Rediscovering Stained Class

[ElectricWiz]

In celebration of recently purchased Priest/Heaven and Hell tickets, I've been putting on some of the older JP records again. I wouldn't say I'd forgotten, but I was certainly reminded of Stained Class' complete awesomeness this week. Easily one of the best metal records of the 70s, and definitely one of the "foundation," records of the modern sound. Great songs, great delivery, spooky and atmospheric in places - might be my favorite overall JP record.

 

[Assault_Attack]

My favorite 70's Jp album too!

 

[mdmatt4ever]

great album

70's priest>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>all other priest eras

 

[ramses]

Saaaaaaaaints iiiiiiiiin Helll!

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Beyond the Realms of Death... the best song they ever made IMO!

 

[Wyvern]

"Stained Class"in undoubtedly a jewel in the Priest crown. I recall when I bought the vinyl (along with "Sin After Sin"). I went to a store and there was both of them, I wanted to buy but the seller told me the items were for some other guy. It semmed the guy ask them to separate them but never give any money, I offer to pay both in cash right there.

Needles to say I went home with them

'Exciter', 'Better By You, Better Than Me', 'Beyond The Realms Of Death', 'Saints in Hell', what more can you ask from an album?

NP Nazareth - Goin' Loco

 

[Marco Spain]

In spite that from the 70´s I prefer "Sad wings of destiny" and "Killing machine" I think "Stained class" is amazing. "Exciter", "Beyond the realms of death" and "Better by you better than me" are overwhelming, some of the best tunes from Priest.

For me, in "Stained class" we can hear the best Halford performance along Metal God career (JP, Fight, Halford). Besides, guitar sound is brilliant.

Not my favourite Priest album but another masterpiece from JP

 

[kuier]

Better By You Better By Me is one of my favourite JP songs. Classy album (pardon the pun)

 

[Death Animal]

Better By You Better By Me is one of my favourite JP songs.

Jeah but it`s cover song. Beyond the realms of death one fa my fave songs of metal. Stained class is good metal album but SWoD is much better.IMO

 

[poundingmetal74]

Certainly one of their finest hours.

Fates Warning did an awesome cover of Saints in Hell about 10 years ago.

 

[TheWhisper]

Beyond the Realms of Death... the best song they ever made IMO!

 

[Katana Overlord]

A ripping album!

 

[delize]

Stained Class is perfect from beginning to end! And has some of the best lyrics ever written.

I love SWOD too.

 

[TheKorruptor]

I wouldn't say I'd forgotten, but I was certainly reminded of Stained Class' complete awesomeness this week. Easily one of the best metal records of the 70s, and definitely one of the "foundation," records of the modern sound. Great songs, great delivery, spooky and atmospheric in places - might be my favorite overall JP record.

You pretty much said it all right there. Songs like Exciter and the titletrack must have been crucial in the evolution of NWOBHM in the eighties.. other tracks like Saints in Hell, Savage and BtRoD are just plain awesome songs. Invader and White Heat, Red Hot aren't among my all time favorite but they're nowhere near bad and don't drag down the awesomeness of the album.

Possibly my personal favorite in the Priest catalog.

 

[ramses]

Yeah, I agree. I have all but (not their finest hour on these 2)Ram It Down, and Turbo. Priest always has 1-3 corny songs on even their best albums, except Stained Class, to me. Even my fave-Sin After Sin, I skip Diamonds and Rust...not the case with SC.

 

[Wyvern]

Even my fave-Sin After Sin, I skip Diamonds and Rust...

 

[ramses]

I skip that one because it's ok, but a cover tune that's already on their first album.

 

[Wyvern]

I skip that one because it's ok, but a cover tune that's already on their first album.

Sorry to laugh, I understand now your "mix-up". 'Diamonds And Rust' is original from Joan Baez (and one hell of a song). In 1977 Judas Priest arranged the song (cutting one verse and adapting the song to a metal riff) as part of their "Sin After Sin" album. The cover is IMO awsome and is one of those few cases in which the original and the version both have a high value.

Around 2003 a company reissued from Gull Records (who own the rights to the first two JP albums "Rockarolla" and "Sadwings Of Destiny") CD versions with the original artwork of the vinyls, and 'Diamonds And Rust' as bonus track on "Rockarolla". I guess hence the confusion you have about that song being on thier first album, it isn't.

Snapper Music re-released this album in 2003 as a limited edition digipack
(cat.-no. SDPCD124) containing the bonus track "Diamonds And Rust" (3:13).

http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=431

 

[ramses]

I chose to get the re-Issue, mainly because the artwork on it is great, as opposed to the original cover. Which isn't easy to find on cd, mind you. I skip the song on both albums, not because it's a bad song, It just doesn't move me, and besides, they always do it live.