet.

Still among the weaker Priest albums. Overall sound plus that god-awful Chuck Berry cover that should not be.

Temple of Blood wrote:

The drum machine brings it down several notches.

Really bad! Who gave the okay on that..