JUDAS PRIEST - PAINKILLER (1990)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Judas Priest moved out of the 80's and into the 90's with the release of Painkiller.  The almost straight up speed metal album once again put the band in the Top 40 album releases (#26) and also netted the band their last U.S. Gold album.  There was a new drummer on board, Scott Travis from Racer X.  This would also be the last album to feature Rob Halford on lead vocals until the mid-2000's (Angel Of Retribution).  I love the drum solo intro to the opening track, but after that I feel like the album just doesn't measure up to the 70's stuff and the early 80's stuff.  I like the album cover, if that means anything.  Although it's not quite as good, it reminds me of Bat Out Of Hell. What I like least on this one is the amount of really high singing Halford does as well as the fact that I can barely discern a bass guitar throughout the album.  I guess that's due to the mix.  Well, that's my opinion, what is yours?

 

Album Ranking List:

1. British Steel

2. Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather

3. Stained Class

4. Sin After Sin

5. Screaming For Vengeance

6. Unleashed In The East (Live)

7. Priest...Live! 

8. Rocka Rolla

9. Sad Wings of Destiny

10. Point Of Entry

11. Defenders Of The Faith

12. Turbo

13. Painkiller

14. Ram It Down

RJ's Ultimate Judas Priest Playlist (at least one but no more than two from each album):

1. Run Of The Mill

2. The Tyrant

3. Diamonds & Rust

4. Last Rose Of Summer

5. Let Us Prey/Call For The Priest

6. Dissident Aggressor

7. Better By You, Better Than Me

8. Invader

9. Savage

10. Beyond The Realms Of Death

11. Heroes End

12. Fire Burns Below (Did Not Appear On The Original Album)

13. Delivering The Goods

14. Evening Star

15. Hell Bent For Leather

16. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)

17. Killing Machine

18. Before The Dawn

19. Victim Of Changes (Live)

20. Rapid Fire

21. Breaking The Law

22. Grinder

23. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise

24. Living After Midnight

25. Heading Out To The Highway

26. Don't Go

27. Desert Plains

28. Electric Eye

29. (Take These) Chains

30. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

31. Fever

32. Prisoner Of Your Eyes (Did Not appear on original album Screaming For Vengeance)

33. Rock Hard, Ride Free

34. Love Bites

35. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll

36. Night Comes Down

37. Turbo Lover

38. Reckless

39. Out In The Cold (Live)

40. Freewheel Burning (Live)

41. Blood Red Skies

42. A Touch Of Evil