Is this the final chapter of Judas Priest, as Epitaph, the title of their 2013 concert Blu-ray Disc and DVD, implies? Or are we seeing a new beginning after 40 years? Judging by how rock solid they sound and look, it would be a shame to put the Priest out to pasture. Rumor has it though, that Epitaph is merely a set up for a forthcoming studio album. If nothing else, it serves as an excellent introduction to new guitarist Richie Faulkner with a spirited crack at 23 songs spanning the band’s entire recorded history.
The night lifts off with a pair from British Steel, “Rapid Fire” and “Metal Gods.” Singer Rob Halford, head to toe in black studded leather, commands the troops as a double whammy of ‘rapid fire’ riffs rip through the verses and choruses. Faulkner steps effortlessly into the role of departed founding guitarist KK Downing, bringing a youthful exuberance to the fore and peeling off chords and leads like he was born for the job.
What really sets this set apart from the dozens of other Priest live video discs are the deeper cuts the band tackles. The set list is like a history lesson, jumping from “Judas Rising,” from 2005’s Angel Of Retribution, to “Starbreaker,” a tight, economical rocker from 1977’s Sin After Sin. Two more from the 70s, “Victim Of Changes,” where guitarist Glen Tipton and Faulkner lock in like lost brothers, and “Never Satisfied” are prime examples of how tightly orchestrated and arranged even the earliest of the band’s songs are. The trend obviously continues well into more recent material, like “Prophecy” from 2008’s Nostradamus, Priest’s last studio album.
Through the usual mistakes and miscalculations, the performances shine through. Halford easily delivers some of his finest vocals on Joan Baez’s “Diamonds And Rust” and “Night Crawler,” from 1990’s Painkiller, but turns his microphone away for “Breaking The Law,” which may have one of the most prominent audience lead vocals ever recorded.
Even as they wind down with “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” and “Living After Midnight, everyone’s game, including the steady rhythm section of bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis, is at its peak. Running at almost two and half hours, Epitaph wears you out before the show wears the band out, who look like they could go on for another hour or two. Even if they abandon world tours, it’s likely we’ll be getting plenty more Judas Priest, in one form or another, in the future.
~ Shawn Perry
