JUDAS PRIEST – Priest…Live!

“Priest!… Priest!… Priest!… Priest!” The persistent, excited chants from the crowd open Judas Priest’s second live album. Their 1987 release, Priest…Live!, is a collection of songs from only 80s studio album releases performed during their 1986 Fuel For Life tour. It was intended to follow up their first live album released in 1979, Unleashed In The East, which featured tracks from, of course, their 1970s releases.

The fifteen tracks featured on this album provide a powerful date stamp for the legendary Judas Priest during a time when the band was arguably at the peak of their career. The songs could easily be featured in a non-live greatest hits collection with such classic tracks as “Breaking The Law”, “Metal Gods”, “Love Bites”, and “Electric Eye”… all from their biggest selling albums from the 1980s.

There is no denying the talents of the dual axe men, K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, as they share licks and solos with precision throughout the entire album. Their playing is flawless, hitting every note almost exactly as they laid it down in the studio. Bassist Ian Hill always provides a steady rhythm; never doing too much, but just enough to lay down the classic heavy bass lines which Priest fans have become accustomed to. Their drummer of the day, Dave Holland, keeps his steady beats in true Ringo Starr-like fashion and like Hill, he never tries to over impress, but does just enough to keep the band in perfect time. What can be said about legendary vocalist Rob Halford that hasn’t already been written? His vocals on this album are nothing short of outstanding. Easily at the height of his career, he is able to use his broad range in full glory. The band collectively performs live as tight as a ship. There are few deviations from the studio release tracks of the same songs; all are timed and performed with the utmost discipline and very high professional standards. Additionally, the chemistry of Tom Allom’s production, who also produced all the studio albums for the tracks featured on this collection, creates a very sharp and precise sound.

In comparing this production to their other live albums, Unleashed In The East and the 2009 release, A Touch Of Evil: Live, it is clear this collection was Priest in their prime. Each album provides a glimpse into the different stages of their musical career, and Priest…Live! is the standard which fans should expect from their beloved Rob Halford-lead Judas Priest. Even if you’re not a true Priest fan, but merely a fan of Classic Metal, this one should be a part of your collection.