Judas Priest
Tonight @ Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, Summerfest, 10 p.m.
This is good news for metal heads in Milwaukee, as British Steel still stands as one of the best albums that the genre has ever produced. There is little filler among the record’s nine tracks, and the bluesy feel that marked albums by such metal contemporaries as Black Sabbath is noticeably absent. British Steel is a stripped-down, straight-ahead assault on the eardrums. The dual guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing—a sound that would come to influence countless metal acts—drives the album, while Rob Halford’s amazing vocals (the guy has a four octave vocal range) push the material well over the top.
Don’t believe me? Just try and argue with such classics as “Breaking the Law,” “Metal Gods,” and “Living After Midnight.” What is perhaps most remarkable is that British Steel came out just one year after Hell Bent for Leather, and two years after the equally strong Stained Class. Thankfully, the band has noted that they will also play a handful of songs from these albums during their upcoming tour. So break out the leather, Milwaukee, and get ready to rock.



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