Ask any Judas Priest fan about British Steel, and they’ll more than likely confirm it is the band’s definitive masterpiece. Aside from spawning the singles, “Breaking The Law” and “Living After Midnight,” the album headed up the U.K. charts to Number 5 and became the band’s first Top 40 platinum album in the U.S. On an even bigger scale, British Steel, the band’s sixth album released on April 14, 1980, opened up the floodgates for a new wave of British heavy metal bands to follow — from Iron Maiden to Def Leppard. Now, a 30th Anniversary Edition has been unleashed to commemorate the record’s impact and legacy.
Each one of the nine songs on British Steel is pushed ahead by turn-on-the-dime riffs, crunchy rhythms, thumping bottom ends, and Rob Halford’s powerful, gut-wrenching vocals. The cool blast of “Rapid Fire” pulls you in and we’re off to the races. From there, it’s a mine field of metal mayhem. “Metal Gods,” which Halford took as a nickname and a clothing line, is one of the album’s most ambitious cuts. The story behind its making is as fascinating as the song itself. With tracks being laid down at Tittenhurst Park, once the home of John Lennon, the group was inspired to experiment with whatever was at hand. For “Metal Gods,” it was off to the kitchen for cutlery trays, billiard cues (?), pots, pans, spatulas, and probably a spot of tea, to enhance the tune’s jagged edges.
“Breaking The Law,” the single and Julien Temple-directed video, did wonders to catapult the group’s commercial appeal. At 2:35, it’s a catchy, radio-friendly track that finds Halford and guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton tightly locked in and ready for battle. The same can be pretty much said about “Living After Midnight.” Deeper cuts like “Grinder,” “The Rage” and “Steeler” keep the metal momentum in check, while the life-affirming “United” and “You Don’t Have To Be Old To Be Wise,” with its reggae-like bass intro, underscore Priest’s ability to dodge the stereotypes and reach beyond the metallic threshold.
The 30th Anniversary Edition of British Steel offers an expanded perspective on the classic album. In addition to the 2001 remaster of the original record, there are a couple of bonus tracks: “Red, White & Blue,” a throwaway better left on the cutting room floor, and a sizzling live version of “Grinder.” The real treat, however, is the DVD. A 2009 live performance of British Steel in its entirety, along with seven additional songs including “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” shows the band is still a viable and bone-crushing unit on stage.
The DVD also includes a 30-minute “Making of…” interview with Halford, Downing, Tipton and bassist Ian Hill. You may notice they never utter the name of Dave Holland, the drummer on British Steel currently serving a prison term for attempted rape and indecent assault of a teenage boy. Watching current drummer Scott Travis succinctly pound out the skins in the concert footage swiftly removes any desire to know why Holland has been virtually eliminated from Priest’s history. A limited deluxe version adds a third disc — a CD of the live show — and is exclusively available through the Official Judas Priest web site.
~ Shawn Perry
