Judas Priest - Jugulator
1991 CMC

Track Listing:
1.  Jugulator
2.  Blood Stained
3.  Dead Meat
4.  Death Row
5.  Decapitated
6.  Burn In Hell
7.  Brain Dead
8.  Abductors
9.  Bullet Train
10. Cathedral Spires

Line-Up:
Vocals:  "Ripper" Owens
Guitars:  Glenn Tipton, K. K. Downing
Bass:  Ian Hill
Drums:  Scott Travis

Website:  www.judaspriest.com

Horatio's Rating:  D
Overall Rating:  D

Also be sure to read:
Judas Priest - Angel Of Retribution by Horatio
Judas Priest - Killing Machine by Horatio
Judas Priest - Painkiller by Uncle Meat
Judas Priest - Point Of Entry by Horatio
Judas Priest - Priest...Live! by Uncle Meat
Judas Priest - Ram It Down by Horatio
Glenn Tipton - Edge Of The World by Horatio

Horatio's Review:
Several days ago I was conversing with a trusted associate about various metal matters when the topic of how mediocre Judas Priest were sprung up.  Indeed following their best album, 'Stained Class' (1978) they began a downhill slide when they changed tack for that same year's 'Killing Machine' which saw songs shortened and introducing the now obligatory cornball subject matter.  Albums like 'British Steel', 'Point Of Entry', 'Defenders Of T...', bloody well all of them actually were punctuated by two or three classics and the rest filler.  When Halford quit in 1992 the writing was on the wall for Priest and it took an age for this to appear, to the point where most people forgot Priest existed.  'Ripper' Owens might have possessed the right voice for Priest, but without Halford, Priest were relegated to indie label CMC and further demoted to three inch review column spaces.

In 1997, anyone proclaiming to be metal and actually play it was an automatic hero for myself as so many one time metal artists had ditched the tag altogether.  Who better to fly the flag than Priest?  I recall buying this and riding my pathetic scooter home at record speeds so I and my associate could devour it.  One run through and cries of 'Priest are back!' and 'metal rules!' could be heard.  At the time I admit to enjoying this.  It contained what seemed to be savage riffs and some flurries of speed, plus the ludicrous lyrical content expected.  Seven years later and I can barely tolerate one listen of this.  It's no wonder Priest were forgotten.  The music is mostly downtuned and unmelodic with the same repetitive bludgeoning riff that, although could be viewed as a progression from 'Painkiller', actually takes away Downing and Tipton's identities.  It doesn't sound like Priest, and this is an accurate reflection of how bad metal was in 1997.  'Jugulator' hit the heights of no. 82 on Billboard and Priest suddenly found themselves headlining The Pig Pen in Clinton, Iowa instead of Long Beach Arena.  2001's 'Demolition' is equally as tragic, but more enjoyable than this.  I though I'd at least gain a retro laugh from this, but found that missing as well.

Song summaries include...

1. Jugulator - Sweaty palms and hands are in full view as dozens of metalheads surround their stereos in expectation worldwide as the once mighty Judas Priest make their long awaited comeback!  Will it meet expectations?  Will Priest bring back true metal?  Hey man, would you switch 'Painkiller' off over there bro, we're trying to hear the new one!  What do you mean this is it?  Where did this one come from?  The cutting room floor of the 'Painkiller' sessions?  Or stolen from Halford's bedroom by Tipton while Rob was watering his plants?  C

2. Blood Stained - The biggest mistake I could have made is to review this while I'm tired.  I suspect even had I been wide awake it would have the same effect anyway.  Laboured riffs aplenty with no sense of melody or purpose.  Trying too hard to be brutal and contemporary is the problem here.  Plus the fact that 'Ripper' was a faceless, hired gun who contributed nothing to the songwriting.  Without Halford, as bad as he could be, Downing and Tipton's weak songwriting is exposed worse than Rob's asshole backstage during a drum solo.  D

3. Dead Meat - The only thing I remember about this is getting excited about a few random pieces of thrash in the intro and following the first chorus.  Actually this might be the best moment only because there's a certain section that sounds like 'Never Satisfied' leading me to hope it might transform into that magically.  C

4. Death Row - Owen's over exaggerated vocal delivery is tiresome and I cant stomach his over accentuated American accent.  It doesn't fit in.  Neither do the dull solo's which could be some studio player instead of Downing or Tipton.  'So what's the matter son? Too young to die?'  Disgusting.  D

5. Decapitated - Observing the lyric sheet for this it looks like something I might have written at age ten, with short sentences ranging from two to six words, 'your head, you will lose it'.  Sheer boredom, the music a drone, as bad as some house music at an all day rave.  D

6. Burn In Hell - A video was made for this track, the lead single, a piece of film still unseen to this day.  D

7. Brain Dead - 'Footnote: We all have sympathy for those left to care and despair for victims of tragedy but what of the victim himself - trapped inside his body a coffin - unable to move a muscle or blink an eye but aware of the living hell he's enduring and unable to bring it to an end - a man not even a former shadow of his former self - a man who wants to be remembered for what he was - not forgotten for what he has become'.  (Reprinted with kind permission courtesy myself)  A+

8. Abductors - Many say Blaze Bayley-era Maiden was a farce, and it was in many ways, but it's better than this.  You can at least laugh at '2AM' or 'The Unbeliever'.  Musically, Priest were drained and short of genuine ideas.  I'm running out of ways to describe their haplessness myself.  Music of any genre has rarely ever been as one dimensional and boring as this track.  It could just be a jam recorded and put on the album. F

9. Bullet Train - 'Blurred and scorched as we distort, by gravity of such g-force'.  Owens was in a grunge cover band before he joined Priest and he sounds like he's stuck in that mode on most of this album.  As for this track, I'm sure I'm the only person to have listened to it in the world in the last year.  I wonder if there are Priest fans out there who think this is an obscure Priest classic like 'Don't Go' and 'Sharpshooter'.  D

10. Cathedral Spires - Horrific intro which recalls the grunge metal mixture favoured by many in '97.  You have to hear it to appreciate it.  Otherwise a blatant attempt at a Halford like epic, clocking in a nine minutes with a chorus meant I'm sure to resuscitate the charm of mid seventies Priest.  The only person who believed that was Jeff Wagner in Metal Maniacs.  C

Horatio's Rating:  D

Discography (last updated 6.15.06):
Gull demo - 1971
Rocka Rolla - 1974
Sad Wings Of Destiny - 1976
Sin After Sin - 1977
Killing Machine - 1978
Stained Class - 1978
The Best Of Judas Priest - 1978
Diamonds And Rust Live - 1979
Unleashed In The East Live - 1979
British Steel - 1980
Hero, Hero - 1981
Live In Rainbow Music Hall Denver - 1982
Point Of Entry - 1982
Screaming For Vengeance - 1982
SCOOP 33 EP - 1983
Defenders Of The Faith - 1984
Delivering The Goods EP - 1984
Turbo - 1986
Beyond Metal - 1987
Priest...Live! - 1987
Ram It Down - 1988
The Collection - 1989
Painkiller - 1990
The Sharpest Cuts - 1991
The Ultimate In Heavy Metal split with Black Sabbath - 1991
Judas Priest Star box - 1993
Metal Works '73 - '93 - 1993
Pure Classic Gold - 1993
Prisoners Of Pain - 1996
Jugulator - 1997
Living After Midnight - 1997
Live Meltdown EP - 1998
Live Meltdown - 1998
The Best Of Judas Priest:  Living After Midnight - 1998
Priest Live & Rare - 1999
Simply The Best - 1999
Breaking The Law - 2001
Demolition - 2001
Limited Edition Collector's Box - 2001
Live In London - 2003
Metalogy Box - 2004
Angel Of Retribution - 2005
The Essential Judas Priest - 2006