Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2018

Last year was a lackluster year for new rock and left my list pretty diverse as I scrounged for 10 list-worthy albums.  This year it was a lot harder narrowing it down to my top 10 and figuring out the order.  The top two were a no brainer, but some surprises made the top 5 and some that I was highly anticipating didn't even make the cut.  That's a good problem to have if you are a rock fan!  Check out my top picks and then sink your teeth into the honorable mention category.  Let me know if you think I left something out.

1. Judas Priest - Firepower
2. Nonpoint - X
3. Tremonti - A Dying Machine
4. Devour the Day - Signals
5. Bad Wolves - Disobey
6. Slash - Living the Dream
7. Senses Fail - If There Is Light, It Will Find You
8. Palisades - Erase the Pain
9. Breaking Benjamin - Ember
10. Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army

Approaching their 50th anniversary, Judas Priest show that they've still got it.  They put out a killer album that shows their vintage sound on some songs along with some more modern metal interpretations within the 14 tracks of Firepower. Read more about my thoughts here.  Nonpoint continue to deliver some of the best alternative metal music of the new millenium and are also establishing their dominance with their 10th studio album.  My review of X-Deluxe.

Tremonti continues to be one of the most prolific hard rock guitarists and with his fourth solo album he delivers the goods again.  It may be his most dynamic solo effort to date with some driving songs (Bringer of War), some shredding solos (A Lot Like Sin, Desolation), and some more pop-oriented anthems (Trust, The First the Last).  One of the things I've noticed is that although his singing range is limited, the choruses have gotten bigger and make you want to sing along (From the Sky).  The drumming also impressed me on this album.  About the only thing I didn't like was the album closer which is an instrumental of mostly ambient noise.

Devour the Day is made up of a few former members of Egypt Central and a former drummer of Bury Your Dead. They are signed to Razor & Tie Records which has had an impressive list of artists and some of the best hard rock bands in recent years. The album, Signals, is the third release from Devour the Day and it just sounds to me like a fresh take on hard rock that is desperately needed these days. There's melody, there's meaningful lyrics, and there's tight musicianship in their songs. The vocals are mostly clean singing (so you can actually understand them), but there are enough screams and breakdowns that you can still release some pent-up crazy.  I hear interesting components reminiscent of of everything from Helmet to Trust Company to Pantera in their songs on this disc. Definitely check it out.

Bad Wolves is a supergroup with vocalist Tommy Vext (ex-Snot), drummer John Boecklin (ex-DevilDriver), lead guitarist Doc Coyle (ex-God Forbid), rhythm guitarist Chris Cain (ex-Bury Your Dead) and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-In This Moment, ex-Scar the Martyr, Vimic). They are managed by Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch. They live up to the supergroup moniker by blending sounds influenced by punk, industrial, thrash, nu-metal, and even the Cranberries. Their cover of Zombie was supposed to feature Delores O'Riordan before her tragic death. The album delivers a lot more than that one song. If you like the crossover sound, it also features a song with Diamante. I saw them open for 5FDP and Breaking Benjamin and was really impressed with their live performance.

I previously reviewed Slash's latest album here and Breaking Benjamin's Ember here.


Honorable Mentions
AFI - The Missing Man - EP
Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog
All That Remains - Victim of the New Disease
Architects - Holy Hell
Atreyu - In Our Wake
Beartooth - Disease
Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Dee Snider - For the Love of Metal
Disturbed - Evolution
Escape the Fate - I Am Human
Fever 333 - Made An America
Five Finger Death Punch - And Justice For None (Deluxe)
From Ashes to New - The Future
Ghost - Prequelle
Godsmack - When Legends Rise
Halestorm - Vicious
High on Fire - Electric Messiah
Ice Nine Kills - The Silver Scream
Immerse - Suffer
Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot
Light the Torch - Revival (Vocalist Howard Jones' new band)
Monster Truck - True Rockers
Ocean - Phenerozoic I: Palaeozoic
P.O.D. - Circles
Red Sun Rising - Thread

Saxon - Thunderbolt

Sevendust - All I See Is War

Sleep - The Sciences

Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1

Soulfly - Ritual

Turnstile - Time & Space

Blues Traveler is back

Blues Traveler - Hurry Up and Hang Around album review

Whoa, where did this come from?  I didn't hear anything about this album dropping.  Their last album was three years ago and was a weird assemblage of collaborations with pop artists.  The one before that was 2012's Suzie Cracks the Whip which had its moments, but sounded like Blues Traveler was caught between trying to find radio success and following their roots.  This new album that I randomly stumbled upon doing one of my iTunes browses is entitled Hurry Up and Hang Around and sounds like their best work since 1997's Straight On Till Morning.

First of all, this music is much more mellow than the things that normally are the subject of my blog posts.  However, I love me some blues rock, John Popper plays the hell out of the harmonica, and I'm sure some of my readers like this kind of music too.  I saw Blues Traveler only once in Montclair in 2011 and they were phenomenal.  These days John is much healthier than when he first had breakout success with "Runaround" and "Hook" in 1994.  The Princeton High School graduate and his bandmates are still putting out some great stuff.  Okay, here's my first take on the new tracks:

1. Accelerated Nation - as the name alludes to, this is the fastest song on the album and it's about the fast paced lifestyle of most Americans these days.  This song should have mass appeal despite it not sounding like most stuff on the radio.

2. She Becomes My Way - If Billy Joel and Keith Urban had a baby, and that baby possessed John Popper's voice and musicianship, it would make this song.  Just listen.  It's a romantic song.

3. The Touch She Has - This song has funky keyboard and bass reminiscent of 60's & 70's soul rock.  It also follows a classic story of a smitten kitten.

4. When You Fall Down - A fun, finger-snapping song about partying.

5. The Wolf is Bumpin' - a bluesy rock diddy with funky bass lines, some organ accents and harmonica.  It's about knocking boots, or at least trying to.

6. Daddy Went a Giggin - Based around the rhythm of "Froggy Went a Courtin" this is a fun song about fishing, slaying dragons, and other heroic daddy stuff.  It's mostly mellow except for faster tempo harmonica solos.

7. Tangle of Our Dreaming - a more straightforward pop-rock track that sounds like it is about a crush/love, but the lyrics are fairly open to interpretation as they are purposely vague.

8. More Than Truth - a slow jam driven by simple bass lines.  This sounds like it is about learning from a past relationship as John sings "In the end I see; lonelier than I had to be; much more than truth will set you free."

9. Prayer Upon the Wind - a faster tempo than the previous two songs, but with a very light singing style over a quickly strummed acoustic guitar.  I think this one is about moving on from a lost love.

10. Miss Olympus - a jazzy blues song about trying to tempt a woman who may be unattainable because she is in a relationship.

11. Phone Call From Leavenworth - a mid-tempo keyboard-centric song.  The most famous Leavenworth is in Kentucky where there is an army base, but there is also a Leavenworth in Indiana, Minnesota, and Washington.

12. Ode from the Aspect - this is a slower ballad, but one with power and drama (and some musical progressions) reminiscent of Adele's Someone Like You.  It's an interesting track and a unique one for Blues Traveler.  It marks the opposing pillar from the first track, bookending nicely.

True Rockers - some new releases Fall 2018

As Dee Snider says making a guest appearance on Monster Truck's "True Rocker," rock and roll is not dead.  It's true that it is much harder to find on the radio waves.  However, revenue from live concerts is up.  Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Guns N' Roses have experienced a twilight in nostalgia success.  U2 and Coldplay continue to be among the highest grossing tours.  Breaking Benjamin is commanding $50 a ticket at Starland Ballroom in December.  Wait a minute!  I just saw BB with Five Finger Death Punch, Nothing More, and Bad Wolves for that price.  Granted, the last time I saw BB in a small venue they blew my mind, but I don't know if I want to pay that much when the support acts aren't proven and it's on a weeknight to boot.

In any case, I wanted to highlight a few recent releases that prove that rock isn't dead.  First, the aforementioned Monster Truck.  They just dropped their third album last month entitled True Rockers.  This is a blues-based rock band from Ontario, Canada with incredible groove and a ridiculously talented singer.  The best aspects of their first two albums are highlighted on the new release.  "Undone" is a slower song with electric organ and background vocals reminiscent of great 70's rock.  "Thunderstruck" is an up-tempo jam and "Hurricane" is a toe-tapping sing-along monster.  In my opinion, these guys really blend classic rock of old with grunge rock of more recent times and bring it to the present with a freshness and furiosity that few bands have.

Also coming out last month was another solo album from Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators entitled Living the Dream.  Those who follow my posts know that I am in awe of Myles on the mic and on the guitar.  In addition, he has been one of the most prolific rock artists in the 2000s.  Songs like "Serve You Right" exemplify the powerful vocals of Myles that are able to carry the melody in between signature riffs from Slash.  On this album you'll find more straightforward rockers like "Read Between the Lines" and more ballady songs like "The One You Loved is Gone" and "The Great Pretender."  If you are a fan of songs like "Anastasia" I think you'll love this album too.

For some more modern metal tunes, you might like the new one from Beartooth called Disease.  This album seems more accessible to the masses than 2014's Disgusting and 2016's Aggressive.  Many will enjoy the more commercial appeal.  For me, the style of starting with slower melody clean singing building to a faster breakdown of increased intensity gets a little repetitive.  Still, I think this band is great and there are songs like "Manipulation" that make me bang my head.  "Fire" is a moshpit inducer.

Upcoming releases of interest:

10/12

Atreyu - In Our Wake 

10/19

Disturbed - Evolution

Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army

10/26
Chevelle - 12 Bloody Spies: B-sides and Rarities
Devour the Day - Signals

11/9
All That Remains - Victim of the New Disease
Architects - Holy Hell
Muse - Simulation Theory

11/16
Chris Cornelle (Deluxe edition)
P.O.D. - Circles
Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol.1

Nonpoint - X - Album Review

Nonpoint "X" (Spinefarm Records, August 24, 2018)

I've written about Nonpoint before and I've been a fan of them since my first listen to their major debut Statement back in 2000.  Since then I've seen them live 9 times and they've put out 9 more albums.  They are unquestionably one of my favorite bands.  Although only two original members remain, the current lineup has been together for a few years and is putting out some of the best music in their catalogue and living up to their killer reputation for live shows.

The tenth album is called "X" as it is their landmark tenth album.  This album delivers a diverse collection of 10 songs while still presenting a cohesive listen from start to finish.  The deluxe version offers another new song, Paralyzed, followed by acoustic versions of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from their last album.  The Facebook fan group (361 All Things Nonpoint) can't come to a consensus of what the best tracks are, which just speaks to the diversity and artistry offered here.

Empty Batteries - The introduction makes it sound like a space exploration is about to happen and then the heaviness comes in rather abruptly with fast chugging guitars and pounding drums.  "I won't let you die like a suicidal battery..." Elias screams.  I think this song is about not giving up.  It is also a great opening song because right away you can see that Nonpoint is not messing around and shows no sign of slowing down 20 years into their career.

Chaos and Earthquakes -  This one is just a banger.  It's not the most original song, but Elias raps with skill in the verses and then there is an anthemic chorus that is easy to belt along to.  This was chosen as the first single.  The video is a performance video in a warehouse in front of a florescent lit X with a creepy girl who looks like she's been through a war making sporadic appearances.  It rocks.

Fix This - A poetic tale of regrets.  Elias paints a picture of someone who is battling some demons, but doesn't want to come to grips with what s/he could do to help fix the situation.  The style here is more straightforward with melodic chorus and a little guitar breakdown.  This song has grown on me with every listen.

Crashing - Elias' vocals start off with a yell-like verse before settling into a slower melodic chorus.  The theme here is again questioning course of action.  I'm not as fond of this song compared to the rest.

Passive Aggressive - A haunting gospel-like sound starts this one off before some heavy chugging bass lines come in and Elias rap-sings about someone we have all unfortunately dealt with, a passive aggressive pain in the ass.

Dodge Your Destiny - This is easily the heaviest track and my favorite on the album.  I love the speed and aggression.  I love the theme of not being able to get out of the way of your destiny.  I love the way everyone just kills it on this track, especially the way Elias attacks this song with a fury.

Dodge Your Destiny live @ Starland Ballroom 5/20/18

Wheel Against Will - This one jumps out first because of the drums.  There's nothing flashy here, just Robb pounding away.  Then we have the theme of fighting against the machine, not so subtly a metaphor for opposing the establishment that controls us.  Most impressive is BC's guitar solo.  It starts to shred and then he kind of pulls it back into the rhythm of the song, leaving the listener with just a taste of what he is capable of.

Milestone - This song comes in with some sludgy bass riffs soon juxtaposed by Elias' intense vocals.  In some ways this is classic Nonpoint and yet it feels fresh and different too.  Adam (bass) and Rasheed (rhythm guitar) show how they have taken Nonpoint to another level.

Feel The Way I Feel - A slower tempo emphasizes the emotional turmoil of a bad relationship.  Everyone can relate to this and it's hard not to sing along to the chorus.

Position One - This track closes the 10 song album with another slower tempo song on the verses, but then it picks up in the chorus.  "I'll never let you break me down inside, inside, inside," Elias sings.  Just when you think this song is only about feeling down, a Tom Morello-like solo kicks in.  The dynamic changes in this song really make it a good closer in that it leaves you wanting more.

Paralyzed (bonus) - Fortunately, the deluxe version of the album gives you that extra that you're craving.  This song is about being paralyzed by fear, again a pretty universal experience.  The cool thing about this track is that there is a high pitched guitar riff that almost sounds like keyboards.  The song is balanced by a driving drum beat and rock solid bass providing the foundation.  Paralyzed sounds like nothing Nonpoint have done before, yet I can hear it fitting in with stuff from the early 2000s, like Adema and Linkin Park, when Nonpoint first broke out.

The deluxe version of the album also has an acoustic version of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from The Poison Red performed in St. Petersburg, Florida.

I give X four out of five stars and rank it behind Statement and The Poison Red.  CrypticRock rated it 5/5 and I'm Music rated it 9/10.  If you like hard rock, it is well worth checking out this album and, as always, if you like it buy it and support the artists.

For videos from my last Nonpoint show and other stuff, check out my Youtube channel

Women in Metal

Here's my top 10 women in metal.  I'm not going to rank them because this list isn't one where I want to rate talent or vocal ability.  I also don't want to open it up to interpretation that this is some superficial "hottest chicks in metal" list because certainly there are plenty of those out there and that is often what these women are reduced to if they are discussed in music publications at all.  This list is just about badass chicks that have made an impression on the metal scene and continue to open doors for those without a Y chromosome in a male dominated genre.  It's my humble opinion that there is a lot of opportunity for women in metal to make their own way as well as fuel the flames for heavy music of the future.

Doro
Named Dorothee Pesch, she is better known as Doro Pesch, just Doro, or even the "Queen of Metal."  Doro has been singing since she was a little girl in Germany.  She became famous as the lead singer of Warlock (1982-1988) where they gained notoriety opening for bands like W.A.S.P., Judas Priest, and Dio.  In the late '80s Warlock got MTV airplay and Doro moved to New York.  Legal issues and disagreements over songwriting led to her breaking up with Warlock, but she continued under her own name.


For decades she performed in the U.S. and Europe, finding better chart success in Europe.  13 times she was voted Best International Singer by the readers of the Spanish music magazine Heavy Rock in their annual polls.  In 2011, she toured fronting Dio Disciples, a tribute band celebrating the life and music of Ronnie James Dio.  In 2013 she was honored with the Golden God Legend award from Metal Hammer.

Doro has no husband or children and has said that she is married to her band, crew, and fans instead.  She has also been careful to not just market herself as a sex symbol either, but as a legitimate musician and artist.  Away from the stage Doro is an animal rights activist, graphic artist, and Thai boxer.  She is also a supporter of Terre des Femmes for woman's rights and is looked up to by many younger female rockers.

Lzzy Hale

In 1997 Elizabeth "Lzzy" Hale co-founded the rock band Halestorm with her brother Arejay Hale.  Since 2006 they have been touring heavily.  I have never bought a ticket just for Halestorm, but in February 2006 I saw them open for Flyleaf, Shinedown, and Seether and Lzzy was impressive even back then.  She has a killer voice.  I since saw Halestorm three additional times and I never cease to be amazed by Lzzy's vocal power, range, control and command of the stage.  Her brother is also an amazing drummer.  Lzzy is, without a doubt, one of the most talented rock singers of today.  Recently she has been open to collaborations with everyone from David Draiman to Machine Gun Kelly to Trans-Siberian Orchestra and has put out an album of cover songs.  Halestorm has a new album Vicious slated for a July 27 release.  Lzzy came out as bisexual in a Tweet in 2014.  Although she didn't intend for it to be newsworthy, she has since continued to be an inspiration and supportive figure for the LGBTQ+ community.  I look forward to her rocking stages for years to come.

Nita Strauss

Nita is only 31 years old and she has already made quite a mark as a member of bands such as The Iron Maidens, Femme Fatale, and Alice Cooper.  She recently performed at Wrestlemania 34 playing a shredding rendition of Shinsuke Nakamura's theme song, making herself known to a whole new audience.  She plans to continue touring with Alice Cooper and Nita is currently working on a debut solo album tentatively scheduled to melt faces in September 2018.

Morgan Lander

In 1996 Morgan co-founded the band Kittie in Ontario with her sister, Mercedes, on drums, Tanya Candler on bass, and Fallon Bowman on guitar.  Kittie started as a nu-metal group and gained notoriety for being an all-female group of "underage" girls that were not afraid of the guys and not afraid of flaunting their feminine traits for some crowd appeal.  Songs from their Gold-certified debut, Spit, like "Charlotte," "Spit," and "Brackish" still hold up today.  Morgan soon gained the most recognition for her talents that could blend screams, growls, raps, and clean vocals.  She also played guitar and piano/keys and added guest vocals to other artists like (Hed)PE and Kataklysm.  Over the years, Kittie became more of a death metal band.  They have famously tried to downplay their genders and said they don't want to be known as an all-female group because "you don't call Machine Head a boy-metal band, you call them a metal band...Why should they make an exception [for us] just because of the gender.  It's almost the exact same kind of music, except we don't have penises" (MTV interview 2000).  In 2014 Kittie put together a crowd-funded documentary celebrating their 20th anniversary.  In March 2018 they released a live album entitled Origins/Evolutions.  Mercedes has a side project called White Swan, but Kittie may not be done yet.

Alissa White-Gluz
Alissa was co-founder and lead vocalist for the Canadian metal band The Agonist of which she was a part 2004-2014.  After that time she replaced popular female metal singer Angela Gossow in Swedish metal band Arch Enemy.  Angela had powerful growls, but Alissa is even more versatile on the microphone.  As a straight-edge, vegan, atheist, female she said she felt like she had a bullseye on her forehead when she first started in a metal band.  Now, however, she is well-respected with a four octave range and near the top of the ranks in her genre.  She has lent her talents to Kamelot and Nightwish and is now working on a solo project.

Cristina Scabbia
Since 1996 Cristina has been a vocalist for Italian metal band Lacuna Coil.  She does mostly clean singing while Andy Ferro also sings and does more of the unclean vocals for the band.  Though she has never been formally trained, she has a more operatic voice than others on this list.  Before she became famous for fronting Lacuna Coil, she was introduced to the American metal scene by being featured in Megadeth's A Tout Le Monde.  She also has notable collaborations with Apocalyptica and Alter Bridge.  Cristina is frequently cited as one of metal's hottest females.  At age 45, she may not continue to be on those lists, but as a recent recipient of a "Best Live Act" award from the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards it doesn't look like she'll be fading away from the stage anytime soon.

Alexia Rodriguez
Alexia used to share the stage with her bassist sister, Anissa, and share vocal duties with Lindsey Vogt and a host of various guys, but now she is front and center on lead guitar and lead vocals in the band Eyes Set to Kill.  With their sixth album being self-titled, they are poised to reinvent and reinvigorate the band despite changes to the lineup.

Otep Shamaya

I have liked Otep since I saw them in 2002.  They are an amazing live band and frontwoman Otep definitely stood out as a girl who could growl as good as the boys.  She can also rap, sing, or scream.  My reverance for Otep has only gotten stronger as I admire her songwriting, but also her outspokenness about animal rights, politics, human rights, etc.  She is active on social media where it is clear that she is appreciative of her fans and she can also expound upon her stances eloquently and supported by history and facts.  She is openly lesbian and vegan, and can squat more than I can even begin to think about.  As one of her latest tattoos says, she is "Boss."  Otep's new album Kult 45 is scheduled to be out July 27.

Jada Pinkett-Smith

Maybe you remember her from A Different World, as Ms. Purty in the Nutty Professor, or as Niobe in the Matrix sequels.  Nowadays, she's more famous for being Will's husband or the mother of Jaden and Willow.  I will always remember when I saw her front Wicked Wisdom at a 2006 show at Starland Ballroom opening for Sevendust.  Jada blew me away.  She was oozing charisma.  She could sing.  And most astonishing of all - she was metal.  Many people were skeptical, myself included; however she was a fan of the genre and really had to prove herself when Sharon Osbourne went out on a limb and put them on Ozzfest 2005 without a major release.  Word soon spread that they were legit and Jada was awesome, even headbanging and inciting mosh pits.  I honestly wish that her metal career lasted longer than it did.  They only had one metal album and only perform on rare occasions nowadays.  I also wish that more black women could make their mark in metal like Jada did.

Mixi

Alecia "Mixi" Demner founded Stitched Up Heart in 2010.   It took until 2016 to release their major label debut, Never Alone.  However, this time allowed them to become a polished and cohesive band with a great batch of songs.  I first became aware of them when I stood two feet away from the stage as they opened for Gemini Syndrome in a small club in Stanhope, NJ.  The band has heavy chugging guitars with Mixi swooning over top.  It's a great juxtaposition that sets them apart from the rest of the bands in the metal world.   The lyrics are really inspiring and uplifting as well.  Mixi is a really talented singer and she has amazing energy on stage.  Immediately after their set I went to the merchandise area to pick up a copy of the album.   It was then that I learned that Mixi is also a sweetheart as she took the time to chat with me and offered to take a selfie of us together because she has "perfected" the technique.  The band has been touring relentlessly for the last two years, most recently with other female fronted bands Halestorm, New Years Day, and In This Moment.  With sponsors supporting them and new fans being made on the road, the band is likely to breakout and I personally can't wait until they release some new songs.  If you don't know Stitched Up Heart or any of the other artists mentioned above, do yourself a favor and look them up.

Mixi and I, August 2017

Breaking Benjamin - Ember

After much anticipation and two video teasers, I finally got the notification that Ember was available for download.  Breaking Benjamin has been one of my favorite bands since I first heard Polyamorous on MTV2 in 2002.  They have been consistent in churning out hard rocking albums with headbanging riffs and sing-along anthemic choruses.  Sometimes unfairly being dubbed bro-rock or frat-metal, Breaking Benjamin have evolved to become more popular than ever before and continue to rock stages across America.  I'll never forget the first time I saw them live because it was the most uncomfortable I have ever been at a concert.  I was at Crocodile Rock in Pennsylvania in the summer and the venue had no air conditioning and with the heat from outside plus the bodies and stage lighting inside it was brutally hot.  They sprayed the front of the crowd with hoses to prevent us from passing out.  It was all worth it, however, when Breaking Benjamin put on one of the best sets that I have ever experienced.

New Jersey-born lead singer and composer, Ben Burnley's openness about his struggles with mental illness including depression, phobias, hypochondria, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome have added to my intrigue in him as a person and a musician as I pick up different things in his lyrics and interviews after knowing more about his personal demons.

So, about Ember:

What I like:
The cover.  It's an eyeball with what looks like an exploding sunflower of fire inside the pupil.

The overall sound.  If you already are a fan of Breaking Benjamin, you will like this too as they haven't strayed much from their typical blend of hard and soft, plaintiveness and aggression.

Red Cold River.  This is probably the hardest hitting song on the album due to the growling vocals in the chorus backed by some genius sliding bass notes and some pounding bass drums.

Ben's voice.  This guy never ceases to amaze me how smooth his clean vocals are.  I think on this album "Tourniquet" best features Ben's tone and timbre.

Repeatability.  I've already listened to this album three times in a row in the course of taking a shower and then writing this piece.  Songs that didn't jump out on the first listen provide nuggets of ear pleasing treats.

What I don't like:
Lack of hits.  Each of their previous albums have provided several monster singles.  I'm not getting pumped up over any individual songs except "Red Cold River" which is strong on its own.  Right now, "Save Yourself" is probably my second favorite.

Take the leap.  I feel like this album may be a little too safe.  Like I said, fans should enjoy it.  However, I don't think it stretches enough.  For example, the song "Psycho" has some rocking tendencies, but I keep waiting for a huge breakdown that doesn't happen.  The next song "The Dark of You" is a softer ballad-type song and while the singing is beautiful, it lacks the emotion of a song like "Forever" from Saturate or the pure passion of "The Great Divide" and "Ashes of Eden" from Dark Before Dawn.

In summary, I give it 7/10.  Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of modern hard rock.  Don't expect fire and you will be pleased to smolder amongst the embers.

Firepower

First, the new album review:  Firepower rocks hard.  Many people are calling it the best Judas Priest album since Painkiller.  I quite liked Angel of Retribution and Redeemer of Souls, however.  I would have to put this one inbetween those.  I've spent much of the last two months listening to Judas Priest and it is about as hard ranking their albums as it is for me to do for Weezer or Chevelle.  They have many great albums.  Firepower starts off with three kick ass songs, Firepower, Lightening Strike, and Evil Never Dies.  In fact, these are the three they have been regularly incorporating into their new live show.  It fits into the set great.  I think this new album has been viewed so favorably is that it has some of the classic Priest sound (Never the Heroes, Children of the Sun), some modern heavy rock sounds (Necromancer, Lightening Strike), and some sick lead guitar solos (Rising From Ruins, Traitors Gate).  There is something for everyone.  The songwriting is strong, the melodies are fresh and the riffs really rip.  There's not a bad song among the generous 14 tracks.  If you like metal and you haven't checked this one out, do yourself a favor and give it a listen.


I wasn't going to miss the Firepower tour as Judas Priest is one of my favorites.  I caught them on March 22 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.  Opening was Black Star Riders.  They are a Thin Lizzy spinoff band with Scott Gorham on guitar and fronted by Irish-born Ricky Warwick.  I liked their Irish-inspired songs the best including a cover of Jailbreak, followed by Heavy Fire and Soldiersintown.

Mohegan Sun Arena 3-22-18 by me

Next up was Saxon.  They are a British heavy metal band formed in 1977.  Although I had heard of them, I never really listened to them much.  I thought they were really good.  Highlights included Nosferatu, They Played Rock and Roll, Denim and Leather, and Heavy Metal Thunder.

Mohegan Sun Arena 3-22-18 by me

Then came the almighty Priest.  This was my third time seeing Judas Priest live.  While Rob's voice isn't as impressive as when I saw him in 2011, he can still go.  There's no KK and Glenn has been battling Parkinson's disease so he isn't playing full sets, but he did play the last three songs of the night.  The metal gods are still rocking out and holding it down for the genre they helped define.  They played an awesome setlist and I wrote down the tracks as they played them.  I only had to look up the cover.

1. Firepower (Firepower)

2. Running Wild (Hellbent)

3. Grinder (British Steel)

4. Sinner (Sin After Sin)

5. The Ripper (Sad Wings)

6. Lightning Strike (Firepower)

7. Bloodstone (Screaming)

8. Saints in Hell (Stained Class)

9. Turbo Lover (Turbo)

10. The Green Manalishi (Fleetwood Mac cover)

11. Evil Never Dies (Firepower)

12. Some Heads are Gonna Roll (Defenders)

13. You've Got Another Thing Coming (British Steel)

14. Hellbent for Leather (Hellbent)

15. Electric Eye (Screaming)

16. Painkiller (Painkiller)

17. Metal God (British Steel)

18. Breaking the Law (British Steel)

19. Living After Midnight (British Steel)

Which Judas Priest Album is Best?

Judas Priest is awesome.  I've loved them since I first heard "Breaking the Law" as a kid.  Now they are one of my all time favorite bands, I own almost all of their 17 albums (18 in March), and some of the deeper tracks have become the most well-liked.  I've been fortunate enough to see them live twice ('04 and '11) and I'm hoping to catch them this year for the Firepower tour.  I find it interesting that many of the editorial lists for their "best albums" don't agree.  The fact that there isn't a clear top album is fascinating, but also points to the quality that this band has put out over the last 40+ years.  I've been listening to them a lot recently and it is my turn to weigh in.  Here we go from best to worst:


1. Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
The opening of "Hellion/Electric Eye" is one of the best in metal.  You've got the monster hits "Screaming for Vengeance", one of the best songs ever, and "You've Got Another Thing Coming," a lampooning chorus that rocks my socks and is a favorite saying by my father.  You add the juxtaposition of heartbreak and upbeat anthem of "(Take These) Chains" and the grizzly "Pain and Pleasure," just to name a couple more standouts, and this album is very well rounded and rocks throughout.



2. Stained Class (1978)
Holy crap!  The drum and guitar riffs on opening track "Exciter" are ridiculous and Rob's vocals soar over top.  They came out swinging with this one and the rest of the album helped solidify Priest as a cornerstone of heavy metal.  Their drummer is named Binks for goodness sake.  This album may be their most consistent throughout.  It has been in regular rotation in my car.  It doesn't have the blockbuster songs of British Steel, but it doesn't have the sleepers either.  My other favorite track is "Better By You, Better Than Me."  I'm still not sure what it's about, but that doesn't stop me from feeling the song every time.


3. British Steel (1980)
It's got "Breaking the Law" which is iconic.  It's got "Living After Midnight," one of their other most popular songs.  But then there is "Metal Gods" which might have been boastful at the time, but now is an ever-so-appropriate anthem.  "You Don't Have to Be Old To Be Wise" takes you to school with life advice and song structure lessons.  "Grinder" is more fun every time I hear it.  The worst track is "United" and I don't even skip that one.  However, "United" and "Red, White and Blue" don't really fit with the rest of the album.  They aren't as hard rocking and that takes away from British Steel's standing on this list.  If you asked me when I first got into Priest, this would have been #1.


4. Painkiller (1990)
The title track is straight fire!  The album cover is undoubtedly one of the best of all time.  After a couple of albums that suffered the pop and electronic influences of the '80s, this album comes hard and fast with some heavy bass drumming by Scott Travis.  There are also more metal guitar sounds and themes such as on "Leather Rebel" and "Metal Meltdown."  Some lists rank this at the top.  It's definitely the speediest crop of songs from Priest.  I don't rank this album higher mainly because I think it starts strong and then doesn't maintain the same power, leaving a lackluster finish.



5. Angel of Retribution (2005)
I'm probably going to get some heat for putting this album in the top 5, but screw it, it's my list.  I think "Judas is Rising" and "Hellrider" are two of their best songs and "Angel" is a great ballad.  "Demonizer" is heavy.  There isn't a bad song on the whole album.  It was a big comeback album for the Halford-fronted Priest.  It got me back into listening to them.  It made them relevant again.  There are some wicked fast riffs and awesomely constructed songs to sing along to.  It even won Best Album at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.

6. Firepower (2018)
This album marks a concerted effort from Rob Halford and company to continue to produce their classic heavy metal for as long as they stay healthy enough to do so.  This will help cement their legacy and hopefully help rekindle this brand of metal.  Andy Sneap is credited with producing, mixing, and mastering the album and he certainly made it sound a lot fresher than the last Priest album.  He likely contributed some guitar ideas as well and is touring in Glenn Tipton's spot while he deals with health issues.  Opening tracks "Firepower, Lightening Strike and Evil Never Dies" are fast and mark a new evolution of the band's sound.  They have been in regular rotation on stage and in my earbuds.

7. Sin After Sin (1977)
This album showed what Priest had in store for the metal world.  I hear a lot of Black Sabbath influence in this.  The second track is a metal version of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust" that they originally covered in 1975, but didn't release right away.  It sounds like it was made for them!  There are also hints of speed metal and thrash metal throughout this album.  One sleeper song and less than 10 tracks keeps this one from moving up my list any higher.  However, this began a string of excellent albums that would cement Judas Priest as one of the defining bands of heavy metal and one of the best bands of all time.


8. Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Some redemption was needed after a concept album failed to capture the audience.  Blend up the desire to reignite the band, some ancient mythology, and add in Richie Faulkner on guitar, and we have one hell of a metal record.  On "Halls of Valhalla" Rob shows off his range,  possibly better than ever in one song, by using gutteral growls and soaring screams.  Redeemer also has a really big sound.  I just think the treble is too low on the mix; something is off and it is kind of muddy.  If the sword of Damocles was hanging over the band, they evaded it big time with this comeback album with some of their best work.

9. Ram It Down (1988)
Sometimes this album gets a bad wrap, but for its time in its decade, it still goes pretty hard.  It is also consistent start to finish, and that's important when ranking albums.  The title track is fun.  "I'm a Rocker" and "Heavy Metal" are too.  "Hard as Iron" is pretty heavy.  The supped up cover of Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode is probably the most well known track here.  Its nice, but I don't love it, and I don't even think it's the best track on the album.  I'm ranking albums here and even though this one doesn't have amazing face melting singles, it is solid.



10. Defenders of the Faith (1984)
"The Sentinel" is epic.  If you don't know it, listen to it now.  "Jawbreaker" rips and shreds.  "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" is a classic Judas Priest song.  Loudwire ranked this album number one.  I don't get it.  I definitely don't think it's anywhere near the top album by Judas Priest, although it is a good one.  The first half is definitely strong and then it slows down and there are some average songs intermingled.  When I listen to and rank albums, I want to listen start to finish and be entertained throughout.  I don't get that from Defenders.



11. Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Everyone takes more risks on the second major release and the sound identity is coming together.  Some fans consider this much more of a masterpiece, but I don't feel it as there are definitely a few tracks that I would skip.  8-minute opener "Victim of Changes" is dynamic and interesting.  "The Ripper" does just that, coming in at less than three minutes and rocking harder and faster than anything else on this album.  It's also creepy and edgy because it's about a London serial killer.  The rest of the album is not as exciting, but the gothic and doom metal influences definitely set this album apart from the rest in the catalogue.



12. Rocka Rolla (1974)
This is the major debut that started it all.  It is more blues-based rock and roll, issuing just a prelude to the metal dominance that is to come, but there are signs of brilliance here.  Glenn Tipton had recently joined the band and only co-wrote two songs to make the final cut.  Some tracks even have previous singer Al Atkins on them.  The title track is probably the best one here.  Some albums in rock history have average or terrible songs picked for the album name, but not Judas Priest.  You'll find that the title tracks are usually excellent.



13. Hell Bent for Leather/Killing Machine (1978)
This album has iconic imagery and a classic title track.  It's just too pop-influenced for my liking.  Being inbetween Stained Class and British Steel chronologically, it just doesn't make much sense.  It has been said that Glen Tipton was influenced by Eddie Van Halen's tapping technique and maybe he is somewhat to blame.  The album title in the US was changed because of the Cleveland Elementary School shooting in San Diego.  The band continued to gain popularity and the lasting impression of this album is the leather and studs imagery that would influence countless bands that came after.

14. Point of Entry (1981)
"Heading Out to the Highway" is certainly the best song on this album.  Following up on the anthemic British Steel saw Priest going back to a more blues-based rock.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the song writing and inspiration seems lacking overall.  There's some album filler and some '80s cheese that I don't particularly appreciate from the metal gods.  To me, this is a speed bump in a string of near perfection from 1977-1982.  Most critics would agree that this wasn't a strong album.




15. Turbo (1986)
Not terrible, but also not the Priest that I love.  They got possessed by the '80s arena rock sound.  Some metal purists will never listen to it.  I think it has its place.  I wouldn't go back to it regularly as it is not my taste.  It is a cult classic for others.  That I don't get, although it is still better than a lot of what passes for rock these days.





16. Demolition (2001)
This is the second effort by Tim "Ripper" Owens at the microphone. It's pretty heavy, but it is stuck between modern and classic sounds.  "Devil Digger" sounds like it fits in with the nu-metal of the time.  "Cyberface" is industrial sounding.  "Metal Messiah" has a power metal chorus but then there are middle eastern electric piano noises and modern metal basslines.  The whole thing is confused.





17. Jugulator (1997)
The first Priest album with Tim "Ripper" Owens as lead vocalist.  It's not the same.  It's not the same.  The music is more experimental for the band.  Some down-tuning is employed and lyrics are darker.  There are elements of death metal and thrash metal for sure.  The screaming vocals are pretty good, but I don't like the lower yells Tim does at all.




18. Nostradamus (2008)
A concept album about the world's most famous prognosticator sounds good, in theory.  In reality, I'm kind of sorry I bought it.  After Angel of Retribution, I could not have predicted that they would take a dump like this.  It is the most symphonic of all Priest albums.  It just fails to either engage in telling a continuous story or engaging the listener in rocking out.  Long, boring interludes make some parts unlistenable.  The two discs certainly should have been pared down to one.  The best tracks on the first disc are "Phrophecy," "Revelations" and "Persecution."  The best tracks on the second disc are "Visions" and "Nostradamus."