Fifteen years following the release of 'Painkiller,' the much-anticipated return of Rob Halford to the band is finally brought to fruition. This album is not the start-to-end
facemelter that PK was; instead, its songs seem to span several eras of the band. There's a little of the late '70s, some of the early, catchy '80s work, and some of the
double-bass adrenaline of the last two studio efforts, pre-Owens. Vocally Rob still sounds strong (though he doesn't attempt quite as many screams as in the past),
and musically the band has returned to its trademark deuling-guitar sound they patented. Fans of old will also appreciate the nods to some of the older song titles
that show up in the lyrics, such as "Painkiller," "Stained Class," "Take on the World," and "Blood Red Skies."
The opening "Judas Rising" is a steady piece that features some
non-stop Scott Travis double bass. That fast pace is repeated on several songs that could have fit on the 1990 release -- both "Demonizer" and "Hellrider" are attacking
pieces in the "Nightcrawler" vein.
The chord-cruising "Deal With the Devil" reminds of Halford's chunky "Resurrection" disc, and is strong throughout. "Worth Fighting
For" is a building, mood-enhanced piece in the mold of "Night Comes Down," "Out in the Cold," and "Monsters of Rock." The band continues its longtime knack for
the lighter and carefree side of metal with "Wheels of Fire," which follows in the footsteps of "Rock Hard, Ride Free" and "Living After Midnight." This is a great example
of what the bulk of 'Turbo' might have sounded like with stronger distortion and no synths.
The first single is "Revolution," and it is definitely the most radio-friendly.
The lightest track is "Angel," a ballad with some excellent Halford singing which hearkens back to "Before the Dawn"; Priest fans from the '70s will enjoy the trip down
memory lane. The band also includes an epic track of sorts, as "Lochness" checks in at over 13 minutes. While a decent cut, it's a bit plodding to really leave much
of a lasting impression, however. All in all this is a very solid "comeback" release for the band, in terms of returning to the sound and style they forged over the span of
three different decades. It mixes the styles of each of those three decades as well, which is perhaps the most commendable. The 'Painkiller'-only Priest fans won't be 100%
satisfied; the 'Screaming for Vengeance' or 'Sin After Sin'-only Priest fans won't be 100% satisfied. However, the career-long fans likely will be.
TRACK LIST: Judas Rising/Deal With the Devil/Revolution/Worth Fighting For/Demonizer/Wheels of Fire/Angel/Hellrider/Eulogy/Lochness
Demonizer - mp3