On July 16, 2001, Judas Priest released their 14th studio album, Demolition. Demolitionwas Priest's first album of the new millennium and their second (and last) album with singer Tim "Ripper" Owens following 1997's Jugulator.
The album was recorded between 1999 and 2001 and yielded one released single, 'Machine Man.' While producing a greatest hits album Living After Midnight, and a live record98 Live Meltdown, in between Priest's four-year gap between studio albums was among their longest to that point.
So how do the cuts to Demolitionhold up in present times? Let's take a look.
The album's opening track, 'Machine Man,' makes it clear right away that, in contrast to Jugulator, Priest has toned down the level of auditory brutality. Priest is no stranger to variation in releases, but it appears that tight production, emphasizing fills and overdubs, will be the main focus of Demolition. The latter half of 'Machine Man' is the strongest part of the song, a nice break down followed by dueling guitar solos as only Priest could deliver.
The second track on the album, 'One-on-One,' is the second longest song at 6 minutes and 45 seconds. 'Cyberface,' the longest song, is one second longer at 6 minutes and 46 seconds. I think the song is bloated overall and lost some of 'Machine Man's' momentum, which could explain why Priest cut it down by about 40 seconds on tour. The shorter version is more digestible.
'Hell is Home' is third and represents my favorite song on Demolition. 'Hell' begins with an effects-laden, clean guitar riff that gives way to one of Ripper's finest vocal performances. 'Hell' is one of the slowest songs on the record and the band does a great job creating a "hellish" atmosphere on this one. You really feel isolated in a fiery environment. Pay some keen attention to Ripper's first scream, which is mirrored to perfection by some savoury bar work on the guitar. If it doesn't give you goosebumps, you better check your pulse.
On 'Close to You,' Priest takes a shot at delivering a ballad. Overall, the song is rather pedestrian and enters cringe territory with lyrics like, "I wake up, I break up, try hard to shake off." I appreciate that the band took a risk with this one, but it kills all the momentum the record built. The band would refine this formula on 'Angel' from Angel of Retribution, and it makes me wonder if lyrics by Rob Halford would have been able to salvage "Close."
'Bloodsuckers' is another standout track on Demolition. It takes a full 2 minutes for us to go from the intro to the verse, and it is one hell of a ride. The song is positively pulverizing and is one of those songs that commands multiple listens. Be advised, though, as the final minute may get you pounding on the nearest piece of furniture in synch with the drums.
'Feed on Me' is a good addition to the Priest discography, provided you can get beyond the first line, "They are dying on the dance floor." Because of the song's direct composition and extremely focused lyrical tone, I feel like it was created with a soundtrack or other media project in mind.
It appears like Priest exchanged 'Hellfire' for 'Campfire' on Lost and Found. Despite a few clumsy guitar fills, the verse and pre-choruses are strong enough and fit the overall atmosphere well. The song is in musical purgatory because of how much the chorus detracts from the remainder of the tune. Not quite skippable, but not entirely unlistenable.
The ideal choice for the album's closer is 'Metal Messiah.' The song is a perfect illustration of how the group managed to strike a balance between experimenting and maintaining the signature Priest sound. The prowess of bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis is evident. The steady rhythm section keeps the song together despite its chaotic and jumbled nature. It is one of the riskiest tunes Priest has ever recorded, I dare say.
While the "Ripper" era of Judas Priest tends to polarize the fanbase, it stands as one of the most interesting periods of the band. Some of the material has been given new life with K.K.'s Priest adding songs to their setlist, and we can still hold out hope for a re-recording of Demolitionand Jugulatorthat Ripper has alluded to in the past.
There is plenty to like about Demolition, with songs like 'Jekyll and Hyde,' 'Devil Digger,' and 'Subterfuge' providing some palatable filler that distracts from some of the weaker tracks like 'In Between' and 'Cyberface.'
Although Priest did not fully embrace the nu-metal genre on Demolition, it is safe to say they dipped their toes.
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