Rob Halford: Voce  
Glenn Tipton: Chitarra 
K.K.Downing: Chitarra 
Ian Hill: Basso 
Dave Holland: Batteria 

Tracklist:
1) The Hellion; 2) Electric Eye;3) Riding On The Wind; 4) Bloodstone; 5) Take (These) Chains; 6) Pain And Pleasure; 7) Screaming For Vengeance; 8) You're Got Another Thing Coming; 9)Fever; 10) Devil's Child; 11) Prisoner Of Your Eyes (Bonus Track); 12) Devil's Child (Live)

I Priest cambiano batterista nel 1980, scaricando Les Binks (con il quale avevano inciso ottimi dischi come "Stained Class", "Killing Machine" e il live giapponese "Unleashed In The East"), e assumendo l'ex Trapeze Dave Holland, meno dotato tecnicamente, ma dalle elevatissime doti compositive e che ha molta più intesa con i nuovi compagni, che ha modo di mettere alla prova nel bellissimo "British Steel" (1980 e in "Point Of Entry",1981), che consolida il suono mostrato nel predecessore. In questo lavoro, datato 1982, i Priest sono al massimo della forma, e presentano un disco in grado di competere con il precedente "Sad Wings Of Destiny" (1976) per divenire il miglior disco sfornato fino ad allora dalla band di Glasgow, e che verrà superato solo da "Painkiller" (1990). L'apertura è per "The Hellion - Electric Eye", con l'inquietante introduzione di "The Hellion", che fa da apripista alla grandiosa "Electric Eye", classico pezzo della tradizione Heavy Metal, che non poggia sugli acuti di Halford, ma su azzeccate armonie vocali, su un imperioso riff, un grande assolo e su un'ispirata sezione ritmica, per proseguire con "Riding On The Wind", introdotta da una grande rullata di Dave Holland, per proseguire con un sound indurito rispetto ad "Electric Eye", con un riff più duro, la sezione ritmica più prepotente e Halford scatenato tra un acuto e l'altro, tutto senza perdere l'importante componente melodica.
In quarta posizione prende posto "Bloodstone", in cui la componente melodica è abbastanza accentuata, per produrre l'ennesima canzone simbolo dell'heavy metal, con i soliti collaudati elementi, che non perdono efficacia: un grandioso riff, una buona sezione ritmica, un grande assolo, e vocalizzi di Halford in stato di grazia. La numero cinque è una pseudo ballad, che prende nome "Take (These) Chains", più lenta delle altre, in un crescendo che le giova, per un ritornello che trasmette adrenalina allo stato puro, che viene poi sostituito da una cavalcata sulla chitarra elettrica di Glenn Tipton, per uno degli assoli più belli della sua carriera. Si continua con "Pain And Pleasure" e la title track "Screaming For Vengeance", che risultano di una spanna sotto i primi cinque pezzi, per ritornare al massimo con "You're Got Another Thing Coming", ennesimo classico di un gruppo al massimo della forma, che in questo pezzo fa sentire le radici NWBOHM, per passare a "Fever" e alla grande "Devil's Child", che nella versione originale ha il compito di chiudere il disco.

Quando viene ristampato vengono aggiunte due tracce Bonus, e cioè la versione live di "Devil's Child", e la meravigliosa "Prisoner Of Your Eyes", un semi ballata portata avanti lentamente, in cui hanno il colpo di genio di inserire piccoli tratti in crescendo, con una coordinazione perfetta tra la sezione ritmica di basso e batteria e la voce di un grandioso Halford, con le chitarre a disegnare meravigliose armonie, inaspettatamente più leggere del solito, per poi distinguere quella di Tipton in assoli letteralmente commoventi, per concludere il disco come meglio non si potrebbe, anche se non si capisce perchè questo straordinario pezzo non venne inserito nella versione originale. Il disco diventa "il disco che tutti i fan dell'heavy dovrebbero possedere e conoscere a memoria", insieme a pochi altri dischi, come i primi degli Iron Maiden, e altri degli stessi Judas Priest; personalmente posso dire che rappresenterebbe il perfetto quartetto heavy, insieme a "Painkiller" (1990), degli stessi Priest, e i primi tre degli Iron Maiden, e cioè "Iron Maiden" (1980), "Killers" (1981) e "The Number Of The Beast" (1982). I Priest realizzeranno in seguito buoni dischi come "Defenders Of The Faith" (1984), "Priest...Live!" (1987), il capolavoro "Painkiller" (1990) e il più recente "Angel Of Retribution" (2005).

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   The Hellion (00:41)

[Instrumental]

02   Electric Eye (03:38)

Up here in space
I'm looking down on you.
My lasers trace
Everything you do.
You think you've private lives
Think nothing of the kind.
There is no true escape
I'm watching all the time.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.
Always in focus
You can't feel my stare.
I zoom into you
You don't know I'm there.
I take a pride in probing all your secret moves
My tearless retina takes pictures that can prove.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.

Electric eye, in the sky
Feel my stare, always there
There's nothing you can do about it.
Develop and expose
I feed upon your every thought
And so my power grows.
I'm made of metal
My circuits gleam.
I am perpetual
I keep the country clean.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm protected electric eye.
I'm elected electric spy
I'm elected. Protected. Detective. Electric eye.

03   Riding on the Wind (03:10)

Shooting for the stars
Cruise the speed of light
Glowin god of Mars
Body burning bright

Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind

Tearing up through life
Million miles an hour
Blinding all in sight
Surging rush of power

Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind

Thunderbolt from hell
Shattering aloud
Screamin' demons yell
Bursting through the clouds

Well I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind
Yes I'm ridin', ridin' on the wind

04   Bloodstone (03:52)

I've been trying
There's no denying
It's sending me
Out of my mind

I've seen reason
Change to treason
It's losing it's sense
Of all kind

How much longer will it take
For the world to see
We should learn to live
And simply let it be
Bloodstone, bloodstone

In the night time
Wake in fright
I'm so scared of the game
That's being played

Start to wonder
What's going under
And how many deals
Have been made

How much longer will it take
For the world to see
We should learn to live
And simply let it be
Bloodstone, bloodstone

Bloodstone
I can't take it
You got me living
On a bloodstone
I don't want that that bloodstone

05   (Take These) Chains (03:07)

I move away it don't do me no good
Three thousand miles don't help like I thought it would.
Help me, I'm beggin' you please.
You've got the power down on my knees
Give me some kind of life.
Leave me be.
Take these chains off
Take 'em off of my heart
Reach out to me, as if from the grave
I tried to run but I'm tied to you like a slave.
It's my fault for loving you so
You were so precious, how could I know.
You turned mean overnight
Poor poor me.
I don't owe you anything
Why don't you get out of my life.
Through it all the memories cling
And I can't sleep at night.
Help me, I'm beggin' you please.
You've got the power down on my knees
Give me some kind of life.
Leave me be.

06   Pain and Pleasure (04:17)

I wanna tell ya, hey I think you oughta know
The way you're treating me, I feel I'll have ta go.
I've heard the rumours and it seems they're comin' true
You do waht suits ya, but then that's nothin' new.

Do what you wanna do
Oh what you put me through.
How I suffer for your love.
Say what you wanna say
You know that you're gonna pay
For all the times that I've cried.

You give me pain, but you bring me pleasure
Get out of my life.
You bring me pain, but you give me pleasure
You don't know what I like.

You've got me tied up, dog upon a leash
Instead of messin' 'round, practice what you preach.
Your days are numbered, my day's arrived
The way I see it, we're dead or we're alive

07   Screaming for Vengeance (04:42)

(G. Tipton, R. Halford, K.K. Downing)

Hey listen don't you let 'em get your mind
Fill your brain with orders and that's not right
They're playing at a game that draws you closer
Till you're living in a world that's ruled by fear

Always takin' baby out that's o.k.
What they're givin' maybe it's out of phase with me
Told you once you're never gonna win the race
Same old no tomorrow kicked in the face

We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace

Tie a blindfold all around your head
Spin you round in the torture before the dread
And then you're pushed and shoved into every corner
Then they lead you out into the final slaughter

As the sweat is running down your neck
All your praying for's to stop your body breakin' up
Oh your heart is pumping gonna soon explode
Got to fight the horror of this mental load

We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace

So you wait it out and bide your time
Rip off that straight jacket gotta break that line
Everyone who wins in the great escape
Leaves a thousand more who suffer in their wake

I don't talk about it but that's alright
Table's turned now there's a revenge in sight
If it takes forever babe I tell ya I can wait
Send them screaming back through their hell's own gate

We are screaming for vengeance
The world is a manacled place
Screaming, screaming for vengeance
The world is defiled in disgrace

08   You've Got Another Thing Comin' (05:09)

One life I'm gonna live it up
I'm takin' flight I said i'll never get enough
Stand tall I'm young and kinda proud
I'm on top as long as the music's loud

If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by
You're thinkin' like a fool cause it's a case of do or die
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'

That's right here's where the talkin' ends
Well listen this night there'll be some action spent
Drive hard I'm callin' all the shots
I got an ace card comin' down on the rocks

If you think I'll sit around while you chip away my brain
Listen I ain't foolin' and you'd better think again
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'

In this world we're livin' in we have our share of sorrow
Answer now is don't give in aim for a new tomorrow

Oh so hot no time to take a rest yeah
Act tough ain't room for second best
Real strong got me some security
Hey I'm a big smash I'm goin' for infinity yeah

If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by
You're thinkin' like a fool cause it's a case of do or die
Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had
You think I'll let it go you're mad
You've got another thing comin'

You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'

You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'
You've got another thing comin'

09   Fever (05:21)

I'd spend my days alone
I used to stay at home
Lost in seclusion there
Like I was in a cell
A captured heart as well
Surrounded by despair
Darkness filled my soul
Losing all control

Down on the streets below
Bright city lights would glow
The energy would rise
And through the heat I'd gaze
Still counting empty days
With fire in my eyes
Living through this hell
Can I break this spell

Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night

Then one night as I walked
I heard your body talk
I saw a shooting star
In some magnetic trance
Our beating hearts would dance
And crash down from afar
Oh how strange fate is
Never dreamed of this

Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night

So destiny has bought us
Oh so close together
We were like angels in the night
Living the dream
At last I'll be with you forever
And all at once it feels so right

Fever. You set my soul on fire
Fever. You fill me with desire
Fever. You always get it right
Fever. All day and all night

10   Devil's Child (04:50)

Hypnotize me
Mesmerize me
Feel my willpower slip
Light my fire
With cold desire
Losing all my grip

Eat my diamonds
Drinking all my gin
Feast your eyes on
A whole lotta sin

Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child

Took my dreams
And now it's seems you're nothing but a liar
Smash and grab at all I had
Build my funeral pyre
Stop pretendin'
Got me growin' old
Your tormentin's
Fit to snap my soul

Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child

You took my heart
And left it blown to smithereens
I gave my body as a slave
You cut my flesh
And drank my blood that poured in streams
I'm left here broken and ashamed

Goin' under
Hear the thunder
Death defying grace
Your condition breeds ammuntion
Shoots me in the face
Vicious talkin'
Stabs me like a knife
Scratched and bruised, so abused
I'm a human sacrifice

Oh no you're so damned wicked
You got me by the throat
Oh no gotcha claws stuck in me
You never let me go
I believe you're the devil
I believe you're the devil's child

Carico i commenti...  con calma

Altre recensioni

Di  jigoro

 "Solo l’intro “The Hellion/Electric Eye” è capace di mozzare il fiato all’ascoltatore"

 "Come dicono gli stessi Priest riguardo a quest’album… 'Great times and great music!!!'"


Di  KingJudas

 "Dopo aver recensito Nostradamus, non posso che ripercorrere la loro storia che ha toccato l'apice proprio con questo album epico."

 "I Judas Priest hanno fatto la storia del passato, del presente e chissà forse anche del futuro... sono sicuro che abbiano ancora molto da dare."


Di  Federico95

 Una canzone a dir poco perfetta, che da sola sbaraglierebbe la maggior parte dei gruppetti pseudo-heavy metal di oggi.

 Un album da non perdere per ogni amante dell'heavy metal.