(Rated this album with 4 out of 10) Reviewed by
Brandon Daily
from Boulder, CO
When Halford split, everyone thought it was over since it was so unlikely that Priest would be able to find a singer that could replace the Metal God's charisma and vocal talent. Turns out our fears were unfounded - any honest Priest fan will acknowledge that Ripper fills the vocal bill nicely. Unfortunately, few anticipated the songwriting void that Halford would leave. ...The lyrics are awkward, tortured, and stupid, and rely on profanity and shock value to generate interest. Rather than tight rhythms and interesting hooks, we have indecipherable mush and discord. Yes, the band can still execute well. Ripper screams, Glenn and K.K. wail, Scott and Ian thunder. Unfortunately their best efforts are for naught because of the weakness of the material. “Close to You” is an OK song, and “Bloodsuckers” has a classic Priest feel, although it’s ruined by ridiculous lyrics. On balance though, most of this stuff is trash. The only reason I gave Demolition two stars rather than one is that diehard, longtime Priest fans like myself will want to own it to complete a Priest collection. If you’re looking for an introduction to Priest, pass on this one. Screaming For Vengeance, British Steel, and Ram It Down are eternal classics, and 98 Live Meltdown is a great example of Ripper’s more modern interpretation of the classic material. Demolition, unfortunately, is none of the above.
