If It Feels Good Do It

For Judas Priest’s Defenders Of The Faith, we’re going back to the ultimate year of 80s metal, or well, 80s anything: 1984.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC

You can’t tell a book by it’s cover, but you can tell an 80s metal record by it’s jacket.

What sort of faith does this rip-off Voltron have? Does he have any faith, or is he just fucking around?

As you listen to the album, you will ask yourself these same questions for 45 minutes.

On the back of the album jacket, Judas Priest broke new ground by placing a literary contribution there. It’s not a story, and it’s not exactly a poem. It is, well, you’ll see.

the metallian

rising from darkness where hell hath no mercy and the screams of vengeance echo on forever, only those who keep the faith shall escape the wrath of the metallian…

master of all metal

After you have read this disclaimer you are ready for the audio onslaught engraved in black vinyl.

LYRICAL ANALYSIS

Most of the songs were written by Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, and most of the time, you have no idea what he’s talking about.

In the last rays of the setting sun
and the past days, that’s where our memories run
And all of those times
Still race though my mind
I’m shattered inside to find

Other times, when you know what he’s talking about, you wish you didn’t.

Bound to deliver as
You give and I collect
Squealing in passion as
The rod of steel injects

Lunge to the maximum
Spread-eagled to the wall
You’re well equipped to take it all

So eat me alive

BUT FUCK ALL THAT

This is the 80s. Meaning is optional. In fact, usually it’s a distraction. You just want to snort lines and execute hostile takeover bids. Oh yeah, and have something to listen to. Defenders Of The Faith delivers.

Almost every inch of vinyl is covered in guitar. I dare you to try and count the solos on this album. You can’t.

For one thing, there are a lot. But for another, when you hear this record you will be way too pumped to think. You will do air guitar. You will lip sync lyrics you don’t know. If you give, you will thrust your rod. If you collect, you will spread-eagle yourself on the wall. In the last rays of the setting sun, you will forget how many guitar solos you have heard.

MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM

Other great Judas Priest albums of the 80s are British Steel and Screaming For Vengeance.

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