4 keepers
keeper avg .444
This quintessential new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) album (let alone Priest album) starts with one of the best metal riffs ever in "Breaking The Law"*****, followed by the insanely driving "Rapid Fire." Of course this is also the album that brought us the hard rock classic "Living After Midnight"*****. Around 1980 everyone was getting on the reggae train, and bless them Priest tried their darndest with "The Rage"****; it's not even Police much less Clash-level imitation but when Rob Halford brings home such a great chorus authenticity falls by the wayside. However blasphemous to dismiss such a highly-regarded metal album, most of the rest of the songs are surprisingly lackluster, with boring choruses ("Metal Gods" and "Grinder") and rousing but corny sentiment ("United"). And "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise" starts with a memorable riff only to be negated by another weak chorus, at least compared to the very similar "Heading Out to the Highway" from the next album Point of Entry. The album ends on a strong note with "Steeler"****, 4 and a half minutes of speed-metal mayhem.
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