Formed in 1969 from West Bromwich, England, Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band who influenced the new wave of British heavy metal bands from Black Sabbath and many others. Firepower is the eighteenth full-length from these legendary icons and is the first record since 1988’s Ram It Down, to be produced by Tom Allom and co-produced by Andy Sneap. Over an hour long of traditional heavy metal revelations, Firepower is arguably Judas Priest’s heaviest and true return to form albums since 1990’s Painkiller, which shot them into the stratosphere to create the most authentic and memorable progressions the band has done in decades.
Vocalist Rob Halford has never sounded this incredible in the years he’s been with Judas Priest as his deliveries, executions and range once again prove that he is one of the most versatile vocalists in the history of rock and roll. Firepower is without question one of Priest’s most astonishing comebacks in their entire history, combining elements of speed/heavy and some thrash metal influences of previous album, such as Ram It Down, with hints of Metallica, Megadeth and Black Sabbath to create the finest and most established pieces in music history. The best way to describe this masterpiece is intensely fast, with unforgettable guitars, legendary drumming and increased aggressiveness.
There are small traces of glam metal from the Turbo album, but Firepower is a homage to the British wave of heavy metal, while showcasing heavy/speed metal excellence. From tracks such as Never The Heroes, Children Of The Sun and Lightning Strike, to the more power driven Rising From The Ruins, Firepower is without question Judas Priest’s best album since Painkiller. Any fans of the Rob Halford era will definitely be pleased to hear this iconic piece of music history. It’s another well-established and prolific heavy metal anthem. This album is an explosion of classic, headbanging and prominent records every fan needs to hear.
Overall Score: 9.0/10
Review by Jake Butler
