Stained Class

Oh boy, where do I start with this album? I guess directly in late 1977 when this masterpiece was conceived.

Priest was on the uprising in the metal scene at the time, specifically within the NWOBHM genre that had just been birthed itself that involved Motörhead and later Saxon as the torchbearers, with Priest starting to stand firmly themselves as a figurehead in their own right. The metal grounds were extremely fertile for British metal at the time, in which these bands completely capitalized on.

Enter “Stained Class”, Judas Priest’s fourth full length album and a massive stepping stone in a direction that would eventually solidify the classic Priest sound only a handful of years later. This is the album where “Priest became Priest”, similar to Accept’s “Breaker” where UDO and company sonically captured the essence of Accept’s sound.

This album has it all. Rob Halford shattering glass with his perfect signature shrieks, K.K. and Glenn completely ripping faces off with the twin guitar attack, Ian Hill laying down the low end and Les Binks fully displaying his masterful drum work behind the kit. It’s literally “lightning in a bottle” when it comes to a hard rock/metal album, something Priest replicated at least three more times over the following decade and a half. It truly set the benchmark for faster and more aggressive metal to take place going forward, specifically with the opening track.

“Exciter” opens the album just like “Overkill” does on Motörhead’s “Overkill” record, in-your-fucking-face speed blended with aggression that no one can do better than only Priest themselves. This song has been mentioned to have been one of the first incarnations of speed/thrash metal, with many thrash acts pointing directly to “Exciter” as the earliest incarnation of said genres. I would personally say that these statements aren’t too far off given the time period of this albums release. The other candidate is Accept’s “Fast as a Shark”, but that was released a little less than five years after this album, so technically “Exciter” was first to the speed/thrash table in that regard.

The fact that I have to mention that the birth of two separate metal genres could’ve possibly been traced back to this direct album speaks volumes. Just like “Kill em’ All” was the official birthing of the thrash genre in general, the roots of that inspiration could’ve been derived from “Stained Class”, to an extent. Amazing either way you look at it, so it’s a win-win for metal heads.

The sonic vibe this album puts out is enormous, yet is a very tightly controlled chaos. It has that perfect late 70’s warmth sound that captures great clarity mixed with a strong backbone, thus making it a metal giant amongst its peers. It has crude smoothness to it that hits you directly in the face without shattering your skull, only fracturing it.

“White Heat, Red Hot”, “Better by you Better than Me”, “Invaders”, “Saints in Hell” and every other song on this monstrous record just absolutely crushes. The riffs, twin guitar leads and stellar vocal performance by Rob Halford are top notch on every level conceivable. Like I said before, this is where the band found and fully solidified their legendary sound, in which they would continue to build upon for the many years that continue to follow.

In my opinion, “Stained Class” is not only an amazing metal record, but one of the greatest albums ever recorded, without question. It set the bar extremely high for others follow, in which many did in absolute spades. As hard as I tried, at the end of the day, I couldn’t find any faults with this album, honestly. I’ve listened to this record countless times in my life thus far and never get tired of it. I know every second like the back of my hand, yet never feel the need to skip a track when I put it on. Only a handful of other albums have that claim to fame within my listening rotation.

Priest took absolutely no prisoners in the late 70’s with their monstrous metal sound that showed the rest of their peers that they were here to stay. “Sad Wings of Destiny”, “Sin After Sin” and “Rocka Rolla” culminated into the masterwork that is “Stained Class” and solidified the excellent future for Judas Priest. Their brilliance shined bright back then and continues to shine bright now.

No other record sounds like this and never will.

100/100

Highlights: The entire record.

Judas Priest need no introduction. They are one of the best heavy metal bands that laid the foundations of thrash metal and power metal. However, I just don't find the appeal of this record. I really tried to like it after sitting down to play it about four or five times in a row. It must feel like a kick in the balls to relegate this album to one of my least favorites in my collection when for many this is their first or second favorite one.

You know, Judas Priest had convulsive ups and downs for traditional metal in their first stage before Halford's departure. It seems unanimous among fans to define which are their best and worst, and Stained Class is clearly considered among the best. However, for me, Judas Priest is good when they become a deliberately experimental band. In that period, in the mid-70s, I can say that Stained Class is the second weakest disc after their debut. In fact, since Point of Entry they opted for an experimental sound, but Stained Class is the least experimental album because the predecessors delved a little deeper into the past, that is, without uprooting much of hard rock sound. Anyway, the Spooky Tooth cover maintains this hard rock vibe and is very good for what it is without trying too hard.

My favorite tracks by far are Exciter, Stained Class, and Beyond The Realms of Death. Exciter is the canonical example of early power metal and early thrash metal during their development, not to say this song is the foundation stone of those genres. The self-titled track is simply epic and features one of Rob Halford's most masterful and galloping-like performances. The third song I love to death is Beyond The Realms of Death as it delves into all they've been doing, I.E., the intelligent and mature lyrics of their early days that perfectly fit up with the melancholic soundscape. Regarding good songs but not at the level of the three aforementioned, well, contrary to some people who show irrational hostility about cover songs, I actually love the Spooky Tooth one. Being this one "poppy", like one said, doesn't necessarily mean it has to be bad. Poppy is not synonymous of being bad, and this one is actually far from being poppy. I would give you the reason that it's the most accessible song on the album played with the spark and magic of Judas Priest, but poppy? No way.

After highlighting the positive things, it's time to highlight the negative points. Heroes End as closer just feels anticlimactic, and while is not a bad song, it's actually decent, but I wished Beyond The Realms of Death to be the closer. Invader is a mediocre song that is saved by the solo and the Pink Floyd-esque futuristic atmosphere at the beginning, but the way the song is constructed is not that pleasant, and Rob sings some irritating lines here, yet he improves in the last 50 seconds until it culminates in a fade out effect. Savage has simple hard rock riffing, I think it's the simplest song on the album, but it's very effective and pleasant to listen to; the problem is that Rob's performance is too fatalistic and pretentious for the amusingly galloping nature of riffing, and end up clashing a bit. Savage would have worked better as an instrumental track with some ornamental leads added to it.

It really hurts me to write about the negative points and not praise the perfection that many claim it has because there's simply an imbalance between three gems of many carats, a handful of decent songs, and others that are very forgettable. When it comes to their seventies album, give me Sin After Sin instead... that actually smokes. Judas Priest would raise their heads on Killing Machine and hold a higher bar until 1986. Stained Class is hailed as one of the albums that defined what heavy metal is, and to some extent I agree since this disc delivers killer solos, but at least half of the album sounds like an extreme, polished, developed version of Rocka Rolla, and the hard rock is still there, which is not a bad point at all.

And speaking of polish, the band abandoned the raw, crunchy approach of Sin After Sin, and the eclectic approach of Sad Wings. I knew little about this Stained Class since it wasn't as popular as their eighties albums, and was the last album I listened to from their early years. It left me with a bittersweet taste, I actually think Killing Machine made more difference after Sin After Sin than this one. At the end of the day, I feel like a potential was wasted because Stained Class with the killer sound of Killing Machine would have been something unheard of at that time.

Let's make it clear from the start: if you don't like this record, you better not call yourself a heavy metal fan. If you think it sounds "outdated", "old", "obsolete", I strongly recommend you to get lost.

Stained Class is the jewel of the crown that is also made of Sad Wings of Destiny and Sin After Sin – two great records that are among my personal favourites ever. Overall, the music here is coherent with the previous two albums: back then, Judas Priest were experimenting with a quite "prog" dark sound that in this case took a faster and heavier approach. Although they themselves have always considered British Steel to be the ultimate definition of the sound they had so far been looking for, I'm strongly convinced Stained Class is superior to anything else they've done before and after.

One thing about this record few people mention is that it came out in an unfortunate period for heavy metal. Black Sabbath had already begun to lose their prime; Motörhead's game-changing Overkill was yet to come; the so-called "NWOBHM" scene (Iron Maiden, Saxon, Angel Witch, Diamond Head, early Def Leppard, and many more) would not explode before 1980 – and the American metal scene was even further. I would say Stained Class in some way filled this gap, and was a success all over Europe, and a smash in Japan. Ironically enough, it came out the very same day as Van Halen's self-titled debut, which quickly received far more worldwide success, but we're talking about two very different stories, of course. Priest's international breakthrough eventually arrived in 1979 with the release on the American market of Hell Bent for Leather – the US version of Killing Machine.

Stained Class is the only Priest album to feature songwriting by all members of the band. The riffs are generally complex-structured like on Sin After Sin, with a less "prog"-oriented concept in favour of a more "metal" style. The solos, overall more technical, in my opinion are among the best the band have ever played and within heavy metal in general. Killing Machine (released six months after this record) would feature a partial comeback to their early bluesy sound mixed with a more "modern" attitude, representing the transition to a quite commercial approach that started with British Steel and continued throughout Point of Entry. This resulted in writing less elaborate songs, easier to play live and for bigger audiences, although Screaming for Vengeance would mostly be an evolution from the previous two records for a significant presence of speed-driven songs. In "Beyond the Realms of Death", one of the most successful Priest hits and still played live to this day, Glenn Tipton delivers the best guitar solo I've ever heard in my effin' life. If I were asked to define heavy metal with a solo, no doubt I would choose this one. Towards the end of the song, there is also a great solo by K.K. Downing, which is one of my favourites among his.

The drums, by freshly recruited Les Binks, deserve considerable attention. One of the most experienced in the double bass technique and most likely the best metal drummer around at the time, he was hired in 1977 for the Sin After Sin tour as a replacement for session drummer Simon Phillips. Binks said in an interview that he had been amazed by the work of Simon Phillips behind the kit on the album, and that he was glad to learn his drum parts – he actually was one of the few who could replicate Phillips's drum parts live. You can tell he enjoyed his playing because not only he reproduced it brilliantly but also gave it a personal touch, creating a unique style that paved the way for something completely innovative. The drumming on Stained Class likewise follows the steps of the previous record yet at the same time making a consistent leap forward in terms of "heaviness" and speed. "Exciter" is generally acknowledged as the trademark "proto-speed metal" song, although it is clear that the very first track which embodies and predates speed metal is "Fireball" released in 1971 by Deep Purple, whose 1970 hit "Speed King" would likely give the name to the whole genre later. Nevertheless, "Exciter" remains carved in stone for being possibly the heaviest of all "proto-speed" songs – and to think that it was born by accident. In the aforementioned interview, Binks said that the opening rhythm came about from a double bass pattern he played at a sound check; Glenn Tipton liked it and asked him to play that again. Glenn then joined in with a guitar riff, and that became the intro to "Exciter".

Every band has a member who "blends into the background", and in the present case, bassist Ian Hill would be that member, as one might guess by his stage presence, but only in appearance. He has instead always been a fundamental and ever-present element since Priest's very inception, and being the talented musician he is, has been skilfully proving to comfortably adapt his playing to the band's different expressions over the decades. Stained Class makes no exception: the bass lines are well audible, and cleverly complete the rhythm section with an elegant but powerful groove, giving a more rounded and "full" resonance to the guitars and the drums.

Shall we talk about the vocals? Honestly, there isn't much to be said – except that Rob Halford was in his total prime in the late '70s, and here delivers one of the best performances in all heavy metal. Words can't describe how effortlessly he modulates his voice throughout the octaves, in several cases progressing even further from the previous albums. I can only suggest you to hear the songs to realise. Moreover, one song in particular begins with Halford screaming the possibly highest unaltered and un-layered studio falsetto in his whole career – but I won't spoil which one if you've never listened to the album.

The lyrics on Stained Class are prominently dark, and are mainly characterised by religious and biblical allegories and references. Other themes range from the decay of the Western civilisation to an alien invasion of the Earth; from the European colonisation of native peoples to a man's struggle with catatonic depression; and finally, a homage to three outstanding artists whose efforts were not deservedly recognised until the time of their premature death.

The production, carried out by Dennis MacKay who was dealing with jazz fusion and prog rock at the time, is another thing I love about this record. I personally find it to be equally very crisp and warm, and that makes the album timeless – no matter if you heard it in 1978 or do it in 2023. Although the band until then had been criticised for the "flat" studio sound, I think that's not true and MacKay's touch actually fits the sound well, and perfectly reflects that "dark" atmosphere you can find elsewhere on most of the '70s British heavy metal and hard rock albums. It's listenable, exciting, and you can hear all the instruments clearly without one drowning out another. I can't imagine this album with the production of British Steel or Screaming for Vengeance – it just couldn't work, as much as I like both a lot.

Stained Class is among the very few albums I enjoy every second of, from the first song to the last. It has no "fillers", no "weak" tracks, no flaws. Even the infamous last-minute addition "Better by You, Better than Me" (a cover of the song by Spooky Tooth), the most "radio-friendly" track on the record and the only one here produced by James Guthrie, is consistent and doesn't clash with the overall sound and atmosphere. Later in 1978, Judas Priest would have Guthrie producing Killing Machine.

In a few words – you can't get better heavy metal than this.

After hitting their stride with "Sin After Sin," Judas Priest's follow up "Stained Class" delivered. For my money, "Stained Class" is one of the 'big three' of Judas Priest. It is undoubtedly the best album of theirs from the 70's. For this album, drummer Les Binks takes a seat, and he is the first Priest drummer to be on more than one album. Although his two album tenure isn't that much longer, his skill left a lasting impression. Many point to him being the best Priest drummer of all time, and it's hard to disagree with that assessment. He certainly picks up where Simon Phillips left off to give this album both the grove and the chops it needed. "Stained Class" remains an album to show to newcomers to teach them how making a record is done.

Lets start with what the record starts us off with. "Exciter" is exactly what an opener needs to be. Binks has an absolutely fantastic drum intro to set the tone, and following guitar parts enhance the energy. The verse melodies leave Halford a lot of room to work, but at the same time, they still have the end of the melody to bite back with. Halford leads the charge with the chorus, and the sinfully catchy solos all across this song make it an absolute classic. The melodic solo after the halfway mark is definitely in my top 10 solo list. I find myself humming it constantly. "Beyond the Realms of Death" is also a fan favorite that is well deserved. For every album now, Priest has had duds when it comes to softer songs. "Epitaph," "Last Rose of Summer," and beyond. While not all of those songs were horrible, at best they were very unfitting for the record. Finally, "Beyond the Realms of Death" is something of a power ballad, dancing from a soft acoustic part to a fiery heavier section. There's nothing about it that detracts from the rest of the record or sounds stylistically different. Each section flows flawlessly from one to the other back and forth, and each one perfectly hits the mood it's going for. The main heavy riff leaves a bit to be desired, but the song is just so well crafted that all is forgiven. Halford's cry of the title at the end is the cherry on top. It's sad and defeated, but has that unbridled power that closes it so nicely.

I often hear "Saints in Hell" called one of the greatest metal songs ever recorded. And while I might not go THAT far, it's most certainly a standout on the album. Halford's high notes are on full blast. It gives the song something of a 'sermon' feel behind the riff. Ian Hill gets a rare chance to shine on this song, too. His grooving bassline is really the backbone that keeps this song flowing so well. "Saints in Hell" is just a heavy badass song. The attitude and chops are just classic and quintessential to make a fun metal song. "Savage" is a HUGE 'guilty pleasure' track for me. It might be my favorite on the whole album, but I also acknowledge it's not exactly the most 'special' track there is either. The grove is just so driving and catchy, though. Halford's opening shrieks and then his cries on the chorus are blistering. The riff has this pounding gallop and Halford's notes accent certain specific points of each line so well. When they hit together during the verses, it's almost threatening. Binks' ride cymbal pattern, sporadic double bass playing, and brilliant tom fills during the chorus make it a very refreshing track. "Savage" isn't as memorable or outstanding as a lot on this album, but the forewarning and versatile parts to it make it such a unique track.

Unfortunately, "Stained Class" isn't quite so flawless across the board. "Heroes End" just never did it to me. Nothing in this song knows what it's trying to go for in my opinion. The riff tries to be a darker and more threatening one, but the two 'halves' of the notes playing that make it up don't gel with each other. I feel it's two half-riffs smashed together instead of a fleshed out one. Along with that, Halford's verse melodies are almost too 'clean' to fit with it too. He is singing in such a traditionally bouncy way across this darker riff, and it makes him feel out of place. The band and Halford have two different moods that aren't fitting with each other remotely. The chorus riff is a bit better, but the chorus vocals are pretty forgettable to me. "Heroes End" is confused and never gets off the ground. The title track also leaves a lot to be desired. The chorus is pretty memorable, but the verses are mediocre. The riffs have a very weak gallop that has a bite to them that gets your hopes up, but doesn't progress all that much. Halford's notes are on point, but he never reaches a satisfying conclusion. There's a bit of irony to me that, while not a terrible song, the title track might be the most forgettable across the whole record. Certainly nothing about "Stained Class" is horrible or irredeemable, but the low points are certainly there.

"Stained Class" is a Judas Priest highlight, but I wouldn't quite call it their magnum opus. They still had one more album from the 70's to deliver, but it's no secret that this one is as good as it gets. Another reason I think "Stained Class" has such a great reputation is due to how raw it is. It's just an album chock full of no frills and well written metal songs. The production is crisp and clear, and there are no bells and whistles like sound effects or keyboards to distract from the playing. For the purists out there, an album that is so masterfully made at a basic level without anything to disguise or distract is very alluring. In any case, if you remotely enjoy Judas Priest, "Stained Class" is a must have. There aren't many albums out there that attain what the record is trying to attain better.

Stained Class is the favorite album of many priestlovers, and is considered as the album that reinvented heavy metal. They also claim is their darkest album and was a bold leap in metal music back then. I'm also a Judasboy, however, I always say that the quality of songs varies too much on this record. Stained Class presents great stuff but also features songs that are kinda out of place. People tell you that “SSS” (Sad Wings-Sin After-Stained) is the quintessence of Judas Priest's music, yet the only true magnum opus is Sad Wings of Destiny, because this album features entirely Priest material with no covers or bland songs like Sin After Sin (Last Rose, Diamonds) and Stained Class (BBYBTM). The lack of consistency becomes an extra value, precisely coming from the concern to experiment and mix up many styles that star it out. Thus, their cover letter "Exciter" acquires a more logical meaning, and although it shows the forcefulness and originality that'll distinguish their music, few ones still don't offer enough evidence and approximations of it. Well, let's break down this funny though overrated album.

Let's start with the bad first. Only thing I don't like is the cover of Spooky Tooth, a poppy song that, far from adding, gets in the way. It feels so out of place and every time I listen to this album I have to hit “skip” to avoid it, something that also happens with Peace Sells' I Ain’t Superstitious and Persecution Mania's Iron Fist; you know, is that "kind" of album. They supposedly released this cover because they needed a radio single but many metalheads ignore that this album has several AOR elements that are brilliantly camouflaged in the songwriting. “Invader” is another poppy radio-oriented that has the high potential to be the single (not to mention the simpleton Hawaiian style that surrounds its solo). This album doesn't really need a cover song to promote itself. "Savage" is a bit cheesy and boring though it’s saved by the solo and all the little guitar ornaments that decorate it; this song even repeats the same vocal lines twice and the riffage actually has a very glamorous style. These kinds of tracks don't have the amazing dynamics of the other ones.

Regarding musicians, the guitarists work fine despite the weak production (softness sound, they'd say). Halford is at 75% of his power since he doesn't convince a bit, hell, he has such annoying performances and at times I'd rather prefer his falsetto opening on “All Guns Blazing” more than these. An example of Halford trying too hard is this line:

Transfixed at deliverance, is this all there is?
Faithless continuum, into the abyss.
Fierce is my conviction, absolute my belief.
I spit at you apathy and seducer deceit

That's the part of the title track where he sounds quite annoying, but then redeems himself in “Long ago when man was King...” where he looks more serene. Another annoying line is the one of "White Heat Red Hot" (02:49) with that strange and unnecessary effect, where Halford sounds the same or worse than a horde of cicadas at mating season:

The heat's hot burns a lot.
Who are not cut out to fight this day will surely fall.
The few who stand to take command forever and ever are men.

I'm surprised when people think Stained Class is underrated, I rather feel it's overrated by fans and critics alike, overshadowing Sin After Sin and Killing Machine in the mind of most listeners. Another thing that bothers me is when they say it’s a prototype of thrash metal, as Sin After Sin is the most appropriate reference for its crunchy, rough sound. In Stained Class the guitars sound a bit thinny respecting their two previous deliveries; also, the musical balance leans more towards early-Rush than thrash metal properly. Weak production takes away much of music's powerness, but when I listened to "Saints in Hell" in concert I admit it was such a revelation and proves that Halford is truly a monster, almost inhuman or from another planet.

Now let's get to the good stuff. "Exciter", "Beyond the Realms of Death" and "Heroes End" are some of the best metal songs ever written. Here you realize that Tipton and Downing gave free rein to everything that occurred to them in form of art, as they cram all their endless skills which do them so particular, they actually didn't stingy it musically speaking. At least things continued to go well on “White Heat, Red Hot” with its seductive, elegant hard rock signature, while the title track is an addictive delicatessen that perfectly defines the effervescence and sparks that the band ignited on this album.

Overall, each song doesn't follow a similar pattern and they’re structurally different from each other, but it is far from being the ultimate masterpiece as many claims. Sad Wings of Destiny is an album that created more relaxing atmospheres, as also brutal ones; it offered a hot and cold climate, and a unique musical storm, showing the best of Judas Priest ever. That's why there's a lot of talk about British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith, Painkiller... and very little is said about this Stained Class, because it was a moment of electric ecstasy that could have been much better, but did serve as a harbinger of the musical direction they'd take in later years. Halford is a surprise as a vocalist among his generation of singers with whom I got an excellent impression, but on other albums he had provided more revealing, otherworldly lines than on this one.

Judas Priest is a band that started to follow fashions since 1978: with Stained Class they joined heavy metal with the outfit change, with Point of Entry they were focused on the American market, with Turbo they joined the synth fever, with Jugulator they followed the trends of groove metal, with Demolition they followed the steps of nu metal bands (very fashionable in late 90s and early 2000s) and finally Nostradamus wanted to catch up with symphonic metal bands. In short, Stained Class is an anecdotal LP that would win whole without the expendable cover song. What it really brings to the discography, predictably, is the performance of the axes Tipton/Downing. In summary, 5 really innovative songs plus 3 normal songs and a cover, ruined by little few Halford’s vocal lines yet he would impress us again in his next presentations. It's a good and essential pick, but not a perfect one.

The keyboards are on the blink, the organ is broken, and Judas Priest are for the first time little more than just pure raw metal – this is one of those albums that just keeps me coming back for more and deserves every compliment it can take. If it was still 1977 and you thought that the likes of previous songs such as “Genocide” and “Dissident Aggressor” had been unnecessarily heavy or a little inaccessible, perhaps hoping for more commercial ditties like “Starbreaker” or “Last Rose of Summer” then the following year Priest have come back with a record to upset you. This is man’s release where guitars and drums rule, and the age old tried and tested pop-song structure we love and loathe so much has been half-forgotten.

The album’s opening phrases of toms, cymbals and double bass drumming set the tone for a confident celebration of prowess and power. Priest immediately sound like they love what they’re doing as “Exciter” hastily drives home their technical capacity and accomplished pace. There weren’t many bands around at this time playing at this speed, and thrash/speed metal fans should know all too well how influential this piece really is. Whilst a few songs fade out at the end there are plenty of climactic punches ending several tracks – “White Heat, Red Hot” switches from a 4/4 arrangement to 6/8 and then positively kills it on the last note, and “Hero’s End” leaves us with that superb lead guitar outro that helped so well shape some of the most eerie moments from early Slayer.

If there’s any let up there isn’t much. Even the cover of Spooky Tooth’s “Better by you, better than me,” which carries some added keyboard effects, still hits the mark with its morbid and terminal tones, and the catchy and comical “Invader” hypnotises enough to make a nice drive home. But in terms of giving the listener an easy break that’s your lot. Even Halford’s versatile range is pretty much confined to the upper notes with little experimentation and a straight delivery at the higher-level throughout.

All songs delight, but it’s “Saints in Hell” that really gets my air-guitar hot, and it was hearing this again that really made me listen to what Judas Priest are saying... not just musically but lyrically too. Never having read what they’d been writing before, some 25 years after originally getting my mits on this release did I stop to think what was being said – and what great song-writing there is here, with the bold musical structures supporting fine and colourful words.

Priest always had this release in them. We just had to wait for album number four for them to crack it. Ace drumming, wicked riffs, distinctive solos and vocal venom to boot. A true heavy metal classic.

Few would say this album is excellent. However, if we place it in its historical context we start to appreciate it, right? Stained Class supposes a certain rupture with the past, since that moment, Judas Priest would begin to do their own way on the heavy scene. Keep thinking, in 1978 were not Iron Maiden, Saxon, even Black Sabbath at their worst moment, the last one being their likely sources of inspiration, and the one which wandered through no man's land with Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die, waiting for Dio who was able to bring new airs. Judas Priest is a band whose sermon of a social nature is sung by Rob Halford, the voice that overwhelms after his first tongue twisters (being famous at the end), of very accurate metrics and rhythm, undertaking his verbal tirade until reaching a moment when he seems to chew with eagerness what he sings, giving way to a ceremonial riff that'll inaugurate the imminent birth of a frenetic solo, be it from Tipton, be it from KK… unfortunately we’re not talking about Sad Wings of Destiny. As much as I insist, in my judgment Stained Class is the most irregular work of Priest catalog, only surpassed by the lousy Ram It Down, but that's another business.

To open your mouth and stay with it open, Exciter presents one of their glorious pre/post bridges as the brand has been offering since the Sad Wings era, a fast-paced song which justifies the whole álbum. It'd reach its sublimation as a perfect machinery under the name of Painkiller, another savior like this song, but coming soon as a whole musical genre. White Heat, Red Hot gets your feet back on the ground and sets to a lower level that'll be maintained for a good part of the album. Better By You, Better Than Me is a Spooky Tooth cover and was the reason which they were accused of suicide induction. In short, a real crime against art itself is to use music as a scapegoat for such macabre acts, although luckily some fans did not take it seriously after all, and that's why I'm still alive after hearing this. With the title track we left the bike for a while just to get a trot in a darker path. Musically, the change is not comparable to what Sad Wings supposed regarding Rocka Rolla, the intention of distancing themselves from previous influences affect fundamentally their appearance. They abandon the hippie aesthetic after a small stage of transition and adopt the leather and studs definitively. The gothic logo is replaced by a red one, more aggressive and known, which looks like it would prick you if you touch it. After two magisterial deliveries, I find Rob Halford very forced and out of tune in several moments, unforgivable from someone of such class.

Little by little I'm getting cold, and when I start to assume that I'm facing a not so good LP, it appears, like an ostrich-sized Easter egg, Beyond The Realms Of Death, a piece of shit which turns brutish and returns to set the bar where Exciter had left. The tip still missing, Heroes End is a compact closer for a record that most times doesn't seem particularly interesting but hey, it contains at least two or three really memorable songs. Interestingly, they released Killing Machine in the same year; I always thought what would happen if Priest waited a little longer to release Stained Class, it would have the heaviness of Killing and would be a good disc in the vein of British Steel, like a heavy metal band which writes heavy metal songs. Surely someone looked for a decent prequel to what they'd write in the eighties, a pity that this album is only a slight hint for that.

I try to like it, however, the whole album is not as impressive as it might seem. Numerous unfortunate songs dotted here and there the "stain", case of poor Invaders with its pseudo-Hawaiian solo which doesn't help too much to raise the level of the album. Savage very simple and with Halford very out of tune, although with a good solo of KK. There are good solos by Tipton which save some moments but Rob mostly gives acute tones that don't convince because, again, he goes out of tune like a chicken. Stained Class announces new times and marks ways to face a harder future, but it is clearly inferior to Killing Machine and of course to the extraordinary Sin After Sin. Rob Halford is not up to his "legend" condition as what he is, the "metal god". This album is the least better of their 70s era. The evident big rooster Exciter, the solo of Beyond the Realms, and the majestic closer show the album purpose. There are people who say this is a record to enjoy quietly, for trained ears, the one that escapes from any genre, which supposedly is beyond the metal music, hell no. Far away from the impressive Sad Wings Of Destiny, this last does touche perfection. Well, I thought to rate it with 25%, but DonutBoy is generous, DonutBoy is genteel, so it deserves more than its own value, just for the aforementioned songs. Hope you to re-think after reading this.

45/100
3 out of 5 stars
Beyond the Realms of Death 101/100

Judas Priest after their third album were in a state of flux. After an average hard rock debut in the form of 'Rocka Rolla', their next two records – the seminal 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' and the somewhat more varied 'Sin After Sin' – had shifted the band’s sound towards heavier territory. However, 'Sad Wings', despite its heaviosity, still sounded like a seventies band developing a harder edge and a darker atmosphere to their music. 'Sin After Sin' boasted some bold steps such as the proto-thrash ‘Dissident Aggressor’, but also some songs which seemed to still be rooted in the band’s past, for example ‘Last Rose Of Summer’. However, with their fourth album – the gloomily titled ‘Stained Class’ - Priest shifted up a gear.

It is still something of a mystery where the laser-like focus and relentlessness that dominates 'Stained Class' came from. Some might point to new member Les Binks, a significantly better drummer than any the band had had previously (with the exception of Simon Phillips), capable of solid double-bass work and tight playing as demonstrated on the proto-speed metal opener ‘Exciter’. Some might highlight the contributions of producer Dennis Mackay, who helped to refine the band's sound in the studio by emphasising the importance of getting to the point and putting the message across directly when it came to the song writing. Others might simply note that a band’s natural development over the course of time will enable them to hone their craft after several albums, and therefore the quantum leap Priest took here was to be expected. What the record does seem to show, however, is that Judas Priest had found a steely, remorseless determination by early 1978, and were fully engaged with their song writing and the point of their message like never before.

The fat of their first few albums falls away here, ruthlessly trimmed. In its place are nine songs of tight intensity, diamond hard, yet coal-black in their seriousness. Priest take the opportunity on 'Stained Class' to look into the darker corners of human history and the psyche with a commitment that still feels haunting and eerie to the listener, even four decades on. Although the previous two albums had ventured into similar territory, here the message of the album is just remorseless. The lyrics look for darkness and find it everywhere, dwelling almost exclusively on downbeat subjects such as war, invasion, colonization and the poignancy over the relentless savagery man is capable of. This gloom pervades the record. Only the aforementioned ‘Exciter’ seems to lift its head up and look to the heavens, telling of a mythical being from the skies who will leap among mankind with “combusting dance” until we only have the option to “fall to your knees and repent if you please!” Elsewhere on the title track, however, Halford mournfully opines that it may be too late, that society’s heart is irredeemably tainted, and is no longer clean as it was “long ago, when man was king”. The final track, ‘Heroes End’, seems to take these conclusions to the logical point that in this world, only the good die young. “Why do you have to die to be a hero?” Halford muses, seemingly metaphorically shaking his head. “It’s a shame a legend begins at its end….”

The darkness and inner turmoil laid down into the grooves is well and truly hammered home by the musical style Priest commit to here. No pianos or acoustic songs ease the ambience a little, as they did on the previous two records. This is metal to the core, all the way through, the band playing ferociously and with a sense of discipline and a take-no-prisoners attitude that is almost frightening. The album is a definite pointer towards the thrash and speed metal scene of the 1980s in this regard, and can be truly described as game-changing. For the first time across a full LP, another band had taken heavy metal beyond where Sabbath had pushed the idea. It is difficult to imagine the Big Four thrash bands, or much of the NWOBHM without this record, and listening back to it now one can see why. It feels like a step change from anything made prior. Something more intense, faster, focused, driven. When considered, 'Stained Class' is easily the most influential record Priest have ever made, concentrating the disparate energies of the fledgling heavy metal scene of the late 1970s into a much harder-edged beast, decisively cutting ties with the past and pointing to the future. Priest well and truly mean business here in a way that they have rarely done before or since, and arguably would not truly do so again until 1990's 'Painkiller'.

The combination of tighter, more aggressive music and the gloom of the lyrics draw you in whether you like it or not. The intensity of the music grabs you from the start and never lets you go for a single second. Every solo Tipton and Downing play is like a welder’s torch, pinpoint and piercing, white hot and pulsing with the core energy that is at the heart of heavy metal and supplies its immediacy, its very life force. Every riff is precise and ruthless, drilling into your psyche. The result is an album it’s impossible to just ignore, or apathetically leave on in the background. It takes the listener by the scruff of the neck and shows them the darkness, the melancholy, the sadness. Yet, somehow, it does not leave one feeling drained or downbeat, perhaps because of two things. Firstly, the sheer energy of the riffs and the band’s playing is invigorating. The second factor is that no other band has really sounded like Priest did in their 1976-78 period, and arguably never will. The vibe of the Priest albums from this time is almost indescribably distinctive. The records are gloomy and dark, but in a way that feels observant rather than resigned. It is a darkness, a brooding, sombre melancholy permeating the music, but one which it is somehow cathartic or even cleansing to dwell in for a while, to allow oneself to wander in. We all get moments of sombreness, ponderance and melancholy in our lives, to varying degrees. Priest in this period seem to tap into it in a way few other bands have truly managed.

Arguably, this vibe and feeling finds its truest, rawest expression in the second to last track on the album, the epic ballad ‘Beyond The Realms Of Death’, a song infused with Halford’s sadness at the depths people can be dragged under by depression, from the sombre, melancholic opening chords (written by Binks) to Halford’s screams in the chorus, pleading to the cosmos at large to “keep this world, with all its sin, it’s not fit for living in….”, before finally lamenting in the closing verse that so many others like the main protagonist in the song “seem to have lost the will”, and featuring a truly unreal solo from Tipton that wails with raw emotion and power. Words cannot do this song justice, and it is recommended that anyone getting into Priest and curious about 'Stained Class' should start with this track to get an idea of what the album is about. It stands to this day as Priest’s finest hour, a song of rare, deep feeling and sorrow, echoing the sadness felt by so many down the ages in a way that makes the listener empathise and reach their own catharsis.

Judas Priest would not make an album that approached the depths and darkness found on this record for nearly twenty years. Only after an enforced layoff in the 1990s did the relentless, incendiary drive, gloom and venom that had fuelled 'Stained Class' truly return with the savage ‘Jugulator’ album. In the years to follow the band would also mostly retreat from the driving speed metal tempos laid down on 'Stained Class' which would influence so many bands in the 1980s, perhaps due to the departure of Les Binks from the drum stool prior to 1980. The overall impression is that the band were possibly unable and unwilling to dwell in gloom and sombreness for much longer by 1978, and once the record was made consciously turned away towards lighter styles and melodies, although certain songs and albums still retained the dark, brooding melancholy vibes from their late 1970s period here and there. Priest’s change of direction made them household names, particularly in America, and deservedly so. Yet forty years on, 'Stained Class' still stands at the heart of the Priest discography, a dark monolith of unrelenting power, infused with the sorrows of its protagonists who have looked into the depths of the world and humanity, and found them sorely wanting. It still sounds today like it has been freshly forged from the furnace, glowing and pulsating with the raw energy that is the force not just of heavy metal music, but life and nature itself. It is, therefore, highly recommended not just for anyone curious about getting into Judas Priest’s body of work but also for anyone who wants to know and understand more about the foundations and keystones of heavy metal.

Judas Priest's reverential Stained Class - hot diggity, what a classic! Everything about this titanic release exudes professionalism and class. From a vociferous, free-wheeling opener in "Exciter" right up to posthumously introspective closer "Heroes End" ("Why do you have to die to be a hero?"), Stained Class is everything a rabid metal head can ask for: tightly jocose drumming, razor sharp riffs and extraordinary solos, confidently enhanced bass playing and not least, stratospheric high-pitched operatic vocals on behalf of one of music's most esteemed front men, the great Rob Halford, a heavy metal legend in his own right.

Without missing a beat, Halford and Co. clutch it up with "Exciter", heralded as the precursor to modern day "speed" metal. A rat-a-tat-tat style drum intro gives way to a super "ahead of its time" shuffle/jangle riff the cause of many a busted lawn chairs. Comprised of multiple bridge and solo sections, "Exciter" easily ranks high on my list of JP classics - in fact, each song on Stained Class tops the chart. (Even the somewhat hokey Spooky Tooth cover, "Better By You, Better Than Me" earns select status.) The way K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton blazingly let 'er rip lead wise after Halford's vigorously passionate "Fall to your knees and repent if you please" makes me want to pump my fist and throw devil horns, clichés be darned. Not once, but twice does this furious onslaught of epic guitar soloing occur, first at 01:19, then again at 03:26, after which a somewhat carnival-esque harmony bridges the gap before Halford returns in full force - epic with a capital "E": "Stand by for Exciter!" (X4). Now I know why this track gives me a strong urge to play Nintendo's Excite Bike.

Tipton and Downing are at the top of their game on Stained Class, easily making it the masters' #1 offering among many. (I once saw a young girl jaw-droppingly cover "Exciter", proving that with enough dedication and practice gals can rock as hard as male counterparts).

Next up is the sassy-as-fuck "White Heat, Red Hot", likely my favourite "swing boogie" track among Stained Class' vaunted discography. The first time I heard it shook with awe. I so dig the loose high-wire feeling the main riff instills, as it evokes a blinding, searing red hot flash of white lightning behind the eyes. "Feel good" chutzpah aside, check out the opening verse:

"The father's son, thy kingdom come, electric ecstasy,
Deliver us from all the fuss and give us sanctuary.
Lead us all into arena, magnificent in death.
Well let us serenade the sinner, we'll follow in his step."

As for the solo, it's got an endearing, highfalutin twang which never gets old, although it's funny how I always confuse the track name by mixing the words up (i.e. "Red Heat, White Hot"). The end result is the same as it's also one of my all-time favourite Judas Priest tracks (along with "Tyrant", "Starbreaker" and "Thunder Road", to name a few).

Overall Stained Class' level of production is fantastic, along with Tipton and Downing's super crisp and clear guitar tones, be it rhythm or lead. As well, bassist Ian Hill creeps out of his shell much more than elsewhere, notably on the Spooky Tooth cover - which alternates between coy pontifications and sheer bad-ass-ery i.e. the breakdown bass/guitar a minute or so in. Compared to the original, JP's take on "Better By You, Better Than Me" takes the comical hard rocker to the level of a bona fide goomba stomp/heady heavy metal pseudo-anthem. Drummer Les Binks doesn't overplay his hand as he provides the perfect counterpoint to his bandmates' articulate musical exonerations, solidly plowing ahead with his head down on the rad title track, which bleeds a fun and genial flow enhanced by team Tipton/Downing's steadfast triplets and poised power chord-age. The opening few bars/guitar riff (and slick, catapulting opening lead) are nominally compelling, setting this one off with the forceful grace of an eagle. The leads here spiral up down and around, at one point even uncannily evoking a hard tooting goose honk (see 03:38) sure to knock some feathers off your tree before cruising ever higher, followed by a face-planting return to form, tight triplet riffing and all.

"Invader" is a sure-fire winner and fan favorite as well, distinguishing itself as another speed metal precursor for which many heavy metal aspirants are grateful. Commencing with a classic JP sci-fi-ish warp drive effect/ electronic embellishment (i.e moog, mellotron, keyboard, whichever), "Invader" is right up there with - let me get it right - "White Heat, Red Hot" as far as top highlights go. Binks and Hill gift wrap this winner up for Halford's commanding presence and Tipton/Downing's crescendo of hot-to-trot riff-age, which makes me want to rock out "all nite and every day". Dig the opening verse and chorus:

"I came across a smoking field, pulsating afterglow.
I saw a seering flash of light erupt and skyward go.
I staggered back in dazed surprise, what was it I had seen?
As I stood there mesmerized I heard my spirit scream.

Invader, invader nearby.
Invader, invader is nigh…"

Lead wise, there's some real gems here, be they congenial little fills or zingers like the one zipping by at breakneck speed between 02:45 and 02:53; it's hallucinatory to say the least. Be sure to perk your ears up for this one as it's quite mind-blowing. Backtracking a bit before the incepting lead breaks, I found Halford to sound distinctly Ozzy like when he alters his pitch at : "When they come to take control every man must play his role./They won't take our world away when the children we leave will have to believe in today."

I haven't even covered the B-Side. Having gotten this far I may as well see things out to the end. Now, It's no surprise a JP cover band by the name of "Saints In Hell" has been caroming around Vancouver (B.C.) for some time as the eponymous track, while perhaps a slightly less imposing number, still does a fine job of establishing the faith. After getting off to a fairly humdrum start, it shakes off any misgivings with some of Stained Class' snarky-est instrumentation, including a plump little drum solo and incremental bridge soon giving way to a whirlwind of space faring/"Starbreaker" style single string palm muted riffing and a subtly cranky sounding Halford waxing ever so on the subject matter at hand.

"Savage" is no slouch either, ensconcing itself nicely between "Saints In Hell" and Judas Priest's grandiose tour-de-force, the widely acclaimed elegiac eulogy cum mountainous dirge of Halford's most compelling crooning, extensively beautiful prose and overall vocal meanderings. "Beyond The Realms Of Death" rocks harder than its opening clear guitar progression implies so stick around for its entirety in order to take in a complete and unabridged Stained Class experience. Its soulful lead sections are highly commendable and a must for any aspiring lead guitar hero.

Last but least is "Heroes End", one of my preferred tracks along with "Exciter", (urf!) "White Heat, Red Hot" and "Invader" as it sounds like a forgotten cut from JP's masterpiece of a debut, "Sad Wings Of Destiny". I'm not going to say this outright but the sinister sounding guitar riff at the beginning and throughout sort of reminds me of a legendary doom metal band I'm (as you all know) very fond of whose moniker starts with the letter "P"…either way, "Heroes End" is a strong number with a gripping chorus and super wonky solo to boot - all in all ending an already high quality release on an equally high note.

Children of the upcoming heavy metal generation, consider listening to Judas Priest's Stained Class from 1978 your homework.

Class dismissed!

After a quite notorious turnaround from the energetic and aggressive sound in "Sad Wings" to the progressive direction taken for the next release, the band decided to move their musical direction towards a more accessible sound for the different audiences (especially in the U.S.) they tried to reach. As such, they were not interested in listening to quite complex and lengthy songs (regardless of their brilliance), while making their music more radio-friendly. And along with all the complexity of their compositions, they gradually said goodbye to all their hippie imagery and all those musical influences from Zeppelin.

Notwithstanding all these changes, the band did not sell their souls as much as Sabbath was doing at that time when they played low-quality AOR. Rather, they kept the heaviness that characterized them since the beginning and simply as innovative as in their previous releases. Said innovation was blatant from the start with the influential speed metal opener "Exciter". The intense drumming and the guitar riffs featured in the song were something new for this music, and even more innovation resulted in the melodic neoclassical notes played during the solo. Furthermore, the song seems to be the answer for those who wonder the blueprint on which "Painkiller" had been building.

Afterward, the album runs in a slower fashion, but there are still many outstanding numbers that somehow keep the intensity of this track. "White Heat, Red Hot" is a perfect example. Although a little bit slower than the previous song, it is still running in a fast fashion, and during its chorus, Halford seems to sing "Am I Evil?" rather than the chorus of the song. Clearly, this comparison explains pretty much how the song influenced many bands, starting with Diamond Head and its well-known hit, as well as many other thrash bands around. "Savage" and "Saints in Hell", a couple of underrated numbers also provided several ideas for the way forward. Both songs have interesting riffs that surrounded the thrash metal vibe and are references on how the band would develop their sound going forward.

Another remarkable change is the fact that the band returned to their old songwriting techniques for their ballad "Beyond the Realms of Death," which is however much more aggressive than any other in their catalog. Jumping from soft lines to the mid-paced choruses and bridges, it seems to highlight the guitar playing of Tipton and Downing, as well as, the Halford's powerful vocals. On the other hand, some of the songs above appear at their best in "Unleashed in the East" due to the energy injected by the audience and the band members themselves, which is completely different to the dark atmosphere featured in this album. That said, this album represented the end of an era since afterward, the band would not be the same, and their way forward would have some memorable moments and other forgettable works (sadly, the most).

Time can be a rather cruel mistress. Equipping oneself with the most elite technology and sound at the time may make you seem like the avant garde of the time, but 20 years down the road, only God himself will know whether or not your shit sounds dated and quaint. Which is not to say that I think this album sounds dated and quaint, I just understand why there are those that do.

To be honest, one of the problems with why this album sounds so stranded in time to the modern metal fan is because half of it was never touched live. Sure if a song sounds twice as fierce live it still makes the album version sound slightly inferior, but you make peace with that because you are aware of the raw power a song is capable of when unleashed in the right circumstances.

I feel very privileged to have heard Exciter, White Heat Red Hot, Better By You Better Than Me, Stained Class, and Beyond The Realms of Death live. It provides me with the foresight to emotionally give back more energy to these songs that the songs themselves may even be capable of conveying simply because I know their true power. That’s why albums such as Unleashed in The East are so important. It’s simply not possible for bands who recorded the “old way” to give off their maximum potential, they’re only playing to an engineer who 90% of the time could probably care less.

Then there's the poor man's Simon Phillips, Les Binks. Ok, let's be fair, everybody except Neil fucking Peart is the poor man's Simon Phillips, and Les doesn't do a bad job of imitating him, but all the little fills and flourishes that made Sin After Sin's high points stratospheric just aren't here. Let's not act like Phillips couldn't have come with that double bass beat to Exciter. While Les Binks should deserve credit for innovating metal drumming, he isn't really doing anything that Simon didn't do on SAS. Speaking of Exciter, as much as I love Motorhead, they really need to stop getting THE credit for thrash drumming that Overkill gets considering Stained Class (and by extension, Exciter) predates Overkill by a full year. They deserve some credit sure, but Priest did it first. Deal with it you punk rock assholes.

I also can't help but wonder if there should be a "Tipton," a "Downing," or even a "Hill," next to the credits of Beyond The Realms of Death. Ok yea he wrote that intro lick which the meat of the song is based off of, but what about the thrash-esuqe bridge or double time ending under KK Downing solo at the song's conclusion? Maybe KK should get the credit since according to him it was his guitar Binks picked up and jammed with since "Glenn would guard his with his life."* I'm not trying to retroactively demonize Binks or claim he was some kind of hack, just that he was a placeholder for Simon Phillips. He's better than Holland, I'm sure we can all agree with that notion, right? RIGHT?

Despite how near 40 years of progress makes Stained Class seem like no more than a building block, the important thing to remember is the importance of that building block. There’s a reason the guys from Slayer (well Kerry King) drop Priest’s name left and right. It’s the thrashy middle-eight of Saints In Hell; It’s the impossibly high note at the end of Exciter; it’s the double time double bass at the tail end of White Heat Red Hot; it’s the doom-riff breakdown following the most violent, gory tirade Rob Halford had gone on up to this point in the title track (can you think of an earlier example that “hung drawn and quartered” was used in a rock song?); it’s the idea of wondering why good men die like dogs, but with sass, like in Hero’s End. it’s the matching of deep emotional lyricism by two distinct guitar solos shining for 16 bars wondering if knowledge is indeed worth the bitter cost. Stained Class is not only solely responsible for every sub-genre of metal, it’s when heavy metal became heavy metal. Period.

*(Metal Works liner notes)

Recommended Songs:
Exciter
Beyond The Realms of Death

The true birth of British Steel.

This is the album were metal as a style of music was really born. On earlier Priest albums, as well as those by Black Sabbath and other early innovators, there was as much distorted blues rock as actual metal, which was to be expected as the genre of metal was created. Here the blues was thrown to the side and only the gleaming metal was left, launching many styles and bands, and in a way laying down the bedrock of modern metal.

Right off the bat you get one of the foundational tracks of speed metal, Exciter. Starting off with pounding Binks drums before launching into speed riffing, this tune is pretty much the basis for all the American metal legends of the 80’s and the drive to be faster . Halford’s wails fly over the top of this and destroy any idea that you are in for a record of bluesy rock with some crunch. No sir, this is heavy metal as the gods intended. A sonic distillation of steel, leather, and chrome. The title track is pure metal bliss. Opening with some excellent lead work over rolling drums, then settling down into an iconic heavy metal riff before Halford’s vocal acrobatics begin. Add in an amazing chorus and you have a total gem of a track. Other standout tracks include the cover of Better by You, Better than Me which I love for the wonderful vocals of Halford and the punch of the drums Binks lays down. Listening to Halford sing this is nearly worth the price of the record alone. Beyond the Realms of Death is a guitar and vocal masterwork. Binks only writing credit on the record is a pure classic. He knew when to inject himself into he songwriting process I’d say. Soaring emotional vocals lift the listeners up to Beyond the Realms of Death while the band plays probably the best ballad ever written. The solos...oh my the solos. Words can’t describe the emotion of the playing. You need to check it out for yourself. Immediately. The rest of the tracks all are solid examples of what metal is and would be for all time. Sharp riffs, screaming leads, thumping bass, pounding drums, and Halford over the top. Deny this and as Halford says, Fall to your knees and repent if you please!

Musically the band is on fire and inspired. Halford wails like only he could when he was young. He also shows off how amazing he sounds in the mid ranges on songs like Stained Class, and Invaders. Just perfectly executed. KK and Glen are...well KK and Glen. Tight leads, tight rhythms, and wonderful song structures. The guitarists of Priest have always been at the head of the pack when it comes to trading off leads and solos and this is one of the masterpieces that established them as the legends they are. Les Binks drums sound just amazing, a perfect crack that punches though the guitars like well recorded drums should. He tosses in double bass now and then for accent and his fills are top notch. I’ve always thought he was the best Priest drummer but Scott Travis always gets the praise due to a lot of double bass. Well there is more to metal drumming than just that and he puts on a show here. I wish we could have heard the 80’s records with a drummer of this caliber. Ian Hill is the member of the band who is usually ignored but he does a fine job here supporting the music with basslines that fill out the sound and give the tunes the necessary low end Nothing flashy, but perfect for the songs.

This is the true birth of Judas Priest, despite the amazing quality of earlier records, and really the true birth of the style heavy metal. Utterly mandatory.

Stained Class is easily among the absolute greatest heavy metal albums ever produced. All 9 songs, all of them, are exceptional. There is never a dull moment in the entire 43 minutes of the album. There is a musical depth and creativity here that is unmatched by any other Priest album. In my opinion Stained Class is Judas Priest at their creative peak.

In addition to being among the best metal albums ever, it's also one of the most influential. The opening track, "Exciter", is quintessential speed metal, and can be said to have laid the foundation for what was to come later, 80's thrash. The tempo for Exciter is about 132 bpm, which is not super fast by today's standards, but for it's time it could be said to be pretty blazing. Exciter also features double bass drumming from Les Binks, which was pretty groundbreaking for its time.

Every track features top notch guitar riffs that really stand out melodically. The riffing is not as thick or as heavy as on, for instance, British Steel. They are generally more groovy, and they are spectacular. Every song has at least one really great guitar riff, and several songs have more than one. "White Heat, Red Hot", and "Better by You, Better Than Me" both begin with a few measures of an excellent opening guitar riff, after which the rhythm section kicks in, creating a perfect, groovy, pounding melody. The lead guitar parts are played harmoniously, and with beautiful feeling and soul. Tipton and Downing's twin guitar teamwork produces some of the finest melody and counter-melody action I've ever heard. Their playing technique is delivered with impeccable skill and precision.

Of all Priest albums, this one takes the cake featuring the clearest, cleanest vocal sound by singer Rob Halford. He's perfectly on pitch, vibrant, and ripened with an operatic, high ranged tone that he delivers with great passion and power. The vocal melodies themselves are also very well composed. Lyrically, Stained Class is of a darker, deeper, and more sophisticated nature than other Priest albums. The lyrics for songs such as "Savage", "Beyond the Realms of Death", and the title track are all masterfully crafted and contain very passionate, heartfelt meanings. The overall level of lyrical artistry and creativity on Stained Class is better than any other Priest album in my opinion. There is also great use of harmonic, studio backing vocals on many of the tracks, such as "White Heat, Red Hot", an absolute gem. The opening of "Savage" features an amazingly high note sung by Halford which is just mind blowing. Rob Halford's performance on Stained Class might very well be the greatest work of his career.

The production and the mix on Stained Class is damn near perfect. Every note from every instrument can be clearly heard and is dialed to just the right volume. The drums have a particularly crisp sound, and Les Binks makes good work of the entire drum kit. The bass guitar can be heard and is distinguishable from the electric guitars over top of it, and Ian Hill uses an appropriate playing style which backs the band without being excessive. The bottom end of the music is not overly heavy or distorted, rather it is nicely tuned to a very clear sound which makes everything easier to hear and enjoy.

There are no weak songs on the album. As I said, all 9 of them are great. There are only some parts which are slightly less interesting than others. Listening to this album, from start to finish, truly is thoroughly enjoyable on multiple levels. The entire band plays with passion, depth, and talent. Stained Class highlights every great feature of Judas Priest in its best form. It surely will stand the test of time for it's outstanding musical quality and tremendous influence.

Here we go boys, Stained effing Class! This album is by far one of the greatest metal albums of all time. I first heard this when I was just getting into heavy metal and I still listen to it all the time, and it does not, and will not get old. From the blazing riffing of "Exciter" to the bad ass, sassy verses of "Heroes End" this record is pretty much as close to perfect as possible. There is not a bland moment on here, each song is completely unique and they all are ridiculously awesome. The entire band is firing on all cylinders, with KK and Glenn playing some of the coolest licks in the JP catalogue and Rob blowing your mind with his insane vocals. Stained Class was the first with my favorite of the Priest drummers, Les Binks, and he is outstanding on here. Ian Hill is not the type of bassist to come out of his shell much, but all of his playing here is adept and tasteful, and his playing supports everything superbly. Everything on here is absolutely spectacular.

The songs on here are all magnificent. The tracks are all very diverse and each of them are quite unique in their own way; even though they possess this trait, they all sound like they belong together. Each of the songs flow seamlessly with each other, which makes letting the entire record play a joy. I don't ever skip anything from Stained Class, everything is just awesome. The production is obviously going to sound a bit dated (It's from 1978), but it still sounds very clear and everything sounds great. Some people will say that the guitars sound a bit weak due to the old recording equipment; which is completely valid, you might share this opinion, but I think they still sound bad ass. There are some slower songs like "Beyond the Realms of Death", "Savage" and "Better by you, Better Than Me", but none of them are ever too slow paced, and never boring. Especially "Beyond the Realms of Death", which is one of the highlights of the album, it's a rather sad song, with lovely acoustic passages and brilliantly sung lyrics, and then it explodes in your face with that super epic chorus kicked off with robs awesome "YEAH!! I've left the world behind!". The song also has some wicked soloing, and for its time, that soloing was downright insane (heck it still is).

The rest of the album adheres to a much quicker pace, and sometimes kicks into overdrive (Saints in Hell), and lets not forget that legendary opener: Exciter! "Exciter" is probably one of the best album openers ever. This song is just insane, you really have to hear it to know what I mean. A song this fast and heavy in 1978 was just unheard of, and it was a real game changer. It is blazing fast, with wicked drums and riffing, it has awesome lyrics (I love the thermal lance part so much) and spectacular solos. I could try to name the standout tracks, but it's kind of pointless, as everything is really that freaking good. I've known fans of this album to have different favorites than I do from Stained Class, but in my personal opinion, the best are the title track, "Invader", "Saints in Hell", and "Beyond the Realms of Death"

The instrumentation is, as always with Judas Priest, masterful. The riffs, the solos, the vocals, the rhythm section, all epic. The riffs on the album have a very cool style to them. This was the era of Priest where they were progressing further and further, and developing heavy metal. They were still transitioning from their more bluesy sound and getting more complex and heavy, as a result the riffs and licks all have a groovy touch to them, while still being pretty hardcore. The result is a bunch of very creative riffs (See "White Heat, Red Hot" or "Saints in Hell"). The soloing is top notch (it's KK and Glenn, so that goes without saying), in some cases they can be super fast, but as with the riffs, they all have this awesome groovy touch to them. My favorite solos on Stained Class are the ones from the title track (the part at around 3:40 into the song is killer, especially how it transitions back into the verse) and from "Invader". Also, Stained Class is my favorite album for Rob, his singing is so awesome on here. I think it was around here where he really mastered the use of his super high pitched side, as in some cases he sings entire verses with it (See the title track).

The rhythm section is awesome too, as I said, Les Binks rules. His drumming is top notch and he does not have a weak part any where on here. The same goes for Ian's bass lines, he has always been the type to play whatever benefits the song as a whole, and he never really showed off any. His bass tone is actually pretty awesome, with a mean growly low to it, you might not notice it at first, but it is actually him that contributes a ton to the super heavy sound of the record. All in all, this is Judas Priest firing on all cylinders and I think this is their greatest achievement (Sad Wings is a close second for me, although a lot of people like that one more). The songwriting is absolutely fantastic, you can just read the lyrics to this stuff and be amazed at the gravity to what they were writing. Another thing I would like to point out is how well everything is done when it comes to not just the lyrics, but how they are sung. For instance, to sing a line like, "Transfixed at deliverance, is this all there is? Faithless continuum, into the abyss." When you hear how the song is structured, it's really amazing how such intricate lyrics can be sung effectively, that alone is no easy task, and they pull it off flawlessly.

Stained Class is truly one of greatest achievements of not just heavy metal, but rock music in general. The sheer combination of talent, skill, art, and class (no pun intended) make for what is undoubtedly one of the greatest albums of all time. Each and every track is outstanding, heck even the artwork is badass. I would recommend this to anybody who likes good music, and this should be a staple of any heavy metal fan's collection. There is a reason why my username on everything is named after this album, it's just that great.

This is possibly the greatest metal album of all time. It's the source of my username. I've probably heard every song on this album about fifty to a hundred times, and it doesn't get old. The compositions, lyrics, instrumentation, vocals, and songs themselves are mostly perfect. There is not a single metal band, excluding doom and the stuff this site doesn't consider metal, that doesn't draw influence from this album. Bands from Slayer to Helloween praise it as a major influence and inspiration for them.

This cover is in the pantheon, for it just seems to epitomize so much of early Priest, the darkness contrasted with the fineness like a morbid, metal version of classic Queen. Whenever I look at it, I associate it with Halford for some reason. The cape or robe he seems to be wearing is not unlike that of Halford's stage get-up, and there's just something about looking at it that makes me think Halford is that guy. On an artistic level, I interpret the glittering rod through his head as a sign of man's reliance on technology and his turning away from nature. That would somewhat fit the lyrics, but i'm not an art critic. On a related note, you really can't find this on any t-shirts or clothing, I've tried.

The songwriting here is pretty much as good as Priest ever were. The music enough twists and turns to keep the longer songs interesting. The light and shade switch on Beyond the Realms of Death is perfection. The lyrics are also headier than anything Priest would do afterwards. Tales of far away forces wreaking havoc, man's own feebleness and decline, and his inability to tolerate his existence is way past anything in their future, save possibly Electric Eye. Compared to previous albums, lyrics aren't particularly better, but they are heavier. Tyrant and Dissident Aggressor were heavy, almost-thrash, but there was only one of those on each album. This has about five around their level. That's not to say that Priest don't have any songs that aren't meant to be more playful. The White Heat and Better By You combo don't have light lyrics, but they're not as heavy and lean on being almost danceable.

The guitar playing is as rifftacular as usual. Most of the riffs are very heavy, and quite a few are fast as well. This combination is part of what made Priest stick out from many of their peers. The hard-rock bands couldn't match either of these, Sabbath couldn't get this fast, and Motorhead couldn't get this heavy. The soloing isn't super technical, but compared to 1978, there wasn't much better. It's got a pretty good feel, and it's also fast at times. To an extent, it seems to me that Priest's dueling solos were set-up differently on the earlier albums. These are more normal length solos following each other. The succeeding albums would feature more of an alternating licks approach. I associate them more for the latter, but the former does allow for more expression on several songs.

The drumming is quite good and technical for it's time. The stuff Les Binks was doing was not common in any form of rock or metal. It honestly would be another decade before stuff he was doing on here became common, such as frequent double-bass, rolls, fills, and some good aggression. This sounds ordinary, but this was still largely limited to fusion and prog at the time. His shining moment to me is on Savage. To me the song feels almost drum-driven and has plenty of good fills and rolls, typical of his style on the album. The bass is pretty much as usual. I don't view this as Ian's best, or even close. The thing is though, that the difference between his best and his average isn't much.

The vocals are a little different for Halford. This is one of his younger performances, so the highs are beautiful. The difference is mainly how their mixed and their predominance. They sound almost airy for large parts of the album, like he's a specter delivering the lyrics. He also doesn't vary his pitch very much. I don't view this as a problem, as his highs are his signature, and this is essentially their peak. The track Saints In Hell is the major example of this. I had to read along with the lyrics several times to really figure out what he was saying. On a qualitative note, I think this is possibly the greatest vocal performance in metal history. Most metal vocalists can't keep their natural sound as they reach their ceiling. Even Dio can't maintain his roar, and Dickinson sounds like their in a vice towards the top. Halford doesn't really have this problem, and it's almost inhuman how consistent his voice is as his register heightens.

The songs themselves are pretty much excellent from start to finish. I suppose Invader would be the weak one, but it's relative. I do love that slower section that starts with "When they come to take control." It's just cool, and it makes you stop what you're doing in the way an anthem would. I've always found it odd how much Exciter and Painkiller resemble each other, but it doesn't really reduce either song in my eyes. Suffices to say, if you've heard Painkiller, this will sound very familiar. I could pretty much say the same thing for Beyond the Realms of Death and Fade to Black. I somewhat prefer the former, and it really is one of the greatest metal songs of all time. Everyone has heard the story of Binks piddling on a guitar creating the unusual acoustic rhythm and Tipton writing most of the rest of the music, though if you haven't, there it is. I implied this previously, but this is essentially the template for 80's metal epic ballads. From Maiden to Metallica to Testament, this is the first that served as the blueprint. As far as these epics go, I'd still say that this is the best.

I do find giving perfect scores odd, but I see this as a serious contender for the greatest metal album of all time. That is an entire genre that this is maybe the best of. Beyond the Realms of Death is also probably one of the ten or so greatest metal songs of all time, with Exciter, the title track, and Saints in Hell being serious contenders for the top 100. The only shame I see is in hindsight. Priest never did anything this good again. Painkiller and a few others were awesome, but not in the total way that this is. This album takes you to a different place, the place of its pain, and forces you to endure it. After this, Priest took a more commercial turn with Killing Machine/ Hell Bent for Leather and the lyrics, more complex song structures, and even some of the speed left. They continued to occasionally craft a very good and even one great album later, but nothing genre-defining, except perhaps Painkiller to modern German power metal. I'm not gonna merely recommend this, this flat out is necessary for any metal fan. This is probably too aggressive for most hard-rock fans, but really fans of early, thrash, and power would probably love this.

The late 70s were a prolific time for the metal gods known as Judas Priest, if not in terms of popularity and album sales, then certainly in productivity; between 1976 and 1978, they had at least one album recorded for each year and in the case of 1978, managed to record two albums in one year, a feat few bands are capable of doing in today's environment. That any of these albums would be top notch records in that kind of recording schedule is a miracle in itself, since bands usually require some a lot of time to evolve their sound. Yet in a manner of two years, Judas Priest had an evolved sound removed from the psychedelic blues rock of their debut and transformed into a unique metal machine. With "Stained Class", we see Judas Priest come into their own with a sound that, for the first time, pulls all of their influences together without appearing disjointed.

The album is more polished than their previous three, and not just in terms of production. The songs are focused without being one dimensional and varied without appearing desperate to be progressive. Despite a production that, for it's time, must have been considered clean for a heavy metal album, there is an underlying darkness in the songs, both musically and lyrically. The music takes most of it's cues from the speed of their previous "Sin After Sin" but brings back the catchy hooks we saw in the debut "Rocka Rolla", giving the heavy metal aggression a bit of swing that keeps your head banging throughout. The lyrics themselves have grown more colorful, evolving from the hellish themes in previous songs like "Dissident Aggressor" and creating entire heavy metal fables centered around sci-fi and war tales like "Saints in Hell", "Exciter", "Stained Class" and "Invaders". Matching the fury of Judas Priest's heavy metal storm is Rob Halford, who utilizes high notes even more on this album, rising to a crescendo that matches the violent excitement of the music. The opening track "Exciter" is pure proto-speed metal joy that opens with a brief but impressive drum fill by Les Binks, who throughout the rest of the song proves his mettle (no pun intended) as a drummer for the fiery heavy metal Judas Priest are going for on this album. Judas Priest include a cover song, "Better by You, Better Than Me", which despite it's catchy riff, is best known for being the focus of that absurd lawsuit involving suicide. Which is funny, because "Better By You, Better Than Me" makes me want to do anything but kill myself.

Despite all of the impressive songs on this album, one in particular has become a fan favorite that is still performed in concerts to this day, and that is "Beyond the Realms of Death". Aside from being an awesome song with an impressive musical dynamic, "Beyond the Realms of Death" feels like a fulfillment of Judas Priest's attempts at fusing their progressive influences into their heavy formula. We've seen them make ballads in previous albums, but those felt, for the most part like standard ballads. With "Beyond the Realms of Death", you have a melancholy acoustic intro that kicks into a heavy chorus with an impassioned performance by Rob Halford, a soulful guitar solo, and flawlessly dark lyrics that match the tone of the album. It's just too bad that other tracks on the album, like heavy hooked "White Heat, Red Hot" or the pre-NWOBHM ferocity of "Exciter" or "Savage", haven't become quite the concert staples they should be.

In my opinion, this is probably one of Judas Priest's best 1970's albums, if not one of their best albums over all. It sheds any connection with the hard rock of the time, in favor of being it's own steel monster that predicts the speed and thrash metal attack of the 80s. Judas Priest spent their first few albums searching for a place for the best of their influences in their music, while trying to maintain a distinct identity. With "Stained Class", Judas Priest not only developed their own approach to the heavy metal sound, but helped give heavy metal it's own unique identity.

The great Judas Priest. Ah...anyway. Well the greatness of the British metal output seemed to grow stronger with each of their solid 70's releases, culminating with the finale of their unholy trilogy of 70's classics, "Stained Class". "Sad Wings of Destiny" was something fantastic with its immense and emotionally-charged songs, while the frankly overrated "Sin After Sin" brought on an inconsistent array of songs ranging from wimpy ballads to electrifying proto-thrashers. But "Stained Class" is something special. Judas Priest's 4th full-length studio album is THE roaring, blazing blueprint for modern speed, power and thrash metal as we know it. With its dark lyrical content, throat-grabbing dual guitar assault, hammering double bass and Rob Halford's signature nightmare wailing, there was never an album like it at the time, and arguably never will be again.

Yes, the members of Priest are truly firing from all directions on then some on this LP. Rob Halford's piercing wails and hum-laden mid-level singing just sound fantastic, plain and simple. KK Downing and Glenn Tipton have fully-perfected their signature duel guitar assault on here, and bring the attack into full force like on the back-and-forth slicing on "Exciter" or the spirited textured solos of "Beyond The Realms of Death". Ian Hill, so often buried on a many Priest record to come, gets his moments on here, particularly some booming riffing on the title track or "Saints In Hell". Last but absolutely not least is the group's 2nd greatest drummer, the incomparable Les Binks. While maybe not as aggressive as the band's later skin-basher Scott Travis, he at least matches him stick-to-stick for technicality and speed alike. Just listen to the guy's legendary double bass intro (a rarity for the 70's) to "Exciter" and you'll be a true believer in this guy's abilities.

Nine songs is not enough for "Stained Class", but you bet your sorry mortal ass that Judas Priest is gonna make the best of that and then some! The only major downside to this album as many have pointed out is the somewhat lousy production, mostly in that the guitars can sound too wimpy and the drums are a bit hollow at times. Shit, if this album had the production of "British Steel" or even "Hell-Bent For Leather"...aw fuck, it would be fucking UNREAL! Hell, it'd probably be my favorite Priest album instead of "Painkiller" even! But that's that; can't change that shit so MOVING ON!
Some highlights? Basically every-fucking-thing, though one of the best and a fan favorite would have to be "Exciter", the speed metal song to end all speed metal songs. From it's speed riffing and relentless drums to the blazing proto-power metal soloing and Halford's madman wailing it kicks down doors and rapes mortal skulls for every millisecond of its 5 1/2 minutes runtime. Not to mention it's got one of the best breaks in a metal song ever: "FALL TO YOUR KNEES AND REPENT IF YOU PLEASE!" The title track is also really fucking wicked, with some cool as hell galloping riffage that beat Maiden to the punch; Halford's shrieks are totally capable of breaking down a tower of glass on this track. Then we have a personal favorite and very underrated bit o' awesomeness in "Saints In Hell". It's black metal before black metal with lyrics a telling of holy men burning and all a manner of man and beast going to apocalyptic war; a very cool track with a catchy main riff and a Sabbath sort of relentlessness. Let's not forget the best metal ballad of all time, "Beyond The Realms of Death". It's acoustic verses never fail to mesmerize me before the song breaks into a rushing mid-paced chorus, not to mention the spirited, creative Tipton-Downing solos are one of the best things ever. Other solid songs include charging closer "Hero's End" (which I think should have been second last to "Beyond The Realms of Death" instead") or the morose, stomping cover of the Spooky Tooth song "Better By You, Better Than Me". Hell, even lesser cuts like "Invader" or "Savage" are worth merit as well; they're that good!

Literally the only things I have wrong with "Stained Class" is that the production could be better, and that I wish the positions of the last two songs could have been switched. That's it. This album is a true masterpiece of the genre and easily of the best Priest albums ever, not to mention one of the greatest metal albums. If you don't own this yet, first you repeatedly hammer your genitals with a rusted crowbar for several hours straight for not owning it already. Then, if by some miracle you're still conscious or even alive, then maybe you'll be deemed worth for the greatness that is "Stained Class". Metalheads and music-lovers alike, you won't be sorry.




PS- Sorry about your genitals.

Stained Class was the third masterful album in the 1976-1984 'hot streak' of what is indisputably one of England's most exciting bands of the period. Excluding Point of Entry, each of the individual records the band released was overflowing with songwriting envied the world over, and though there were clear 'hits' among the batch, even here, it's the sort of experience you can still sit through today, 30+ years later and enjoy from beginning to end with painfully few hurdles between them. The cover is iconic, rather artsy for its day and age (even compared to the three previous albums) and for some reason always reminds me of wacky sci-fi pinball machines. And I LOVE wacky sci-fi pinball machines, so you know where this is going...

It's often considered to have a 'cleaner' production than its predecessors, a point which I don't exactly debate, but frankly I thought albums like Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny sounded great, so all I really heard was that it felt like a more developed set of songs. Rob Halford was starting to grow more and more into his screams, the strut of Ian Hill's bass was a sound anchor to the generally higher pitched guitar line, the bluesy and reined in distortion of the rhythm guitars was very clear while retaining a full body, and Les Binks' steady and polished pounding was pretty intense for the time, if not incredibly adventurous. This album actually had quite a number of moments where the band returned to some of the groovy rocking of the debut, with the Led Zeppelin/Cream feel of the licks, but even here they strike it rich by executing an unflinching sense for catchiness and an atmosphere and aesthetic that places it in the arcades, roller rinks and high schools of the late 70s. In fact, while it might seem a strange observation, I think this was a pretty cool record even for disenfranchised disco fanatics to find shelter in.

There is just so much you could say about "Exciter" alone, but it's only the first track on the album. Rob's chorus has the ability to burn itself straight into your memory, and the shuffling pace of the rhythm guitars in the verse provides one of the more memorable. Lots of little nuances here, like the 'bow to your knees...' break which Venom would later adapt rhythmically into one of their own famous lines. Or the epic transition of the bridge (around 2:00) where they transform it into a near rock opera with the layered harmony. Or the dual melodies deeper in the track which spawned a million impersonators in power metal with their classical rhythmic configuration. The leads are great, not a lick wasted, and it's simply one of the best fucking songs this band has ever written, fairly advanced and progressive when paired up against even the better songs off Sin After Sin or Sad Wings...

Fortunately, the album has a far deeper roster. No one is warming the bench this time out, whether he or she prefers the searing wails over the driving hard blues of "White Heat, Red Hot", the iron grooves and shrill seasonings of "Saints in Hell" which feels like a track Sabbath might have written and passed off to Priest since they know the Birmingham gods could do it much better. The panning of those chords in the bridge is so testosterone inducing epic that you could probably plug in a car battery and some Dr. Emmett Brown pseudo-science and transport yourself back to any major conflict in history. "Savage" makes you want to beat back smilodons with a giant mammoth-bone maul, and then of course you've got "Beyond the Realms of Death" with its glimmering acoustic intro and driving mid-paced metal eruption that I often use as a meter to determine who can or can not be my friend. They also pull out another of their classy covers here with a version of Spooky Tooth's "Better By You, Better Than Me" (from the previous decade) which is so bad ass sexy that members of the opposite (or sometimes, the same) gender will immediately begin gyrating and stripping.

I haven't yet mentioned "Invaders", or "Heroes End", each of which could serve as an alternate energy source for Western civilization once the petrol wells run dry. Stained Class is so saturated in greatness that it almost begins to feel claustrophobic, and there isn't a song written for this which can't turn back the dials of time to a point at which the emerging metal genre felt so fresh, inventive, and lethal. The leads blaze with a bluesy abandon into your subconscious, and Rob's sharp-edged pitch is not something he refrains from using to its fullest here. How many power, trad or speed metal singers do you hear lately that have even a minute fraction of this guy's immediate distinction? Brilliant, slicing harmonies everywhere. The lyrics here also reached a new plateau of restless imagery and relevance, proving that the infant extremity of this genre had the potential for a literary, not pedestrian message. Frankly, I would not have thought it possible that Sin After Sin could be trumped in such a short span of time, but for Judas Priest that took only about a year. Perhaps not a 100% flawless record, there may be a note or two that I scoff at or a riff that sinks below the rest, but nonetheless an essential, timeless experience which is mandatory for anyone who dares call him/herself 'metal'.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Stained Class captures Judas Priest in the middle of a transition from the fearsomely innovative metal pioneers of Sad Wings of Destiny and Sin After Sin to the accessible (but still inventive) megastars of the Killing Machine/British Steel era. New drummer Les Binks is probably the weak link in the chain, since there's really not much to separate his performance from dozens of other hard rock drummers of the era, but he can keep time and that's all Tipton and Downing need to raise a storm with their dual lead guitar solos.

In terms of the material presented, the album kicks off with a blueprint for speed metal in the form of Exciter - featuring some of the most ear-piercing wails Rob Halford would ever muster - before delivering an album divided between accessible, catchy tracks like Invader or Better By You Better Than Me and murky, mysterious, death-obsessed experiments such as Stained Class and Beyond the Realms of Death. The latter song is the piece most reminiscent of previous material - mainly progressing as a quiet, low key ballad before erupting for the mighty choruses, with Halford singing the praises of death as an escape from an unacceptable world over some of the doomiest riffs the band would ever produce.

Beyond the Realms is probably my favourite track from the album, although picking a favourite is necessarily a rather arbitrary process with an album as fearsomely consistent as this one. Although it is not as groundbreakingly innovative or crushingly heavy as its predecessor, Stained Class is at least a highly listenable album from beginning to end, with each and every track more than justifying its presence - quite simply, there is not a single piece of filler on the thing. Though I wouldn't put it above the two immediately preceding albums, Stained Class more than qualifies for a place in the top tier of Judas Priest albums.

I just had to give this album a listen, because I just watched a great documentary about Judas Priest's highly publicized court case in 1990, in which they were blamed for the death of a young man who shot himself while listening to "Better By You, Better Than Me." (The documentary is called Dream Deceivers, and it's very good.) Well, I'm glad I gave it a listen, because it was well worth it.

I can see why this album has received such high praise from most of the people who have reviewed it here. Even though the production values date the album a bit, it gives the listener the chance to experience heavy metal in its young years. (The sound lacks some of the weight of eighties heavy metal production, but that's how things began in the seventies.) Stained Class has many of the hallmarks of early heavy metal. The soaring vocals of Rob Halford, with a bit more falsetto than later Halford vocals; the crashing cymbals and crisp drum work that would become heavier in ensuing years; the crunchy, energetic rhythm guitar work with solid riffing, that would also become heavier on later albums; and some very nice lead guitar that sets the foundation for later heavy metal extravagance. It really is like looking at photos of people when they were younger. You can see (or in this case, hear) many of the elements that change and solidify in later life.

"Beyond the Realms of Death" is a classic track that develops in a classic progression: acoustic guitar and laid back vocals at the beginning, gradually building emphasis on the solid, thundering riff; and the vocals that get higher, louder and more frenzied; leading to a classic guitar solo; and finally, the finale, where everything builds in intensity and speed, with a sudden dramatic pause at the end. Beautiful stuff, really.

"Saints in Hell" is another standout track, that reminds me a bit of Black Sabbath in its style of guitar work, but the vocals are classic Halford. None of that somewhat whiny Ozzy Osbourne stuff here! (I can almost hear the Ozzy fans shout in protest--I'm just saying Ozzy sounds a bit weak when compared to a vocal giant like Halford. I love Sab, really I do.) And some fun echo effects on the vocals half way through. Great.

I could go on, but I won't. Suffice it to say that this is a seminal work in the development of heavy metal. It absolutely deserves its status in the pantheon of great British heavy metal albums.

If you were to ask a random metal fan to name the one album that they believed defined metal music, chances are many would reply “Number of the Beast”, “Paranoid”, “British Steel” or even “Master of Puppets”. Few would reply with Judas Priest's 1978 masterpiece “Stained Class”, an album heavily underrated by all but the more dedicated Priest fans for reasons unknown. Sabbath may have played the first metal riff ever back in 1970 but it was Judas Priest's “Stained Class” which stripped away the blues influence and pushed metal in a new direction. From the blazing fast opener “Exciter” to the thrashy mid-paced “Saints in Hell”, one can see/hear the huge influence this album alone has had on metal.

“Stained Class” features in my opinion, the band at its peak. Halford's voice may not be as high as it is on Painkiller but he sings with such energy and passion (check out that scream at the very end of Beyond the Realms of Death for evidence!) that one can overlook that small detail. This album also holds some of Glenn Tipton's and KK Downing's best solos and riffs. No one can deny the the quality of Tipton's solos in “Beyond the Realms of Death” or “Exciter”, nor can they deny the influence on thrash metal of that intense riffing around 3 minutes into “Saints in Hell”. Les Binks' drumming is also top notch. While the vastly underrated Binks may not hit the drumkit as hard as Scott Travis would 12 years later, his fills are always interesting without being self indulgent. Ian Hill's bass unfortunately is barely audible in the majority of the tracks although it is solid, if not spectacular on the few songs it can be heard in.

Another strong point of this album are the lyrics. After listening to British Steel, Ram it Down or even Painkiller one could be forgiven for thnking that the band were incapable of writing meaningful lyrics. However, that was not always the case. With the lyrics touching on topics such as colonialism in “Savage” and suicide in “Beyond the Realms of Death” this would be the band's last album before the lyrics would move in a more commercial direction.

In conclusion this is a heavy metal masterpiece that every metal fan should pick up, even if only to hear the influence it has had on whatever their favourite metal band may be. It is consistent from start to finish and there is bound to be something in it for everyone. Make sure to pick up the remastered version as it features the only official live version of “Better By You, Better Than Me” (the infamous “suicide song”) that the band has released.

Standout tracks:
As mentioned previously, this album is consistently strong but “Exciter”, “Stained Class”, “Savage” and “Beyond the Realms of Death” would be the songs that stick out to me personally.

Weak tracks:
None, although “Invader” is the weakest track of the album in my opinion.

It's generally agreed that at some point in the early 80s, 1981 or so by most accounts, a faster, meaner, faster, uglier, faster, more technical, faster and definitely faster more form of metal popped up on the scene. It was called THRASH, and it began kicking ass, taking names, and in at least one case possibly designing a vast conspiracy to trick all the metal fans of the world into believing in them, at which point it would immediately sell out to pop culture, go to each fan's house, and personally stab them in the back with a rusty deboning knife. And that was all well and good. But what do you call something fast, mean, ugly, technical, and generally thrashy that somehow made its appearance before the 80s?

You call it Stained Class, of course.

This album is, simply put, one of Judas Priest's best releases, and thus one of metal's best releases. In fact, if not for the mediocre cement block of a song that is "Invader," this album would kick Painkiller's ass square. The only real over-arching flaw on this is the production - it sounds like it was produced in 1978, which is probably because it was produced in 1978. Aside from the wimpy tone, this is just a complete ass-kicker of an album - the guitars are fast and ripping, the vocals are Halford in his window-shattering prime, the bass is faster than Ian Hill would play for the next 12 years and heavy to boot, and the drums are Priest's peak up until the human drum machine Scott Travis would take over.

Song-wise, you've got several of the finer examples of music designed to piss people off and yet make them want to listen to it at the same time. The best two examples of that are "Saints In Hell" and the title track, which thrash harder than most of the 80s, never mind the 70s. "Stained Class" rips your intestines out with a gallop, "Saints In Hell" uses an energized version of the old riff from "Cheater," but they both accomplish the same thing–UTTER DESTRUCTION. Of special note are the middle section riffs in both. "Saints" begins to thrash madly at 3:13; the drums are dynamic and good, and Rob bursts into Complete Unholy Fucking Evil and eats your soul with mustard and onions, but those are overshadowed by the riff of thrash metal pain that is one of the highlights of Judas Priest's whole catalog, and thus all of heavy metal. Meanwhile, "Stained" waits till 3:15 to unleash the HEAVIEST thing in metal at the time. I am not kidding. This riff is the Big Red Hand of Satan popping out of the ground and crushing metropolitan Detroit because some poor fool cranked it a bit too loud. You will obey the power of this riff, or you shall be executed for poseury.

Either one of those two songs would easily be the total highlight of most metal albums....but this is Stained Class, and something more is needed. Thus, the ballad and complete masterpiece of the album, "Beyond the Realms of Death." The guitar riffs (both clean and distorted) are great, and the arrangement is impeccable, but there are two real reasons that this song owns your soul. One of them is Rob Halford's mournful, vicious, philosophical, and generally really, really good vocal performance; the other is Glenn Tipton's solo of complete and utter awesomeness. They are the best performances in Judas Priest by those two guys. Case closed. Kneel and worship.

Getting the point? How about "Exciter"? This is "Painkiller" beta version, and while it does not quite possess the sheer "rock out or die" killingness of said speed metal masterpiece, it is quite awesome of its own right. The lyrics make no sense, of course, but considering that everything else on here is more or less coherent, I'd say that's a remarkable victory for the oft-unintelligible Priest. Truly rocking. You want more? Try "Heroes End," with a riff very nearly as abusive as the title track alternating throughout the bridge (first appearance, 2:14) with chilling vocals. Or maybe the pounding "Savage," with its wide-ranging chorus singing and intricate guitar work. The opening shrieks are also notable, not only because they utterly rule, but because this is one of the first instances of a metal song opening with a spine-chilling scream. That'll happen a lot in the next few decades and counting.

There's also "White Heat, Red Hot," a damn good rocker with a nice epic-sounding bridge, and "Better By You, Better Than Me," the infamous Suicide Song. I have never heard the original, so I don't know if they did it justice and don't particularly care; a very nice riff over a grooving drum line with a couple great-sounding vocal lines right before the chorus ("You hear the teaching of the wind...") "Invader" I shall forever hate for bringing this album down, but it's listenable, and the bridge at 1:55 is pretty good.

So there you have it. An album that kicked everything else square in the ass in the seventies, and can do a fair job of the same now. Buy this, crank the stereo, and keep your eyes on the floor for the Big Red Hand of Satan, because if anything's gonna remind him that heavy metal didn't have to start talking shop with punk to start rocking with homicidal intensity, this album is it.

Most of you are probably familiar with Stained Class. In case you aren't though, Stained Class is largely regarded as one of the best Metal albums ever released. While most of us can argue that all night long, the fact still remains that Stained Class was WAY ahead of its time and it influenced a ton of Metal bands. The first track on Stained Class was "Exciter". Featuring close to nonstop double bass (practically unheard of during that time) and fast riffing, this song helped to form the basis for the genres of Speed Metal and early Power Metal. Everyone from Primal Fear to Silent Force to Helloween took inspiration from this song in a big way I’m sure.

The rest of the CD is full of great riffs, and despite being released in '78, the basic heaviness of the riffs still stand up in a big way to today's Metal. Halford's vocals aren't quite as refined as they would be on later releases, but they are still great and he shows us his many different styles- the best being his now famous screams. Lately, Judas Priest lyrics aren't the bands strong point, but on Stained Class they were very good. With topics ranging from aliens on "Invaders" and references to Hell on "Saints In Hell", the CD is very varied lyrically, as well as musically. Some songs take on a more bluesy approach like "White Heat, Red Hot" while others take on a more progressive and complex song structure approach such as on the classic, "Beyond The Realms Of Death". Whatever the approach Judas Priest take to the song writing on Stained Class, the result is the same: classic heavy metal with memorable riffs, amazing leads, great vocals, and an overall satisfying listening experience. There are no bad or boring moments at all. Every song is classic, even the lesser known "Heroes End" and the cover of "Better By You, Better Than Me". The title track also has some of my favorite lead work, not really from a technical stand point, but just how it fits so perfectly with the song; especially the harmonization lead section. Downing and Tipton were close to their best on here with these riffs/leads. Stained Class just simply contains amazing guitar work.

On the remaster of Stained Class the sound has been very much improved. It does not detract from the classic feel of Judas Priest though, you just won't have to turn up your speakers all the way to hear every thing. The bonus track "Fire Down Below" is an unfinished song that still has its original drum machine track on it. The actual song, minus the drum track, isn't bad. The vocals are really good and the acoustic guitar parts are a highlight; I would have been interested in hearing a completed version of this track. The live version of "Better By You, Better Than Me" isn't one of Halford's better live performances but it's still nice to hear the song live. If you're new to Stained Class, definitely go for the remaster, the sound quality on the original detracts a lot.

The second best, in fact, after "Painkiller" - this one is very very solid from beginning to end. The only reason this album has been looked over is due to the production, which is, for late 1970s, quite excellent, but not as good as that of Priest in the East or Live Insurrection, where one can find better versions of "Exciter", "Stained Class", and others.

However, one should definitely get this album because all together, the songs are very solid - it is definitely worth hearing from beginning to end. The opener, "Exciter", is pure speed metal, including the little melodic solo in the middle that Judas Priest made famous. Other highlights include "Beyond the Realms of Death", and the hugely, hugely underrated "Saints in Hell". It's not a thrash song per se, but that middle break is pure fucking thrash metal. Les Binks's drum work is also very much in the thrash metal vein - while Scott Travis may be far more intense, it's Les that really was their most innovative drummer.

The other song really worth checking out is the title track, which totally screams "Iron Maiden" with the galloping riff after the intro. There are really no songs that are bad or even average on this album, which is rare for Judas Priest (see: "Pain and Pleasure") - it's definitely worth getting.

In another review I made the assertion that the finest metal album ever was Priest's "Sad Wings of Destiny" album. This one, though, comes so close it's scary. "Sad Wings" was a more diverse album, and was closer to their blues-rock origins, but "Sin After Sin" showed the band progressing more towards the style of modern metal that we're all accustomed to now, and "Stained Class" was like a refinement of it. Right off the bat, the proto-thrasher "Exciter" kicks off the LP in a way different from most thrash bands only in degree, really - fast (for the time) double-kick drums, then in comes the hard-chugging main riff and BAM! Over the whole album, the riffs are more lean and heavy, the solos more fierce, the vocals more intense than had gone on before. The album really only slows down once, with the second-side (remember when albums had sides?) ballad "Beyond the Realms of Death", featuring some nice acoustic verses, a heavy chorus, and one hell of an extended solo section in which Glen Tipton once again proves why he's the greatest heavy metal guitar soloist around. Other noteworthy songs are the closer "Hero's End", the title track, and the Spooky Tooth cover, "Better By You, Better Than Me" (just don't listen to it backwards :).

The only drawback to the album is the technology of the time, which kept the guitars from coming out in all their raging fury (compare the songs on this to the ones on Unleashed In the East to see what I mean), but the performances on all counts can't be faulted in the least - from song writing to drumming, bass work, vocals, and guitar work, it's all top-quality and an absolute must for anyone who dares call themselves a metalhead. "Stand up for Exciter!"

(Originally published at LARM (c) 1999)