Metal’s blueprint. Leather mandatory. Subtlety optional.
Somewhere after my Black Sabbath Wikipedia spiral, I landed on a bit of a plot twist: Black Sabbath never called themselves a heavy metal band. Neither did Led Zeppelin. Or Deep Purple. All of them identified as hard rock.
Apparently, the first band bold enough to call themselves heavy metal? Judas Priest.
Born in Birmingham in 1969, Judas Priest are still very much alive and riffing. That’s over five decades of distortion, 50 million records sold, and 18 studio albums between 1974 and 2018. If I was going to continue this descent into metal, this felt like a damn solid next step. They're known as the Metal Gods for a reason.
Heavy Metal Blueprint
Their sound? Heavy metal in its purest, primal form. Yes, they’ve wandered over the years—guitar synths, symphonic hints, groove metal, even some nu metal experiments—but at their core it’s always been Rob Halford’s soaring vocals, the twin-guitar attacks of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, and a whole lot of bite.
They helped lay the groundwork for power metal—the theatricality, the high notes, the speed. Albums like Sad Wings of Destiny and Stained Class had progressive touches and influenced whole genres I hadn’t even known existed a month ago. They didn’t just shape the sound. They shaped the look—leather, studs, and enough attitude to start a fashion riot.
Their debut, Rocka Rolla (1974), produced by Rodger Bain (yes, same guy who did Sabbath), felt closer to blues rock and psychedelia. Very different vibe—less fire, more fog.
But things shifted with Sad Wings of Destiny in 1976. That cover art alone—the devil’s three-pronged cross—would later become the band’s symbol. This one felt like the starting line for what heavy metal would become.
Breaking Through with British Steel
Commercial success didn’t come easy. Punk was exploding, and metal was still crawling out of the crypt. But by 1980, British Steel broke through—short, punchy songs, big radio hooks, and riffs sharp enough to draw blood.
Yes, Breaking the Law was one of them. Yes, even I had heard it before this dive. No, I didn’t realize it was Priest. Oops.
In 1990, drummer Dave Holland was swapped out for Scott Travis—a man with a double bass pedal and no chill whatsoever.
Don’t believe me? Crank up the first 17 seconds of Painkiller.
Go on. I’ll wait.
The drums alone will shake the dust off your soul. When the guitars kick in? It’s basically being punched in the face by a lightning god. Even if you don’t like metal, your spine will vibrate in appreciation.
And yes, okay, modern metal drummers go even harder now. But watching Painkiller live still slaps me into a better mood. That song is feral.
Halford Leaves, Comes Back, Saves Everything. Classic.
In 1992, Rob Halford peaced out. From 1996 to 2003, Tim “Ripper” Owens took over vocal duties. The albums Jugulator and Demolition leaned into grunge and nu metal territory. Fans were—divided.
Halford returned in 2003, and Angel of Retribution marked a strong comeback. Later, Redeemer of Souls (2014) would even become their first Top Ten album in the US. A slow burn into legend.
Currently, Judas Priest are working on their 19th studio album. For 2023, a European tour with Ozzy Osbourne is already planned—including a stop in Hamburg.
And yes—I’m debating whether a concert ticket counts as a legitimate life expense.
There’s still so much I don’t know yet. But Judas Priest? They’re starting to feel like an essential waypoint in this strange, loud, wonderful new world.