⛧
Painkiller (1990)
Judas Priest is one of those well-known bands that was quite influential and yet they rarely ever connected with me, fully. I grew up hearing them and there were always some songs that I liked. Stuff like "Rapid Fire," "Electric Eye," "Screaming for Vengeance," "Freewheel Burning," and "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" appealed to me in one way or another, usually because of the riffs, as Halford’s vocals were a mixed bag. I’m on the side that thinks Judas Priest was never fully a heavy metal band, since there was always a lot of hard rock mixed in, which wasn’t necessarily all bad. Hell, even wimpier songs like "Here Come the Tears," "Take These Chains," and "Night Comes Down" were decent for what they were. But as the '80s wore on, they kept going in the wrong direction with synths and polish, even using a drum machine on Ram It Down. The fact that they turned things around so much for their next record is actually kind of shocking.
Released in September 1990, Painkiller is the band’s twelfth full-length album. It took twelve tries to finally make a consistent, solid heavy metal album. And as soon as they did that, the band proceeded to fall apart and never properly followed up on it. At any rate, this is the single best L.P. Judas Priest ever recorded. Despite coming out in 1990, this couldn’t sound more ‘80s if it tried. Every riff and solo is just dripping with pure ‘80s metal feeling. The guitars feel sharper, faster, more aggressive. Scott Travis on drums is a huge part of that. He actually plays like he’s trying to destroy something, which is what this kind of music needs.
Painkiller is overflowing with memorable riffs and vocal melodies. Halford was never my favourite lead singer since he often sounds awkward, but when he really pours his soul into some of these screams, it adds so much intensity and drama. The section in the middle of "Night Crawler" is a perfect example—he sounds fantastic there, like he’s clawing his way out of some hellish pit, and it gives the song a genuinely epic feeling without going overboard. It’s moments like that where he finally clicks for me.
The guitar work is another big reason this album stands above the rest of their output. Beyond the speed and aggression, there’s a lot of thought put into the solos. They’re not just flashy for the sake of it. The intricate solos on songs like "Between the Hammer and the Anvil" or "A Touch of Evil" bring in these eerie, almost emotional melodies that add a sense of depth to the songs. Then there's the intro to "Metal Meltdown" which is insane. It sounds like a swarm of razors flying right at your face. It's chaotic but controlled, and fits the song’s sheer intensity perfectly. It doesn’t feel like noise. It actually adds to how intense and unrelenting the track is.
Highlights include "Painkiller," "Hell Patrol," "Between the Hammer and the Anvil," and "A Touch of Evil." That last one in particular has a slower, creeping kind of atmosphere that works really well with Halford’s delivery. From the more speed/power metal aggression to the more epic and dramatic moments, Painkiller record is a classic from start to finish and is their heaviest and most consistent album. This is highly recommended!
Released in September 1990, Painkiller is the band’s twelfth full-length album. It took twelve tries to finally make a consistent, solid heavy metal album. And as soon as they did that, the band proceeded to fall apart and never properly followed up on it. At any rate, this is the single best L.P. Judas Priest ever recorded. Despite coming out in 1990, this couldn’t sound more ‘80s if it tried. Every riff and solo is just dripping with pure ‘80s metal feeling. The guitars feel sharper, faster, more aggressive. Scott Travis on drums is a huge part of that. He actually plays like he’s trying to destroy something, which is what this kind of music needs.
Painkiller is overflowing with memorable riffs and vocal melodies. Halford was never my favourite lead singer since he often sounds awkward, but when he really pours his soul into some of these screams, it adds so much intensity and drama. The section in the middle of "Night Crawler" is a perfect example—he sounds fantastic there, like he’s clawing his way out of some hellish pit, and it gives the song a genuinely epic feeling without going overboard. It’s moments like that where he finally clicks for me.
The guitar work is another big reason this album stands above the rest of their output. Beyond the speed and aggression, there’s a lot of thought put into the solos. They’re not just flashy for the sake of it. The intricate solos on songs like "Between the Hammer and the Anvil" or "A Touch of Evil" bring in these eerie, almost emotional melodies that add a sense of depth to the songs. Then there's the intro to "Metal Meltdown" which is insane. It sounds like a swarm of razors flying right at your face. It's chaotic but controlled, and fits the song’s sheer intensity perfectly. It doesn’t feel like noise. It actually adds to how intense and unrelenting the track is.
Highlights include "Painkiller," "Hell Patrol," "Between the Hammer and the Anvil," and "A Touch of Evil." That last one in particular has a slower, creeping kind of atmosphere that works really well with Halford’s delivery. From the more speed/power metal aggression to the more epic and dramatic moments, Painkiller record is a classic from start to finish and is their heaviest and most consistent album. This is highly recommended!
(12 May 2025)
Last Updated: You are Visitor #: