(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
Terrence Joseph Reardon
from Moving back to Mass. soon, USA
Judas Priest's Painkiller, released in 1990, was one of the greatest Priest albums I ever heard next to Screaming for Vengeance, Stained Class and British Steel. When I first heard the title cut on the radio in late 1990, I thought I was listening to an album by Slayer but it was Priest. Scott Travis' drumming breathed new life into a band that were heading for mediocrity, Priest were never known for lightning double-bass drumming. Scott's drumming on songs like the title cut, Hell Patrol, A Touch of Evil, Between the Hammer and the Anvil and A Shot at Glory showed Priest were back. Unfortunately, the record buying public disagreed and this album flopped when it first came out because of stuff like Poison and Vanilla Ice. I guess for some people, hearing a whole album of Rob Halford singing in falsetto got on their nerves rather quickly. I say tough! On the older albums, he sang normal and would have maybe a song or two in a high octave. Unfortunately, Rob Halford left in 1993 after this classic. I hope the new Priest album is just as good if not better! Highly recommended!
