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Judas Priest - Killing Machine (Hell Bent For Leather)



8.2 | 820 votes |
Release date: 9 October 1978
Style: Hard rock, Heavy metal

Owners:

831 have it
55 want it


01. Delivering The Goods
02. Rock Forever
03. Evening Star
04. Hell Bent For Leather
05. Take On The World
06. Burnin' Up
07. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) [Fleetwood Mac cover]
08. Killing Machine
09. Running Wild
10. Before The Dawn
11. Evil Fantasies
12. Fight For Your Life [2001 remaster bonus]
13. Riding On The Wind [live] [2001 remaster bonus]

Top 20 albums of 1978: 5
Featured in "Getting Into: Judas Priest"

Line-up
Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford - vocals
Kenneth "K.K." Downing - guitar
Glenn Raymond Tipton - guitar
Leslie "Les" Binks - drums
Ian Frank Hill - bass

Additional info
Produced by James Guthrie and Judas Priest.

Originally released as "Killing Machine" in Britain and Europe, in 1978 without "The Green Manalishi", then re-released as "Hell Bent for Leather" in March, 1979 in the USA. The band themselves refer to it as "Killing Machine" consistently.

"Fight for Your Life" is a previously unreleased, early version of "Rock Hard, Ride Free" (which appears on Defenders of the Faith, 1984).

"Riding on the Wind" was recorded live at the US Festival, Glen Helen Park, Devore, California on May 29, 1983.

Staff review by
Pierre Tombale
Rating:
8.5
The real 70's classic metal album 'Killing Machine' was recorded in 1978. Judas Priest could celebrate a world success. Back then the sound of metal was a bit different from what we know today, Killing Machine is very much rocking, as the whole 70's era of Judas Priest was. From this album we get several metal classics and many are my personal favorites from Priest.

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published 28.12.2003 | Comments (11)

Found in 26 lists
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Comments

Comments: 22   Visited by: 775 users
12.01.2013 - 00:33
megadeath13
Account deleted
Another perfect album for me. Its rather in the commercial half but nearly all the songs here are great. OK, Take on this world is probably the weakest Judas Priest song ever, but who cares.
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12.01.2013 - 01:58
Rating: 7
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Yep, "Take on the World" is often referred to as a LUNKHEADED ANTHEM. It's a shocker.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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12.01.2013 - 10:12
Rating: 8
Angelic Storm
Melodious
"Take On The World" worst Priest song? Quite possibly... though the worst songs on "Turbo" sure run it close!

Compared with the likes of "Stained Class" and "Sad Wings Of Destiny", this is definitely a weaker album in comparison, but there are a lot of great songs on this one. Some really underrated, like "Burnin' Up".
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12.01.2013 - 11:04
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Angelic Storm on 12.01.2013 at 10:12

"Take On The World" worst Priest song? Quite possibly... though the worst songs on "Turbo" sure run it close!

United is even worse than Take On The World
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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12.01.2013 - 11:06
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Ace Frawley on 12.01.2013 at 01:58

Yep, "Take on the World" is often referred to as a LUNKHEADED ANTHEM. It's a shocker.

United even surpasses it in mornoheaded football anthemness. But Take On The World is of course also extremely dire
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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12.01.2013 - 11:26
Valentin B
Iconoclast
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.01.2013 at 11:06

Written by Ace Frawley on 12.01.2013 at 01:58

Yep, "Take on the World" is often referred to as a LUNKHEADED ANTHEM. It's a shocker.

United even surpasses it in mornoheaded football anthemness. But Take On The World is of course also extremely dire

At least they haven't played Take On The World live for quite some decades now and it takes only 2 minutes. United on the other hand...

But I generally agree with the people here, this (which is entitled just Killing Machine) is a classic album and another of Priest's albums that was a huge influence on the metal scene overall. The guitar duel in The Green Manalishi has been redone over and over, including by Priest themselves.
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12.01.2013 - 12:08
Rating: 7
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.01.2013 at 11:06

United even surpasses it in mornoheaded football anthemness. But Take On The World is of course also extremely dire

Forgot about that song. You're probably right about it being worse. I also reckon the album it is on - British Steel is weaker than Killing Machine, which I really quite like as an album.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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12.01.2013 - 12:52
Rating: 8
LordFezzington
Lost To Apathy
Written by Ace Frawley on 12.01.2013 at 12:08

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.01.2013 at 11:06

United even surpasses it in mornoheaded football anthemness. But Take On The World is of course also extremely dire

Forgot about that song. You're probably right about it being worse. I also reckon the album it is on - British Steel is weaker than Killing Machine, which I really quite like as an album.

A (dis)honourable mention should also go to 'Red, White & Blue'. Another terrible 'anthem' type song. Rubbish.
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12.01.2013 - 13:55
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Valentin B on 12.01.2013 at 11:26


But I generally agree with the people here, this (which is entitled just Killing Machine) is

The album is called Hell Bent For Leather in the US hence that name in between []
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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12.01.2013 - 13:56
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Ace Frawley on 12.01.2013 at 12:08

I also reckon the album it is on - British Steel is weaker than Killing Machine, which I really quite like as an album.

100% agreed. British Steel is actually quite a weak album over all.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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12.01.2013 - 14:33
Rating: 8
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.01.2013 at 11:04
United is even worse than Take On The World

I dunno about that, at least "United" provides a bit of amusement, "Take On The World" is just dull.

About "Killing Machine" being better than "British Steel"... they are very similar albums in a lot of ways, but I think "Killing Machine" is marginally the better album. And of course, "British Steel" is quite overrated, even though some of the songs on it are great.
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12.01.2013 - 14:38
Valentin B
Iconoclast
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.01.2013 at 13:55

Written by Valentin B on 12.01.2013 at 11:26


But I generally agree with the people here, this (which is entitled just Killing Machine) is

The album is called Hell Bent For Leather in the US hence that name in between []

Of course I knew that, but it's only titled like that because of record company bullshit.. to me it will always be Killing Machine.
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03.02.2013 - 19:21
Cream
Account deleted
The album should have ended with "Before The Dawn" and the album would be perfect. But unfortunely Evil Fantasies and the bonus tracks are included, the worst tracks they have created.
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05.04.2014 - 20:06
Pennywise
Account deleted
Here it went downhill for Priest, the music and lyrics got stupified. Lame Gaymetal which got topped by the even worse succesors (Steel, Entry) and found its evil climax in Ram it Down.
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06.04.2014 - 00:03
Rating: 7
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by [user id=144168] on 05.04.2014 at 20:06

Here it went downhill for Priest, the music and lyrics got stupified. Lame Gaymetal which got topped by the even worse succesors (Steel, Entry) and found its evil climax in Ram it Down.

I think this is a pretty harsh rating and assessment. I think there is still a lot of merit to this album. I really like it and I'm sure most Priest fans think quite highly of it too.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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06.04.2014 - 17:33
Pennywise
Account deleted
Written by Ace Frawley on 06.04.2014 at 00:03

Written by [user id=144168] on 05.04.2014 at 20:06

Here it went downhill for Priest, the music and lyrics got stupified. Lame Gaymetal which got topped by the even worse succesors (Steel, Entry) and found its evil climax in Ram it Down.

I think this is a pretty harsh rating and assessment. I think there is still a lot of merit to this album. I really like it and I'm sure most Priest fans think quite highly of it too.

Aside from the short Hell Bent For Leather and the Fleetwood Mac Cover I see no reason why someone should think highly of it. All ok tracks are featured on the live album Unleashed on the East where they sound much better.
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06.04.2014 - 20:22
Rating: 8
Azarath
Free as a.. Fish
Yes, Killing Machine is better than British Steel. This is actually one of my favourite Priest albums, only beaten by the three great ones that preceded it.

It's also a great sounding record.
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10.11.2016 - 21:12
Rating: 7
JOPE OF STEELE
Steelemeister
The cover song is best here IMO
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06.09.2017 - 12:54
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Weaker album as others, has 2-3 hit songs, but rets of album is weak, still classic Priest, Priest simply cant be bad, but weaker song still exist.
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13.07.2021 - 16:13
Rating: 7
JOPE OF STEELE
Steelemeister
Written by Bad English on 06.09.2017 at 12:54

Weaker album as others, has 2-3 hit songs, but rets of album is weak, still classic Priest, Priest simply cant be bad, but weaker song still exist.

yes Delivering The Goods, Hell Bent For Leather and The Green Manalishi. Fleetwood Mac wins JP here on songwriting. Maybe i should lower score.
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My vision is augmented
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14.07.2021 - 01:44
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by JOPE OF STEELE on 13.07.2021 at 16:13



yes Delivering The Goods, Hell Bent For Leather and The Green Manalishi. Fleetwood Mac wins JP here on songwriting. Maybe i should lower score.

JP did a great cover of Green Manalishi, but you can't beat the original by Fleetwood Mac.
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14.07.2021 - 14:16
Rating: 7
JOPE OF STEELE
Steelemeister
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 14.07.2021 at 01:44

Written by JOPE OF STEELE on 13.07.2021 at 16:13

yes Delivering The Goods, Hell Bent For Leather and The Green Manalishi. Fleetwood Mac wins JP here on songwriting. Maybe i should lower score.

JP did a great cover of Green Manalishi, but you can't beat the original by Fleetwood Mac.

The original is indeed superb and one of the few songs I really like from FM. And having the cover on this album kind of exposes the poor songwriting in few of the songs in comparison. I like the JP version too quite a lot; it's one of my favorite songs from the early Judas Priest catalogue.
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