Judas Priest - Firepower

****

Judas Priest have 'Firepower' !!!

The band that needs no introduction are back with their eighteenth studio album, and I was one that was really looking forward to it. After 2014's 'Redeemer of Souls', the new album 'Firepower' carries on with Priest just simply being Priest. The band have taken risks her and there throughout their career... but what was their left for them to say or do.

Judas Priest as a band have always learnt at they have gone on, and kept what worked and left behind what did not (Most notably 1986's 'Turbo' and 2008's failed double concept album 'Nostradamus') which actually two albums our editor loves... so it's not the same for every Priest fan. But I have to say they did not hit a note with the majority of Judas Priest's audience.

'Redeemer of Souls' saw the band taking all their strengths and constructing a fantastic album with all their past catalogue's highlights represented. 'Firepower' kicks off nicely with a one, two punch... the title track and lead single 'Lightning Strike'. Two very nice mid pace tracks that are familiar territory to the band. Later we get a very dark 'Painkiller-ish' track simply entitled 'Necromancer', and two delightful anthems in 'Never the Heroes' and 'Rise from Ruin' and the closer the epic 'Sea of Red'... this song is very cinematic and ends the album off nicely.

It's the bands most dramatic track since 'Cathedral Spires', with both Andy Sneap and veteran producer Tom Allom splitting production duties to get the album sound perfect. One thing Judas Priest have always had over Iron Maiden is that they have always been able to narrow down everything into a nice, neat three to four minute package.

They have always delivered songs... nothing on this album hits the six minute mark and only four tracks go over five minutes. Each track does what it needs to and moves on and with the variety in the song writing from one track to another,,, the album just plays itself. This is an album you will want to add to your Judas Priest collection, I hope you have got all eighteen of them.

Considering the album is just under an hour long, it's an effortless listen. My one small gripe is that it could be shorter, while there isn't a bad song on the album it could be two... maybe three songs shorter. It is a big meal but with that being said let's face it no one is getting younger and no one knows what's around the corner. At this point I'm just happy to have a new album at all let alone one as good as this... so a little too much is no problem at all.

Review by Joe Denby

Check Out! the Video for the band's new single 'Lightning Strike' Below...