JUDAS PRIEST – Rising In The East

There have been numerous “so what” reunifications of Metal bands in recent years, but when the announcement came through in July of 2003 that Rob Halford had rejoined Judas Priest, and that the once happy family was indeed “one” again, the Metal world knew something special had just occurred, and waited with heightened anticipation to hear what these Metal Gods were still capable of producing both in the studio and in a live setting. 2004’s touring clearly showed Judas Priest still possessed both the ability and the desire to satisfy multi-generational audiences from all edges of the earth, which was followed by an incredibly strong and inspired 2005 studio effort via Angel Of Retribution.

Rekindling the Metal fire in the hearts of many veteran Metal fans during the shows of 2004, as well as educating a new generation, the masses again were set to embrace Judas Priest as they embarked on what has been an exceptionally comprehensive world tour in support of Angel Of Retribution. To memorialize this tour, as well as to offer a “gift” of sorts back to the fans, Judas Priest now is releasing a full-length concert DVD of the 2nd show performed in May 2005 at the world renowned Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, cleverly entitled Rising In The East.

If you were fortunate enough to witness the Angel Of Retribution Tour, you’ll be amazed at how splendidly “natural” this DVD portrays Judas Priest’s live show … the camera technicians did a superb job of recording the Budokan event, and the engineers in the splicing room wisely didn’t jack around more than was necessary with the original product. Nope, Rising In The East isn’t a Steven Spielberg studio special effects production … instead, it’s Judas Priest in all of their power and glory, delivering the goods to a packed house of very receptive fans who most definitely know and appreciate their Metal. For those who didn’t get the opportunity to see this tour (shame on you), turn out the lights, run the sound of this DVD through your stereo, crank it up, and you’ll get about as good of a feel as you can get of what you missed. The sound is exceptional, the power awesome, and the flare of the stage show remarkably well captured.

Judas Priest rocked this Tokyo crowd with total Metal class, touching on all Halford-era albums of the band, except for the typically excluded Rocka Rolla and, a bit surprisingly, the very solid Defenders Of The Faith. There are so many highlights of this show, but the clear standouts on this night include:

· The acoustic version of “Diamonds & Rust” – absolutely beautiful, and shows that an acoustic version, if done right, can convey a special form of power all its own (and also raises the question about just how awesome a true “unplugged” full set at some point by Judas Priest would be – hmmm, now there’s an idea!).
· “Victim Of Changes” – particularly precise and sharp, with the audience response notably appreciative.
· “Beyond The Realms Of Death” and “Hellrider” – Glenn Tipton’s and K.K. Downing’s solo exchanges are certain to invoke at-home air guitar playing planet-wide.
· “Exciter” – Scott Travis, who beats the drums with confidence and conviction the entire evening, seizes the opportunity to shine as he tackles the complex drumbeats inherent within this classic song.
· All of the songs off of Angel Of Retribution – played exceptionally tight and with noticeable enthusiasm and vigor by the band.
· Halford’s interaction with the audience – towards the end of the show, Halford’s customary “Yeah Yeah” audience prompted sing-a-long segment was both very well participated by the audience and showed Halford cracking a few wry smiles in pure satisfaction.

Without a doubt, the reunified Judas Priest is “good” for Heavy Metal, and Rising In The East is testimony to that notion. Now celebrating more than 30 years in existence, this Judas Priest DVD is not just 2 hours of entertainment, it’s a Rock ‘n’ Roll history lesson … and an essential component to be included in the music collections of Heavy Rock fans everywhere.

Songs Performed

The Hellion/Electric Eye * Metal Gods * Riding On The Wind * The Ripper * A Touch Of Evil * Judas Rising * Revolution * Hot Rockin’ * Breaking The Law * I’m A Rocker * Diamonds And Rust * Worth Fighting For * Deal With The Devil * Beyond The Realms Of Death * Turbo Lover * Hellrider * Victim Of Changes * Exciter * Painkiller * Hell Bent For Leather * Living After Midnight * You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
Run Time: 120+ minutes