Worthy Judas Priest album

Press, 14 August 1980, Page 14

Worthy Judas Priest album

By DAVID SWIFT JUDAS PRIEST “British Steel” (CBS). The band denied it, but it was reported that the master tapes of this album be worth a ransom? this year, and a ransom had to be paid. Would this album be worth a ransom Read on.

Judas Priest' are in the first division of British hea v y-m et a 1 bands. “Heavy metal,” especially in the American sense, often means the same rehashed riffs coupled with macho lock-up-yer-daugh-ters lyrics. Thankfully, this band have avoided most of the cliches. I like this record,' Priest’s seventh, because ;it rocks along very nicely. The opener, “Rapid Fire,”is a heads-down no-non* sense earblaster, if unadventurous. “Metal Gods” slows the pace, but is one of the best tracks, featuring a robot-like chorus and bouncy drumming by a relative newcomer, Dave Holland.

The vocalist, Rob Halford, a man with an exbarrassing past -in porno movies, is no screamer and has an acceptable voice. The lyrics are, well, ■average, but the music’s what attracts the fans.

. ■ The very simple "United” is going to be a big stage favourite, because it has immense singalong appeal. It is as true on this album as anywhere — simple is best. Other highlights are the British hit single, “Living After Midnight,” and “You Don’t Have To Be Old To

Be Wise” — get your heads banging. The host of young or, new metal bands in Bri-’ - tain, who form the socalled “Nev/ Wave Of Heavy Metal,” would do well to emulate Judas Priest. A good album, and at the price a worthy ransom. THE VAPORS “New Clear Days” (United Artists). The Vapors had the assistance and influences of Britain’s best — The Jam —on this album. That should help them steer away from one-hit wonder (“Turning Japanese”) status. Vic Copersm-ith-Heaven produced this, and The Jam’s “Setting Sons.” Both albums have the same sound, which can only be good. Howard Smith is the drummer here, and his sound is reproduced exactly like Rick Buckler’s —. crisp and up-front. “Turning Japanese” is perhaps only one of a number of potential singles, and hopefully this band won’t do a Blondie by releasing four or five singles off the same album. It tells the story of a depressed prisoner longing for his girl friend, looking at her picture on the wall. He’s so frustrated, he’s turning Japanese. The Oriental image returns on “Letter From Hiro” (perhaps The Vapors anticipate being Big In Japan). “Spring Collection,” the first track, attacks the fine art of posing. “You’d sooner hang around with all your crowd/’cos they all think and pose and dress like you in your

Spring Collection.” In this, and “America,” vocalist David Fenton occasionallly changes his accent to a Paul Weller sound.

In spite of the running beat, none of . the songs are particularly happy. If the Vapors aren’t frustated (the single, “Trains,” "Waiting for the Week-End”), ' they’re scared (“Bunkers,” “Cold War,” and others). SYLVAIN SYLVAIN “Sylvain Sylvain” (RCAVictor). Sylvain was, formerly one of the now-famous New York Dolls, the band that shocked the world in the 19705, with their sex-and-drugs lifestyle and music, dressed in transvestite chic. The Dolls were, it is now recognised, the world’s first punk band. Sylvain has quietened down since then, but not at the expense of a fine rock’n’roll debut, solo album.

Another former Doll, David Johanns hosa released two good solos to critical acclaim, and this deserves to follow the same path. It begins with two 19505-style rockers, “Teenage News” and “What’s It Got to Do with Rock’n’Roll?,” but the two ballads on side one, delivered with force, are no let-downs. The second side’s opener, “Every Boy and Every Girl,” should only need a bit of radio play to put it on the charts. Listen for the Buddy Holly falsettos over some thumping tribal drumming.

This albtim was co-pro-duced by Tony Bongiovi, who worked on the first three (and - best) Ramones’ albums. After several airings the search is sitll on for a duff track. THE ANGELS “Dark

Room” (CBS). The Angels are Australian. And, like the Saints and AC/DC, one gets the feeling they are going to be popular in Britain very soon. The Angels’ music is also a cross between the outright punk of The Saints and AC/DC’s heavy metal.

The single, “No Secrets,” starts with a thundering riff. It sets the pattern, as this band’s power lies in the guitars of brothers John and Rick Brewster. Doc Neeson is the singer, and a good one, while the former Saints’ bassist, Chris Bailey, and Graham “Buzz” Bidstrup form the rhythm section. Each song grabs the listener at the start, but the problem is that none are shorter than three-and-a-half minutes,. and your attention wanders about half-way through. It takes something like the R and B harmonica in the middle of “Devil’s Gate” to carry you on! The Angels will have their best opportunity yet to make an impression in Britain, when they play at the Reading Rock ’BO festival, with the best British heavy-metal bands. They are known both in the United Kingdom and the United States as Angel City, to avoid confusion, with a third-rate American group called Angelz.