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It's a masterpiece. Ian Hill's bass playing is of particular note in this track. The more conceptualized "serious musician" appeal of the debut had been stripped and what evolved was the signature JP sound. Genocide is another forceful rocker that became a highlight in the bands 70's shows. When the band wasnt dark they were writing intense lyrics of another nature. While their debut Rocka Rolla had the progressive tendencies of most early 70's groups, the band were blending alot of unique elements into their hard sound, which was typical of the time. A JP masterpiece this song is one of the many forerunners to thrash much like Deep Purple's Speed King or Queen's Stone Cold Crazy. This slow building epic might very well be the ultimate highlight of the record.
As most cultured metal historians know, 70's Priest was legendary, perhaps even moreso than their more commercial 80's era. As the song progresses you hear a slight chugging riff that bursts into Island Of Domination, another fast but also slow chunks of classic riffs courtesy of Tipon and Downing. The rest of the album is of course filled to the brim with mindblowing examples of what heavy metal is all about. Priest were great at creating intimidating and raw ballads in the early days though they later were able to transform them into more metallic boundries (Beyond The Realms Of Death). To put it simply, the layering walls of guitars and Halfords shrieks that lead into the fast proto speed metal nugget second part is nothing short of brilliant and will send chills through you.Although some fans scoff at this era because the band hadn't found their tough guy swagger yet, its metal stereotyping, leather or not, these early albums were absolute must haves, and it goes without saying they are the crown jewels of heavy metal, the riffs were miles beyond what was going on in popular music in the mid 70's. Victim Of Changes will be the only recognizable track here to fans who haven't dared to go beyond the familar.
It's everybit a step forward musically as Sabbath' debut was to Paranoid. Though this album didn't have the more cleaner production of efforts like Hell Bent For Leather or British Steel, it has a darker and more foreboding sense that those albums lack in an attempt to make Priest a 'party' band. This of course is followed up by Epitaph which is where alot of metalheads get antsy. Their second album recorded for a small time British label called Gull, who could barely support the band or their own concerns, what more can be said about this record that hasnt been. So it remains a relic in their catalogue, and this album also does as well although for the wrong reasons.
It's a piano ballad more or less, with very mournful 'non commercial' lyrics, so rest assured, it is not a cheesy love song. [Note: all CD editions of this feature the A and B side reversed, so the album starts with Victim Of Changes as opposed to the Prelude/Tyrant, play it this way as it was the way it was meant to be heard] Whats more to say, it's a must have. This album is a slightly different Priest that most metalheads today or those who discovered the band in their 80's heyday might know. The album begins with a strange instrumental piece of piano and strings and a slight riff just buried in the mix until it stops all of a sudden and reveals a dose of metallic guitars that launches into the full blown pre thrash jewel Tyrant.
For 1976, (as if anything else on this wasnt) this song was revolutionary that and along with another Priest classic The Ripper, and the slow acoustic atmospheric Dreamer Deceiver and it's second part Deceiver which some fans might recognize upon seeing some of the VH1 documentaries that showcase Priest's first televised performance on a great British music show The Old Grey Whistle Test featuring the band in their pre leather days sporting very "hippified" clothes.
I don't know what else to add except that if you are a metal music fan and do not have this album in your collection yet, your ears are definitely in for a treat.Standout tracks are: Victim of Changes, The Ripper, Dreamer Deceiver, Tyrant, Genocide, and Island of Domination. But even the most jaded listeners out there would have to agree upon hearing the Sad Wings Of Destiny album in it's entirety that this is truly a recording to be reckoned with.This album is stunningly amazing and has it all from excellent guitar riffs and catchy power chords, to great energetic drumwork, to amazing operatic-style vocals, and it even features some beautiful piano playing thrown into the mix as well. Some critics weren't all that impressed by Judas Priest's great debut album, Rocka Rolla. It just has an immense and impressive larger than life quality about it that sounds classical, yet fresh and modern, all the while as it still manages to rock your socks off. This is it. This is the album that really proved what a mighty musical juggernaut Judas Priest would soon become. Everything about this album is epic and grand.It is albums such as this one that in my opinion sets Judas Priest far apart from all the other metal bands out there and into a category all their own, really.
"sad wings" is priest best album, and one of my favorites of all time along with Queen2, a night at the opera, All the classics are here. The ripper, victim of changes, and the rest of the gems.
No wonder that Priest deceided to perform four of the album's songs in "Unleashed in the East" live album.Stars: Victim of Changes, The Ripper, Tyrant This album may need time to open but it's worth it. Maybe, because Dave Mustaine liked it so much. What life would be without this album. I don't know why but later I bought this album for myself. All the songs are amazing.
Even the peaceful ones "Dream Deceiver", "Prelude" and "Epitaph" are absolutely amazing. There probably wouldn't be Judas Priest because they made a break-through with this album. At first when I listened to it through I thought: Well, there's a couple of good tracks but the rest of the material is bad. Now I have listened to it more than seven times, and I have to say that I love it. But there wouldn't be most of the metal bands in the world nowadays. Just imagine.
For example, Dave Mustaine from Megadeth has said that this album has inspired him very much. Rob can sing very high.
I hoped for years for Priest to follow up the same dynamics of this release to no avail until ironically they recorded Painkiller at the end of their works with Halford. ps IronMaiden based their entire recording careers off of thesubject matter of this album. i first heard this albumin 1979.i had always liked what icalled acid rock.when a friend of mine told me to listen to this,i was blown away instantly and became a huge priest fan overnite.I know that British Steel is supposedly the best Priestalbum ever but in my agressive opinion nothing compares to Sad Wings Of Destiny, Halfords delivery and range on this recording are incredible and unmatched.plus yhe subject matter and depth of this album is unequaled. definitely one of the top five metal albums of all times.
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