Painkiller

Painkiller is the twelfth album on which Judas Priest fundamentally redefines the aggression of traditional metal around steel riffs, ultra-fast beats and proud singing raised to the limit. The great drummer Scott Travis joined from this album, and his powerful, high-speed drumming brings the band destructive power on an entirely new level. The ferocious speed of the opening title track “Painkiller” is a song that remains in heavy-metal history. The way Rob Halford’s unearthly screaming and the sharp twin guitars collide is stunning. From the aggression of “Hell Patrol” and the lift of “All Guns Blazing” to the drama of “Night Crawler” and the stately “A Touch of Evil,” every song is honed to the limit. Faster, heavier and more aggressive than any previous work, it is the band’s new peak and gave vast influence to later thrash and power metal. Capping the first Halford era, it is an overwhelming masterpiece. Pursuing metal’s aggression to the limit, it is a landmark record.