The world of Judas Priest has been something of a small soap-opera since original guitarist K.K. Downing unexpectedly left the band in 2011. Downing cited difference with management and a falling out with certain band-members as his reason to leave and he was replaced immediately by Richie Faulkner. Since leaving Priest, to this day there seems to be no love lost between K.K. and his former band, especially as Downing seemed a bit pissed off at his former bandmates when they didn’t reach out to him when guitarist Glenn Tipton stopped touring with the band because of Parkinson’s Disease and they instead recruited Andy Sneap for the job.
Since out of Priest, K.K. has released his autobiography “Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest”, tried to start up a luxury golf resort with golfer Darren Clarke and of course starting his own band. After trying out a project called K.K. Downing’s Steel Mill he went back to the drawing table and formed K.K’s Priest and recruited singer Ripper Owens (Yngwie Malmsteen, Iced Earth) who sang on the two Halford-less Priest albums Jugulator (1997) and Demolition (2001), albums I don’t care for one iota and old Priest drummer Les Binks, who was in the band between 1977-1979. Since then, Binks has bowed out and is now replaced by Sean Elg (Cage). The band is completed by guitarist A.J. Mills (Hostile) and bassist Tony Newton (Voodoo Six) and by the looks of things, it seems like K.K. is here to carry on the tradition of Judas Priest on his own behalf.
The album opens with a spoken word intro called “Incarnation”, an intro that tries to be both hellish and ominous but unfortunately only turns out cringy, the way Manowar would’ve done it. The first real song is the leading single “Hellfire Thunderbolt”, a ballsy, hard and aggressive metal-belter that rages on and riffs away like crazy. It throws a slight nod back to Priest’s “Painkiller” song and with a blasting rhythm and distinct and intense melodies with Ripper screams away like his life depended on it. While all this might be fine and dandy, I do miss the hooks here and it feels like the band picks up where Demolition left off. Not crap but not that awesome either.
The title-track that follows is also released as a single/video and it’s a metal-explosion with Elg’s drums running amok and the razor-sharp guitars is rough and edgy and right in your face. The Ripper-era Priest is quite prominent on this track as well much because of Owens’ piercing vocals but as he fires away, his voice actually sounds a bit strained when he goes falsetto on us. Again, not bad but the lack of really memorable melodies makes it hard to grip. “Sacerdote Y Diablo” keeps up the aggression and the fast pace. It’s a heavy number, a menacing metal-belter with stone-hard riffing to go with it. However, the song feels a bit unstructured and even unfinished, like it needs to grow more. It lacks nuances and hooks and to me, a forgettable piece.
Another single is “Raise Your Fist”, a heavy, muscular and fat metal-puncher that brings on some massive, hard riffing and a tough and fierce rhythm-section. While it’s rowdy and edgy, it’s also way more nuanced than the other singles and holds a direct and striking refrain that goes right for the throat. It’s a good song albeit lyrically clichéd beyond all Manowar-sisms. Speaking of Manowar, “Brothers Of The Road” could really be a co-lab between them and Priest at their most cringy moments. That being said, it’s a melodic Metal number where both heaviness and grit is combined with hooks and a catchy chorus. It’s a really good song about K.K. and his friends, well, heading out to the highway.
As a bit of a breather we get some held-back and mellow – yet heavy – verses when “Metal Through And Through” shows up. It’s a seven minute, quite epic Metal number that contains both a speedy, classic Priest-like break and a slow, dark and stripped down ditto with acoustic guitars which creates a dynamic feel. The chorus is big and quite grandiose but also very, very Manowar. Again. Despite the metal-clichés I find myself quite liking the track. “Wild And Free” is a title that really gives away just how the song will sound beforehand. So, yes, this is an upbeat, fast and in-your face Rock ‘n’ Roll kicker in a Metal costume, a real ass-kicker that has some slower and more distinct parts weaved in as well. “We’re rulebreakers, hellraisers”, Ripper howls. Well, ok, then. It’s a decent track.
Starting out quite laid-back, dark and ominous with an Iron Maiden resemblant bass-line, “Hail For The Priest” soon blasts away at a faster pace with a clear nod back to Priest’s Defenders Of The Faith (1984) era. This is classic, 80’s laden Metal all the way where the Priest thing blends fine with the Maiden vibes and some melodies again borrowed from Manowar. It’s upbeat, heavy and powerful with chugging riffs and a strong main-melody and a bad-ass refrain. Good one. The album closes with the 9-minute powerhouse “Return Of The Sentinel” which is of course a nod back to Priest’s “The Sentinel” from Defenders. The sonics changes a lot throughout the song and it holds fast, chuggy rhythms and balls-to-the-wall riffing, melodic vocal-lines and a slow, down-beat, atmospheric and darkening with cinematic orchestration. It’s very Priest-like but I also hear traces of Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath here. It’s an epic track and I dig this.
First of all, I love Judas Priest and I believe K.K. belongs in that band – he and Tipton really could feed of each other musically. When the news broke that K.K. was back, I was genuinely happy and I had high hopes for this record. So I must painfully state that I find it a disappointment. Why? Well, first out, I just don’t think the songs holds up and also, it’s so full of cringy metal-clichés, both when it comes to the music and the lyrics that I don’t feel is worthy a legend like K.K. Also, I really find Ripper almost annoying more often than not. Too much in his highest register, he comes off more as a screamer than a loud but nuanced metal-singer, miles from a guy like Rob Halford. That said, I don’t hate the album as there are some really good songs on here and musically, the musicians here are faultless. It’s just underwhelming with too many references to Ripper-era Priest and I believe Downing can do better than this both musically and lyrically.
5/10
Tracklist:
1. Incarnation
2. Hellfire Thunderbolt
3. Sermons Of The Sinner
4. Sacerdote Y Diablo
5. Raise Your Fists
6. Brothers Of The Road
7. Metal Through And Through
8. Wild And Free
9. Hail For The Priest
10. Return Of The Sentinel
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