(Rated this album with 6 out of 10) Reviewed by
Nathan D. Brown
from Jacksonville, NC United States
Priest's "Sad Wings of Destiny" is paradoxially underrated by rock critics and yet at the same time made out by many Priest fans to be some sort of Holy Grail. It's neither. This is not the band that made their name with such metal classics as "British Steel" and "Screaming for Vengeance". Rather, it's a primitive hybrid of 70's hard rock and the germinating seed of true heavy metal. Rob Halford's vocals are inconsistent, as if he isn't sure what style he wants to use, and so tries out several. The riffing and solos are passable, sounding a little watered-down to someone introduced to the band via the aforementioned "Screaming" and "Defenders of the Faith". Not to say that it's a bad album - several of the songs are quite good. (Although Victim of Changes is very, very overrated: anyone thinking it's "Priest's best song ever" is referred to the singularly awe-inspiring lead breaks of The Sentinel from "Defenders".) All in all, an interesting historical artifact and milestone in the developing career of a great band, but hardly essential.
