It’s one of the most iconic albums in heavy metal. It’s a definitive album for the British New Wave of Heavy Metal. And it also had a huge hand in creating the vibes of 80’s hard rock. Spawning instantly recognizable singles: ‘Breakin’ the Law’, ‘Metal Gods’ and ‘Living After Midnight’. The latter being the song that created the bands nickname. I’m talking, of course, about Judas Priest’s eponymous sixth album ‘British Steel’.
After a humble beginning in the early to mid 70’s, things started to upswing for the metal God’s after the success of their fifth album ‘Hell Bent For Leather’. The band recorded a live album on the tour, ‘Unleashed in the East’ to a warm welcome. But the drummer at the time, Les Binks. Who also happened to be the bands third drummer or so in five years. Decided to leave the band. So with no drummer once again, Judas Priest decided to soldier forward.
After hiring the groove oriented Dave Holland the band set to record what would become their true breakthrough and their signature album ‘British Steel’. The group entered Tittenhurst Park, an already legendary estate for John Lennon. Which by the way is kind of an unexpected move for a band that would soon be referred to as ‘The Metal Gods.’ The band decided to record in the Ascot house. Dave Hollands drums set up everywhere from bathrooms to stair cases. Rob Halfords vocals recorded in the finest of living rooms. In essence, the band had a hell of a time recording the album.
The record starts off with one of the greatest openers of all time ‘Rapid Fire’. A pummeling track complete with raging guitars, vocals and a slamming drum sound. That’s what Holland really brought to the band. He didn’t do the double pedal thing very well. But he did bring a power to the group that would set them up for the rest of their careers. And his drum sound isn’t represented better than with the track ‘Metal Gods’. He lays out that phat phat snare and thom sound. That song is the foundation of the heavy, groove oriented Priest. Then the signature track ‘Breaking The Law’ comes in with it’s instantly recognizable riff. You sing with the whole song. The verses, the chorus and even the riff itself. That’s the power of it. It’s unavoidable. Then ‘Grinder’ grinds through the speakers. A song about the soul crushing reality of being a steel worker in England. You work ‘The Grinder’.
The album’s mood takes a little swing with the next track ‘United’. Yes, it’s a heavy groove song with a big riff. But the song is written from a more positive point of view. A song that’s played in soccer stadiums through out the world. ‘You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise’ is also done in the same vein to an extent. The song’s message is pretty apparent. Which is that just because someone is old doesn’t mean their wise. What?!! I didn’t even see it in the song title! It also contains one of Halford’s more underrated vocal performances. Then one of the bands two biggest hits comes next. The set closing ‘Living After Midnight’. Glenn Tipton famously came up with the riff in the wee hours of the morning. Waking up Rob Halford from his metal god slumber. He stormed down and screamed, ‘what the hell are you doing Glenn?! Bloody living after midnight!!’ And the rest is history. The chorus as since achieve McDonald’s brand name levels of recognition.
One of my personal favorites is next. The highly overlooked ‘The Rage’. I just love the reggae bass line in the intro. And it’s also cool to hear Ian Hill have a little moment. He’s usually just there keeping it rock steady in the back round. So it’s nice to see him branch and show what he’s capable of. Because while it may not be a fast bass line, it’s a little tricky in it’s counting. Then the song just drops into one of the heaviest Judas Priest riffs ever. Just a bad ass track. Then what I consider the real album closer comes in with the pummeling palm mute riff to end them all. ‘Steeler’ is just an amazing way to close an album. Sure the atmospheric ‘Red, White & Blue’ is after. But it’s just kind of a hidden track of sorts. When the band did the entire record on the 30th anniversary tour of ‘British Steel’ they closed the album with ‘Steeler’. And what a freakin’ finish it was. Pure, quintessential heavy metal.
And that’s what the album is, quintessential heavy metal. All the way through to it’s core. It has sold millions of copies around the world. Even though it didn’t come out of the gate right away. Like all great pieces of art it took a little time to become the legendary album that it is. But it’s now looked at as one of the purest and finest examples of heavy metal. And it’s only one of how many of the finest examples of heavy metal created by Judas Priest? That’s how essential the band is. There’s about six of their records that could be put into a time capsule as the sole example of what heavy metal music was. That’s how influential and simply amazing the Priest are.
What a way to open a show.
The pummeling ‘Steeler’. One of the purest metal songs ever written.
‘The Rage’ throws it down.
