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Judas Priest
Screaming for Vengeance - Special 30th Anniversary Edition
Review by Gary Hill
I previously reviewed the original version of this CD. So, part of this review will be adapted from that review for the sake of consistency. With this special edition, though, a number of bonus tracks have been added to the set, along with a DVD. This disc comes from the period of time when Judas Priest were really riding high on the waves of fame and fortune. It’s one that fits into the period many think of as the classic Judas Priest era. I have to say that, for my money, it tends to be a bit too far into the generic style of the band and is too closely tied to the hair metal sound. Still, there are some great pieces of music here. I wouldn’t consider this necessarily to be one of Priest’s best albums, but it’s up there. Of course, there really aren’t any bad Priest discs, anyway. Some are just stronger than others.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012 Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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| Track by Track Review
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Hellion
This very short instrumental (42 seconds) serves as dramatic, hard-edged intro to "Electric Eye." I can't picture either song without the other. |
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Electric Eye
This is a killer frantic hard-edged song that works so well with its other half that it's almost scary. When this one was originally released its big brotherish tale of electronic surveillance seemed like science fiction. In today's world it has become a grim reality. |
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Riding on the Wind
This fast paced rocker is solid, but not really a standout. Still, some of the riffing is downright classic. |
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Bloodstone
This track has never really done a lot for me, and classic that it is, I still feel the same way. It's a competent Priest rocker, but really, other than Halford's killer vocal performance, it just doesn't grab this reviewer. |
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(Take These) Chains
A melodic movement starts this off. It powers out into a hard rocking sound. This really feels like it would fit quite well on the Point of Entry album. It’s got a Judas Priest does R & B feeling to it, but I like it. |
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Pain and Pleasure
A tribute to the world of S & M, this rocker is similar to “Evil Fantasies” from Hell Bent For Leather – both in terms of lyrics and music. I’d consider it a more developed (both musically and lyrically) version of that song. It’s a good tune, but not really a standout. |
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Screaming for Vengeance
This is, appropriately, a screamer. It is frantic, angry and a standout cut. |
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You've Got Another Thing Comin'
I have always felt that this cut is one of the most empowering and strongest from this period in Priest's history. It still holds up every bit as well, even years down the road. |
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Fever
A catchy cut, this isn’t great, but it’s got its moments. In some ways it feels like it could fit on the later disc Turbo. That’s not necessarily a good thing, though. That said, the guitar solo section on this is particularly cool and the vocal movement after feels a bit like something from Stained Class. |
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Devil's Child
Another that has never really gotten under my skin, this is solid enough, but a bit too generic. |
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Electric Eye (Live)
While the title listed on this live recording (the first of six bonus tracks) just lists “Electric Eye,” it actually includes “Hellion,” too. Of course, as I mentioned, I can’t imagine one without the other. This is a killer live rendition with a lot of energy. It feels pretty close to the studio rendition. |
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Riding on the Wind (Live)
I think I might like this live rendition better than the studio take. It’s a real killer. |
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You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Live)
While I love this song, and it works well here, somehow this feels a bit flat in terms of mix or production. Still, as good as the track is, it’s worth having. The singalong section is nice. |
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Screaming For Vengeance (Live)
Screaming, indeed, this rocker has so much energy in this live performance. It feels a little raw at times, but still just plain works well. |
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Devil's Child (Live)
I think I actually like this better in the live setting. It just seems to work better like that. The instrumental section on this is particularly effective here. |
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Prisoner of Your Eyes
This bonus track is a studio recording. It’s not bad, but very much of a dramatic, power ballad type tune. In some ways, it reminds me a bit of some of the music from Turbo. It would be a real standout on that set, though. Here’s it’s obviously an “also ran.” The guitar solo section is particularly noteworthy and really elevates this beyond that average territory, though. It is dramatic and dynamic and extended (over seven minutes long). It just doesn’t stand as tall as the stuff on the album proper, feeling a little overly theatrical. |
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