Right from the get-go, this album allays most of those fears. Here is that famous Judas Priest dual-guitar attack, here is Scott Travis and his more renown double kick, here is Ian Hill and that solid-as-a-rock bass sound, and here is Halford sounding loud and strong. "Dragonaught" comes at you with the cannons firing, and continues with "Redeemer of Souls" and the excellent "Halls of Valhalla", which races along at a satisfying speed and heavy ratio. "Sword of Damocles" is a ripper, tearing it up and showcasing the best that the Priest can perform.
"Hell & Back" is a more moody offering, sitting in a placating lounge chair with Rob serving up molten chocolate vocals as Glenn and Richie play their comforting fireside solos. It is a strong song despite not accessing any speed or screams. This follows up with "Cold Blooded" which follows a similar path, a slower side to the Priest beast without forgoing any of the power.
"Metalizer" indicates a rise in the tempo by the name alone, though it is probably only Scott's double kick that indicates a rise in speed as such. "Battle Cry" is a beauty, charging along with that typical guitar riffing solidly backed by the double kick drum and rising vocals. it can't all be golden I guess, and I have problems with the album closer, "Beginning of the End". Is this trying to be another "Beyond the Realms of Death"? Or "Loch Ness"? Because I hated "Loch Ness". Why end an album with such a slow, reflective, mournful-like song? It just sucks out all of the great feelings that have been built up beforehand. This song is a mistake, perhaps the only one made on the album, but a mistake nonetheless.
Say what you like about Judas Priest in the modern age, but you have to admire their stamina. Richie Faulkner has injected some youth into the line-up, and perhaps even influenced the song writing to the positive, given the improvement overall in this album over other recent releases. The band themselves still has it, and sound fantastic. Any discussion will as a matter of course refer to Halford's vocal capacity in the modern age, and certainly age has caught up with him. Long gone now are the days when he could reach those notes that defined the first two-thirds of his career as a vocalist, and punctuated Judas Priest's greatest songs. He literally cannot do that anymore - but that does not mean he has lost his capability to sing. Everyone who listens to this album can pick the places where a young Halford would have unleashed an ear-splitting scream, where now he substitutes it for a different line and pitch. Anyone who didn't know Rob Halford's singing abilities would not even notice the change, because now he is singing in the range that he is capable of doing, and it sounds great. Every great singer has had to make sacrifices and changes as they get older. Rob's singing here is terrific. Those that mourn the lack of his historic abilities should just get over it.
"The Priest is back!!" can be shouted on stage for this album's tour with gusto, because it rings as true now as for anytime over the past twenty-five years. If this is to be their final album then it is a fitting way to conclude their magnificent career. If there is still more to come, it is a positive indicator that while their greatest albums may be in the past, it doesn't mean that there cannot be more great albums to come.
Rating: There's no holding him back, the ransom announces his deeds. 4/5
Listen to full album here
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