Painkiller... the kids love it

[Greeno]

While reading the Maiden vs Priest thread I saw something I've noticed on other metal boards.

Also, Painkiller Is Better Than Any Maiden Album.

Has anyone else noticed how allot of the younger metalheads consider Painkiller to be the best Priest album (hope you don't mind me using you as an example saYer). That album never really did much for me, I felt it was just Priest's attempt to keep up with the new thrashier sounds of the times (and being way late to the party). After saying that I admit that I've not heard the album in years so I guess I need to try it out again.

But if you think about it it's amazing. That band has such a long history and they mean different things to different people. To the generation before mine it was Sad Wings.. to my gen it was Vengence.. and to the gen after it was Painkiller. Amazing!!!

Oh yeah, and saYer... Painkiller is better than Number Of The Beast?????? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!!! ............. Just kidding dude... to each his own.

 

[tedvanfrehley]

I just recently got a copy of Painkiller off ebay. I agreed (notice past tense) with Greeno in that I always thought it was Priest trying to be Pantera and failing miserably... However with everyone going on and on about it I decided to pick a used copy up and i gotta say it is my favorite priest album. Try it again, Greeno! It may lift your old spirits again! haha (I turn 30 this week so I'm an old fart too!)
Ted

 

[sixxswine]

THE HARDEST record that Priest has ever put out! I think since they had a hand in creating this Thrash/Speed genre it's only fitting that they "ended" things with this record. I hope they put out something just as hard & heavy now that they have got Halford back! The younger fans love it cos' it's one of those records that difines "Heavy Fuckin' Metal!!!!!!!"

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Its my equal fave along with Defenders Of The Faith. I think it basically takes their classic sound and updates it perfectly while still being Priest, and is probably one of the heaviest records around while still being very catchy and "classic metal" sounding at the same time. And I love Halford's voice on it coz I love his high squeals the best heh.

I don't think its really all that thrashy/speed metal at all except for the title track and Metal Meltdown. Most of the album is mid-paced metal anthems (Hell Patrol, One Shot At Glory, Nightcrawler, Hammer & Anvil, etc) but with a bit more energy and heaviness than their old stuff.

It also has no filler imo which is why its so good.

 

[DrillSergeant]

Has anyone else noticed how allot of the younger metalheads consider Painkiller to be the best Priest album (hope you don't mind me using you as an example saYer). That album never really did much for me, I felt it was just Priest's attempt to keep up with the new thrashier sounds of the times (and being way late to the party). After saying that I admit that I've not heard the album in years so I guess I need to try it out again.

Objection, your honor! Never really been a true Priest but I have to intervene here. Being 28 years of age, I don't think I can still consider myself a part of the younger bunch (Fuck, where did all these years go?). Anyway, Painkiller was THE album for my generation already. That it is still the one for the youngsters ( ) has two main reasons in my opinion: First its quality and second the disastrous development in the Priest camp during the 90s! I mean, who the hell had really given a penny about the Priest after Halford left?

 

[Fangface]

Painkiller is awesome but it shouldn't overshadow their previous albums like Sad Wings of Destiny, Stained Class or even Defenders of the Faith which are equally great.
It seems to me that their 70's releases are underrated compared to Painkiller...

 

[The saYer]

I don't mind the quoting, cause I believe all which I say. I AM THE SAYER after all.
At 20, I guess I am a young mh. I love ram it down and screaming for vengeance.
If I perfectly fit greeno's description, I am guilty as charged.
I saw halford live twice and painkiller had presence. I saw maiden live and the trooper was played with extreme energy (it is not my fav. maiden song, but it was played greatly), but painkiller live, recorded or whatever is a different thing. I do realize however that it had lost it's, I don't know how to say it, 80's thing?, but I listen to it more and it inspires me more, maybe cause I am a thrasher.

 

[SpiritCrusherBTR]

I fucking love Painkiller. One of my favorite albums ever...period. I am only 16 so maybe I am included in this younger generation so I fit your statement, Haha. But to me, it keeps the classic Judas Priest melody and style while adding a much more Power Metal sound to it. I really like it...I think it's one of the albums with a perfect blend of melody and heaviness. My favorite by far from Judas Priest. I hope the new one is along the same vein.

 

[tedvanfrehley]

I am impressed that a 16 year old KNOWS WHO PRIEST IS!!!!!!! That's awesome. You are a true defender of the faith, my young friend.

 

[JonnyD]

ok Heres my 2 cents this is one thing me and the old ex will agree on PainKiller atleast to me is the only priest album I can listen to from beginning to end and not skip a track its a Perfect Metal album :-D

 

[Psychonaut]

Painkiller is easily one of my favorites but I'm a big fan of the older, more depressing stuff like on Sad Wings Of Destiny, The Best Of Judas Priest, and Hero Hero. Great stuff there!

 

[IcedMadness]

Hero Hero was just a compilation of Sad Wings and Rocka Rolla made up by Koch records. In my opinion I would have to say that either Defenders of the Faith or Screaming For Vengeance are Priest's best. I don't like it when people generalize a generation, but hey (probably like every one else) I march to the beat of a different drum, usually from a nine piece kit. I'm 20 and I think that Painkiller can get kind of boring, flame if you will, but I am allowed an opinion. There's just something about the earlier albums that Painkiller is lacking. I don't know exactly what it is, but it is something. Sure, there are great songs on it, and I mean great songs such as Metal Meltdown and A Touch of Evil, but I can't really sit down and listen to that album like I can the other ones.

 

[Bryant]

I think Painkiller is a fine release. I don't know why the "younger" fans prefer it over the classic stuff as you say, but maybe because it is just a bit more modern sounding than the more classic stuff due to the drummer Scott Travis and his over-the-top style.

Bryant

 

[Greeno]

I don't like it when people generalize a generation,

I guess I did kinda pigeonhole people a little there, didn't mean to. All I was saying is that I see that album mentioned allot on message boards by younger fans, which to me is mind blowing because at the time of it's release I thought that is was a dud... still do. No big deal, just my opinion. I also can not remember any of my "metal friends" liking it either, so it didn't make an impact on the crowd I ran with. Looking back on it now I guess we were all starting to pay more attention to the underground scene at that time (before it was called "alternative" or "grunge")... stuff like Mind Over Four, Faith No More, Last Crack, the early rumbeling coming out of Seattle, Hammer Box, The Nymphs, and a million more....

So Painkiller just kinda came and went for me, it just didn't make an impact like it looks as though it did on the younger fans of that time (and some of the older ones). Like I said earlier, it's been a long time since I've listened to Painkiller so I need to dig it out.... gonna do that today for sure! Who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll start a "Painkiller rules" thread. For years I hated... HATED!!... Turbo but today it's my 2nd favorite Priest album, so I do try to stay open minded.

 

[The saYer]

my brother is 15 and loves painkiller over any other priest album.

 

[Sledgehammer]

for me its between Painkiller and sad wings, but i love all the judas priest albums, even Jugulator and Demolition. im 17 by the way, so i guess the original theory is being proved again!

 

[Wicked Child]

Painkiller owns! And yes, i am young (18 to be exact), but that has nothing to do with it. I'm a HUGE Priest fan, as a matter of fact, i consider them one of my all-time favorite bands, but by itself, Painkiller does rule. It shows that a band can take their classic sound, tinker with it just a bit(in their case, kick the heaviness, aggression and overall speed up a notch) and still come out pleasing old and new fans alike. Very hard to do and Priest has done multiple times. Now, for the record, Painkiller is not my favorite Priest album, it's like my 4th favorite or something, Stained Class takes the honor of being my favorite. And besides, I think it makes perfect sense that Priest do an album like that, it's a natural progression, if you think about it, afterall, Priest are a key band in the creation of thrash and speed metal, as well as power metal, to a bit lesser extent.

 

[Mithrondil]

It's not my favorite Priest album, but Metal Meltdown is definitely one of the coolest songs I've heard in a long time.

"Here comes the metal meltdown, run for your lives!"

 

[Victim of Deception]

I think it's one of Priest's better albums, but I think it's a shame that some people, particularly younger listeners, overlook some of their older albums because of it. It has more of a appealing modern sound, but a few of their early albums are definately better (Sad Wings of Destiny, Sin After Sin, Stained Class, Screaming for Vengeance and possibly Defenders of the Faith) and don't deserve to be overlooked.

 

[Stand-Ablaze]

I've only heard two Priest albums to be honest. Screaming for Vengance and Painkiller. Songs like Metal Meltdown, Painkiller, and Night Crawler do make it a pretty good album in my opinion, but it's no where near as good as any Maiden album (Maybe better than X Factor/Virutal XI), when you compare Killers to Painkiller, maiden win.