Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith review
| Band: | Judas Priest |
| Album: | Defenders Of The Faith |
| Style: | Hard rock, Heavy metal |
| Release date: | January 04, 1984 |
| Guest review by: | amerislave |
Disc I
01. Freewheel Burning
02. Jawbreaker
03. Rock Hard Ride Free
04. The Sentinel
05. Love Bites
06. Eat Me Alive
07. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
08. Night Comes Down
09. Heavy Duty
10. Defenders Of The Faith
11. Turn On Your Light [2001 re-release bonus]
12. Heavy Duty/Defenders Of The Faith [Live at Long Beach Arena] [2001 re-release bonus]
Disc II [Live At Long Beach Arena, 1984][30th Anniversary Edition bonus]
01. Love Bites [live]
02. Jawbreaker [live]
03. Grinder [live]
04. Metal Gods [live]
05. Breaking The Law [live]
06. Sinner [live]
07. Desert Plains [live]
08. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll [live]
09. The Sentinel [live]
10. Rock Hard Ride Free [live]
Disc III [Live At Long Beach Arena, 1984][30th Anniversary Edition bonus]
01. Night Comes Down [live]
02. The Hellion [live]
03. Electric Eye [live]
04. Heavy Duty [live]
05. Defenders Of The Faith [live]
06. Freewheel Burning [live]
07. Victim Of Changes [live]
08. The Green Manalishi [Fleetwood Mac cover] [live]
09. Living After Midnight [live]
10. Hell Bent For Leather [live]
11. You've Got Another Thing Coming [live]
1984....MTV was not in every household, metal was not all over the radio, and you couldn't pick and choose your favorite songs to download. One of the complaints that I have seen about "Defenders of the Faith" is that there is not a standout track (i.e. "Breaking the Law" or "You've Got Another Thing Coming"), but this is the biggest draw of the album for me. There are no filler tracks.
"You've Got Another Thing Coming" proved that Priest could make the radio, but the songs on "Defenders of the Faith" proved that they didn't necessarily want to. The album is uncompromising.
"Freewheel Burning" leads off as the furious burner that sets the pace for the rest of the album. Halford's vocals have never sounded better than when he rips through the vocal breakdown before and after the guitar solos. If there was ever a pair of tracks that captured this band as "metal gods" they are "Freewheel Burning" and "The Sentinel".
"Jawbreaker", "Love Bites" and "Eat Me Alive" all fit the performance and tone perfectly.
Normally I am turned off by songs that tell me how to "rock", but "Rock Hard Ride Free" is a glaring exception. "No denying we're going against the grain / So defiant they'll never put us down" are lyrics that work more and more for me the older I get.
It does tail off over the last three songs, but they appear to be intentionally winding things down. Avoid the reissue of this album. The bonus tracks are a waste and destroy the flow. You can remaster it yourself by just turning the volume up and messing with your treble and bass knobs.
After "Defenders of the Faith" came failed experiments ("Turbo"), mediocrity ("Ram It Down") and new members ("Painkiller") before Halford departed from the group. "Defenders of the Faith" is the peak of the classic Priest lineup with the most consistent songs, technical ability and authenticity. They weren't trying to be heavy (i.e. "Painkiller"). They were just being themselves.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by amerislave | 02.11.2008
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments: 27
Visited by: 181 users
| Desecrator Posts: 25  |
What? And they weren't on "Painkiller"? That couldn't be further from the truth. It was the beginning of the 90's, of course they are going to evolve from their distinctive 80's sound. That "failed" experiment "Ram it Down" was just another step closer towards what they achieved on "Painkiller". I would give this a 9, The Sentinel alone is enough to warrant such a rating.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Desecrator on 04.11.2008 at 08:38 I think what he means is that Defenders is the last truly great album in the classic JP line-up. Cause on Painkiller Scott Travis is the new 'young' drummer.
---- 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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| amerislave Account deleted |
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254  |
Still, you can't hold it against them for moving with the times. But yes, I generally agree with this review - "Defenders..." is one of my favourite, if not my #1 Judas Priest album.
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| Desecrator Posts: 25 |
Written by [user id=25320] on 04.11.2008 at 14:42 Oh... now I see, I clearly misinterpreted that last paragraph, I thought you refered to "Ram it Down" as a failure. My apologies.
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| IronBlackZepp Posts: 180  |
This is a great album, the first 4 tracks are some of priests best along with some heads are gonna roll and when the night comes down. The ones in the middle still have an edge as well, and are still pretty enjoyable. Heavy Duty and the title track close out the album, they mix together to sound like one, they are by far the weakest songs on the album. However they are so short that they do not ruin the album in any way. DOTF is every bit as good as anything Priest has ever released.
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| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689  |
IMO this album is fantastic, one of the best albums by the metal gods. I like too muche "Jawbreaker", "Eat Me Alive" and "Heavy Duty/DOTF". I've been listening this album again the whole past week. 9/10
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Staff Posts: 3523  |
I got the original vinyl version of this a few months ago as a birthday present - It still is my favorite Priest artwork, and has a classic sound and production that really permeated a lot of darker music (not just metal) around 1984. I haven't heard a band that can recreate this era yet. What I agree most in your review here is your comment about songs telling us to "rock". In general, I despise them too - so much cliche, endlessly bad lyrics. But not here, because "Rock Hard Ride Free" is excellent, and not dripping with melted cheese like so many other bands that want us to "rock". I love "Night Comes Down" as well, but yeah, I never could get into "Heavy Duty / DotF" for the last two songs, so I'm with you on that comment as well... 
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Quote: I have seen that complaint as well... back when it was released and also still to this day. But I wholeheartedly disagree on that point because for me the two truly standout tracks on this piece of vintage Priest are the opening salvo of Freewheel Burning and Jawbreaker and then especially Jawbreaker's opening verse Deadly as the viper Peering from its coil The poison there is coming to the boil
---- 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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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.02.2009 at 04:03 Yeah I think Jawbreaker has to be my favorite Judas Priest song. Rock Hard Ride Free probably being my second, but I didn't pay much attention to it until after I saw it performed live, probably my favorite song I've seen them perform live. I really hope they release a live album from their recent shows...
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094  |
Lol no standout tracks? to me all of them except Some Heads Are Gona Roll are standouts lol.. but from those.. hmmmm... The Sentinel takes the cake imo. epic, fast, slightly technical, lots of insane screaming, brilliant.
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| AngelOfDisease Posts: 71 |
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| Heart_of_METAL Posts: 40  |
I know all the albums of Judas Priest from "Rocka Rolla" to "Nostradamus" and I must say this is the best album of them. A little bit better than others immortal albums of JP.
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
What about "Eat Me Alive", that certainly stands out for me That one and "Rock hard Ride Free" quickly became some of my favourite JP songs.
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| Deadmeat Necrobutcher Posts: 2437  |
Freewill burning is the best song here. the other are far away...
---- Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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| Powerslavex Alexskywalker Posts: 777  |
Another great Priest album, the title of the album is brilliant
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
Written by BloodTears on 11.04.2009 at 20:52  half of Priest's fanbase has no idea what that song is about
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835 |
Written by Valentin B on 02.06.2009 at 23:18 isn't it about sex? or cannibalism, one of those lol
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
Written by BloodTears on 03.06.2009 at 00:01 yeah it's about bondage sex, but it's written as a joke... not many people know it anyway and fewer still knew it before they started playing it live last year
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Valentin B on 03.06.2009 at 08:41 Where do you get the idea from it is about bondage?  It is clearly about getting a blow job.
---- 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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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10094 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.06.2009 at 08:49 damn, i checked with the site from where i supposedly got this info(i forgot about it) http://maddrakket.com/DEFENDERSOFTHEFAITH.html and you're right it's about oral sex, but still it's made as a joke  though a better song about the same thing is Diamond Head- Sucking My Love
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Valentin B on 03.06.2009 at 09:51 Actually I prefer eat Me Alive to Sucking My Love. Btw I am sure ANvil's got at least two or more songs on oral sex since most of their songs are about sex anyway 
---- 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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| DayFly Posts: 383  |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by DayFly on 03.06.2009 at 12:51 I trust you on that one. I don't like Lizzy Borden generally so I must have missed that one
---- 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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| Ellrohir Heaven Knight Posts: 8669  |
We are...Defenders of the fate... damn good album
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep 
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| Judas The Priest Posts: 24  |
Yeah it was a wicked good album, i dont think they "tried" to be heavy in painkiller, judas priest like pantera experimented, but always stayed solid in their form if you ask me.
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