For nearly five decades, Judas Priest have done more for heavy metal than most bands. Each album has been epic, trendsetting and legendary – and with their ninth album Firepower, the legacy only grows stronger.
Firepower is a massive sound and a massive message with dazzling, monstrous production, which only goes to better serve the colossal melodies and powerful lyrics. There’s a sense of steady groove throughout this release, with ‘Evil Never Dies’ solidifying that vibe as the album’s standout track.
Judas Priest’s tribute to the brave men and women who enter war, ‘Never The Heroes’, is an easy addition to your metal anthems catalogue and with its cruisy beat pulsating with gloriously gnarly tones, it’s absolutely one that’s going to need to be played full blast.
This album may feel for some like a practical and comfortable sequel to 2014’s Redeemer Of Souls, given that Priest’s unique musical character has certainly carried over with a confident swagger, but Firepower is a true classic Judas Priest album, allowing no room for experimentation but still, somehow, looking forward. Not bad for a band who’ve been rocking albums since 1974.
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