Judas Priest - Point of Entry (1981)

Thanks to the success that the predecessor "British Steel" brought (mostly thanks to "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight" getting air time on radio), the seventh Judas Priest album, "Point of Entry", followed in its bigger brother's foot steps, being a very accessible record with catchy melodies and simple structures. Hell even the cover art is simple and sleek, which unfortunately cannot be said about the North American version of the cover, that was made out of office supplies. At least it is the first cover to feature the 3D version of the Judas Priest logo, that is something... I guess.

Despite being as accessible as "British Steel", "Point of Entry" is rarely mentioned as one of the more famous Priest albums, and while some of the songs did get some air time, they ultimately did not last very long either. So what was it that made this album less attractive? I think it is the guitars that is the difference maker, while not being bad per se, they are rarely showing any aggression at all. It is almost like we are back to square one (or in this case, album one, "Rocka Rolla"), back to the roots of Priest, a time when they were more of a pure rock 'n' roll band who was not fully developed yet.

It also could be that the band fell into a very common trap in the metal world, the so called hit trap. The previous album gave them mainstream recognition, and now they are here, trying to follow up that success, but just like many other bands, both before and after, Judas Priest tries a little too hard to recreate the success, leaving the heavy and dark stuff in the dust. It is a lesson almost every band learns sooner or later, write music from your heart and passion instead of your lust for fame, and everything will turn out well.

There is not much that stands out in this album, everything just blends smoothly together into a soup of mediocrity. However, I do like the up tempo pumping in "Hot Rockin'". It is definitely the catchiest and heaviest song in the album, and it is also a song where Tipton and Downing gets to shine. In fact, it is the guitar melodies that more or less saves the album from being a pure sleeping pill. Both "Turning Circles" and "Desert Plains" has some nice beats with some interesting guitar melodies baked in. It is far from the most impressive work I have heard from the duo, but they keep showing that their chemistry is extremely strong.

That is why it is a shame that the production is not one of the strongest in the band's discography. Halford sounds so distant that you can barely hear him from time to time, and the whole album seems to have some sort of filter that just feels awkward. Okay, it is not the worst production the band had to deal with either, but when the quality in the music is lacking, the production needs to step up its game.

Squeezed in between two legendary albums, I did not expect "Point of Entry" to be all that thrilling, and I was right, it isn't. This is a mediocre album that seems to be chasing the sun as it is going down over the horizon, but never makes it. The old school vibe is there, which makes this album more retro than it should be, mostly because it shoved out the heavy side of the Priest through the window. It is not 1974 anymore guys, just let it go, look forward, and get back on track instead.

Songs worthy of recognition: Hot Rockin', Turning Circles, Desert Plains

Rating: 5,5/10 Troubleshooters

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More reviews of Judas Priest
Rocka Rolla
Sad Wings of Destiny
Sin After Sin
Stained Class
Killing Machine
British Steel
Screaming For Vengeance
Defenders of The Faith
Turbo
Ram It Down
Painkiller
Jugulator
Demolition
Angel of Retribution
Nostradamus
Redeemer of Souls
Firepower

Black Sabbath - Mob Rules (1981)

Just like its predecessor, the 10th Black Sabbath album "Mob Rules" had a original member leaving the band. Bill Ward left the band and was replaced by Vinny Appice behind the drum kit. But other than a new drummer, everything was more or less the same with this album as it was with "Heaven And Hell". Dio, Iommi and Butler wrote all of the songs together and Dio wrote all of the lyrics.

So is "Mob Rules" a believable successor to "Heaven And Hell"? Yes, indeed it is. Just like its predecessor, "Mob Rules" have a more straight forward rock attitude that may not appeal to those who like the early Sabbath records, but it definitely fits well in the time and age where the album was released.

I definitely feel like this album has several successful parts that the band has brought from the last album to this one, but it also has its retro moments. The title track is edgy and has a nice tough riff to accompany the attitude. "The Sign of The Southern Cross" however is more progressive and darker, a type of song that is originally associated with the band. Then we have "Falling Off The Edge of The World", that mixes the edgy speed and the progressive melodies perfectly in a song that screams Iron Maiden before Iron Maiden even learned to write these kinds of songs. So there are a bunch of different songs to chose from, and it is not hard to find at least one you will love.

Unfortunately, "Mob Rules" does not have the same evenness that "Heaven And Hell" had. The opener "Turn Up The Night" has some speed, but it is a hollow track that wears out quickly, and "Slipping Away" just feels misplaced in the album with its stale 70's rock rhythm. Those two songs drags the album down a bit, which is sad since the rest of the album holds a high standard.

Therefore, I would say that "Mob rules" has a little bit more of variety than "Heaven And Hell", but I do not consider this to be the superior album. The album definitely has its moments and it shows what a fantastic song and lyric writer Dio really is. Too bad this was his last album with the band (until the 1992 album "Dehumanizer"), because I am sure that Black Sabbath would make even more classic albums with Ronnie by their side.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Mob Rules, The Sign of The Southern Cross, Falling Off The Edge of The World

Rating: 8/10 Country Girls

Iron Maiden - Killers (1981)

They say that the second album is the hardest, especially when your band have done a fantastic debut album. So when Iron Maiden tackled the mission with writing their sophomore album "Killers" I think everyone in 1981 that had heard the band's debut hoped for another killer album. But since this album was released more than ten years before I was born I have no idea what the metal community's expectations was so let us put those thought aside and instead focus on the album.

"Killers" is very much alike its predecessor. It is fast, has some progressive intentions, has a instrumental track ("Genghis Khan") and a rough, but still great, production. The only real difference I can find  between "Iron Maiden" and "Killers" is that "Killers" does not have any song that would be considered a hit. "Iron Maiden" has "Running Free" and "Phantom of The Opera" but "Killers" does not have songs that has that immediate striking force. The two songs that are closest is the catchy opener "Wrathchild" and the edgy title track but they do not reach all the way to be instant hits. They are still two of my favourite songs in the album but they are not single material.

One advantage with the missing of a hit is that the album seems more consistent and whole. I find several songs in "Killers" that hold a really high class when it comes to both musicality and structure. One of the songs that holds the highest standard is "Murders In The Rue Morgue" with its great balance of speed, musicality and lyrical excellence. Other noticeable songs are the fast "Another Life", the instrumental "Genghis Khan" that gives a small hint on Maidens future, the head banging friendly "Purgatory" and the bonus track "Twilight Zone" where Paul Di'Anno sings out some of his best vocal register.

But not all songs hold "Killers" up on its toes. I find "Innocent Exile" fun but a little too repetitive for my taste and "Prodigal Son" sounds more like a mix up between Dream Theater and Rush then a Iron Maiden tune. It is these two tracks that ultimately puts "Killers" below "Iron Maiden". I find that "Iron Maiden" has more character and edge while "Killers" has its consistency and improved musicality. But when it comes to the performance I find the two albums evenly matched. The band is tight and Paul sings as good as he can but I am happy that he was kicked out of the band before the third album since I think that Paul does not have all the attributes to unleash the ultimate potential of Iron Maiden.

Ultimately I find "Killers" to be a worthy follow up to the successful debut album "Iron Maiden" but it is not a step forward for the band. "Killers" has a better consistency but the real overall edge is missing and the memorable factor is weak. "Killers" is a good album that is definitely worth a check or two but it is not one of the bands absolute highlights.

Songs worthy of recognition: Killers, Murders In The Rue Morgue, Purgatory

Rating: 7,5/10 Twilight Zones