During the 90's, both of these British metal legends lost their iconic frontmen Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson due to them wanting to try new things. Both Priest and Maiden decided to continue on with new vocalists, and both made two albums with them. ("Jugulator" and "Demolition" for Priest, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI" for Maiden)

So who do you think fared better without their legendary frontman? Priest with Tim "Ripper" Owens, or Maiden with Blaze Bayley?

My choice is Priest for two reasons. The first, is that Tim is a great singer, and had no problems singing the classic Priest material live, whereas Blaze was a far inferior vocalist to Bruce, and suffered a lot when trying to sing the Bruce era stuff live. The second, is while I do like "The X Factor" and to a lesser extent "Virtual XI", I prefer the two albums Priest made with Ripper. Especially "Jugulator" which was another change for Priest in sound, and also a brilliant album in it's own right.

So for me, it's Priest and the Ripper... what do you think?

I say Blaze because I like every time I liek Im better, JP is good but still IM is better, much much better how JP ever has been, I love both bands but IM in every era works better for me

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.11.2011 at 10:41

My choice is Priest for two reasons. The first, is that Tim is a great singer, and had no problems singing the classic Priest material live

My vote goes to Judas Priest for the same reason.

My vote goes to Iron Maiden, for a couple of reasons. First of all, Bayley could be the most underestimated singer out there. Secondly, his two Maiden albums are great if you ask me.

Ripper did the Halford stuff better than Blaze did the Dickinson and Di'Anno stuff, but the Blaze albums slays the Ripper albums.

I gotta go with Ripper for his ability to reproduce the classics live. And, to be honest, I just never got into Blaze's stuff. Maybe I'll give it another try soon

I like Tim the ripper better as a vocalist overall, but, I think Blaze Maiden beats Ripper Priest.

My vote goes to Priest. I didn't really enjoy any of the "non-iconic frontman" releases but I guess I enjoyed their work with Ripper more than Maiden's work with Bayley.

Jugulator is the best Judas Priest album after Painkiller and I like it way much more than most albums by Priest of the 80s.

I havent listened to any Blaze Bayley Maiden song beside the Clansman, but heard that X Factor is underrated

Blaze gets my vote, I think his two Maiden albums are better than the last two Maidens with Bruce!

Written by I_Die_Often on 10.11.2011 at 04:19

Blaze gets my vote, I think his two Maiden albums are better than the last two Maidens with Bruce!

Neither of them are better than AMOLAD, not even close to being better, IMO. "The X Factor" is better than their last album though.

Ripper left Blaze for dead in terms of vocals IMO. Ripper is one of those guys with an amazing voice who have unfortunately made a name for himself filling in for band in need of vocalists. Pretty much anything ripper does in quite good, his work with Iced Earth in particular on their album Framing Armageddon demonstrates what I mean. As for his work with JP. Jugulator is a really good album. Its no Painkiller sure, but its still a good album. As for blaze, Iv never really liked his voice, not just in maiden, but in the other stuff Iv heard.

"Jugulator" is a masterpiece but it doesn't really fits in JP's discography...

Written by Hellish Star on 25.11.2011 at 21:17

"Jugulator" is a masterpiece but it doesn't really fits in JP's discography...

I do feel that album would have got a lot more praise if it hadn't been released under the Judas Priest name.

Written by Angelic Storm on 26.11.2011 at 12:26

Written by Hellish Star on 25.11.2011 at 21:17

"Jugulator" is a masterpiece but it doesn't really fits in JP's discography...

I do feel that album would have got a lot more praise if it hadn't been released under the Judas Priest name.

Indeed!

I voted for Judas Priest. I don´t think the studio albums that Owens brought out with Judas Priest were that great, but the live albums that they put out during the Ripper era are just amazing, he brings the songs in his own way. Owens was really capable of doing the older Priest classics where Blaze kind of had a hard time singing some Maiden classics. The albums Blaze did with Maiden weren´t that great either in my opinion. Owens is just capable of more than Blaze is in my opinion.

Ripper could pull off classic Judas Priest songs unlike Blaze with Iron Maiden. Also what has Blaze done since he left Maiden? Ripper played Iced Earth and Yngwie.

I actually really enjoy the Blaze Bayley era for Maiden. Not at first, but now I really like it. I think JP was more successful with Tim Ripper Owens overall, but I enjoy the Bayley era for Maiden more.

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.11.2011 at 10:41

My choice is Priest for two reasons. The first, is that Tim is a great singer, and had no problems singing the classic Priest material live, whereas Blaze was a far inferior vocalist to Bruce, and suffered a lot when trying to sing the Bruce era stuff live. The second, is while I do like "The X Factor" and to a lesser extent "Virtual XI", I prefer the two albums Priest made with Ripper. Especially "Jugulator" which was another change for Priest in sound, and also a brilliant album in it's own right.

+1

I personally like Bayley in Iron Maiden more than Owens in Judas Priest. X Factor is a great and under-apprieciated album IMO.

They both sucked, but Iron Maiden albums with Bailey are impossible to listen to.

Owens is the better singer, but Iron Maiden had the better songs from the off-era.