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29 January 2006
Retribution rocks; DualDisc doesn't.
0 of 1 found this helpful Judas Priest's 'Angel Of Retribution' is what Priest fans have been waiting more than a decade for. Fortunately, they have not been disappointed.
The album is powerful, driven and classic. Lyrical themes Priest utilized in the 70's through 90's are apparent, and the musical structure is as classic as can be. With every new album, Judas Priest takes a step forward, always improving their sound and upping the ante; 'Retribution' is absolutely no exception.
The album produced two singles, 'Worth Fighting For', a ballad similar to 'Desert Plains', yet sung in a new vocal range, and 'Revolution', a 'Breaking The Law'-esque track that was clearly intended for the radio.
Songs like 'Judas Rising', 'Demonizer', 'Angel' and 'Hellrider' shine, and the other tracks support them nicely. Though 'Lochness' goes on slightly longer than it probably should have, it will eventually grow on you and you'll learn to accept it like any other Priest song.
The album is top-notch metal - Priest has still got it. Unfortunately, the DualDisc format is terrible. For one, it doesn't play in all CD players. It is very easily scratched, especially when put into CD holders or CD binders, and the content isn't even quite as good. The DVD side includes a documentary with the live tracks melded into it, with no way to seperately watch the various songs. Though it does, however include the album remastered in Dolby, it's just not enough to make up for the DualDisc blasphemy.
I would give Angel Of Retribution a 5/5, but Angel Of Retribution [DualDisc] gets only a 4/5. I highly recommend you purchase the Digipack.
29 January 2006
Re-United Priest dominates the East!
5 of 6 found this helpful Fans have been waiting years for a Judas Priest reunion, and after more than a decade, it finally happened. They released an album, embarked on a massive world tour, and released this DVD: Rising In The East. So they're back - but are they still good? Definitely.
This DVD, recorded live at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, is a brilliant way for Priest to re-establish themselves as the Metal Gods, especially on stage. The power is unwavering, and the energy's still there. For longtime Priest-fans and newcomers alike, the setlist is perfect. The concert includes songs dating back to their early 1976 album, Sad Wings Of Destiny, all the way to their newest 2005 release, Angel Of Retribution.
Lead guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing shred better than ever, improving some solos and staying true to others. Drummer Scott Travis does the same by adding double bass flare to make the sound heavier, but keeping several classic drum beats we're all familiar with in songs like 'Living After Midnight' and 'Exciter'.
Rob Halford, the pipes-of-steel vocalist, proves he's still got it, and that he still deserves his Metal God title. Many songs are sung slightly different, but it often times improves the song's quality. One disappointment, however, was the performance of 'Painkiller'. Musically, it was dead on, but vocally, Rob seemed to struggle. Even if he intended to sing it the way he did, it didn't fit right, and it sounded very different. His scream hasn't lost any edge or power, though, which is spine-chillingly proven in songs like 'Riding On The Wind' and 'Victim Of Changes', which is by far the best track on the DVD.
The DVD is nice and all, but there is one huge factor missing: bonus features. The menu screen presents you with three options: "Tracklist", "Play All" and "Audio Set Up" - all self-explanatory. It is very unfortunate that there was no behind the scenes footage, or an interview, or discography at the very least. Something to accompany this would have been a very nice and almost necessary feature, which is why I've chosen to give this DVD a 4/5.
The band is still rocking without any plans to stop, and their music is getting better and better. Old tracks are improved, new tracks sound amazing, and every musical aspect is flawless. Despite Rob's apparent struggle on 'Painkiller' and the DVD's lack of bonus features, this is a highly recommended buy, and will prove to be something Priest fans will want to watch over, and over again.
29 January 2006
Best Judas Priest DVD to date!
4 of 5 found this helpful In 1986, heavy metal act Judas Priest was enjoying Gold Record success for their album Turbo (which would go Platinum in '89) and touring more than ten countries promoting it. No country was receiving the album better than the US, so they decided to record a show in Texas for an upcoming album: 'Priest... Live!'. Video footage was also recorded and released on VHS, but the modern Priest fans needed a new way to watch the show: on DVD. Enter Electric Eye, 2003.
The DVD has a lot of stuff on it - the kind of "stuff" that would make any Priest fan drool. The highlight of the release was the 1986 'Priest... Live!' concert included in remastered DVD quality. The video looks and sounds amazing, not to mention the concert itself, which shows the Priest playing in their prime. Classics like 'You've Got Another Thing Coming', 'Breaking The Law' among many others are played to perfection.
Not only a concert, though, the DVD has all of the band's promo videos released to date (2003). 'Living After Midnight', 'Heading Out To The Highway', 'Freewheel Burning' and 'Painkiller', are just a few. The videos look and sound very nice, much better than the original releases, and are a great retrospect of the band's history.
The best part of this heavy metal package, however, is the "Extras" section, which includes six (never-before released on video) BBC Television performances. Some are lip-synced, others are live, but either way it's equally entertaining. Songs like 'Rocka Rolla', 'Take On The World' and 'United' are three of the six appearing on the DVD.
Even the DVD's booklet insert is exciting: it includes a lengthy message from the band!
With a classic 1986 concert, promo videos, and old-school BBC performances, Judas Priest's Electric Eye DVD is a flawless effort to keep the fans happy.