{"id":855493,"date":"2026-09-21T14:04:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/855493\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T14:04:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:04:16","slug":"judas-priest-every-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/855493\/","title":{"rendered":"Judas Priest: every album ranked from worst to best"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you love heavy metal<\/a>, you love Judas Priest. The Birmingham five-piece haven\u2019t just been defending the faith since 1974; they also defined its aesthetic with their leather-and-motorbikes look and have put out some of its most enduring singles, including Breaking The Law<\/a>, You\u2019ve Got Another Thing Comin\u2019 and Electric Eye. Without their unabashed flamboyance and wailing guitars, entire subgenres may never have taken shape.<\/p>\n

Although the band\u2019s origins date back to the late 1960s, they didn\u2019t truly take shape until the early 70s, when powerhouse frontman Rob Halford<\/a> entered the fray and K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton formed a pioneering guitar tandem. Their second and third albums, Sad Wings Of Destiny and Sin After Sin, started their climb to heavy music heroism; it continued through 1978\u2019s back-to-back Stained Class and Killing Machine, the latter of which went Platinum in the US. They headlined in America for the first time the following year, cementing them as just as beloved Stateside as they were in their home country.<\/p>\n

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After continued success through the early-to-mid 80s, their status stumbled with the controversial Turbo and Ram It Down records. Painkiller<\/a> was one last blast of authentic heavy metal thunder, but a potential comeback was scuppered when Halford quit in 1993. Priest persevered with Tim \u201cRipper\u201d Owens at the mic, but it wasn\u2019t the same, and the classic singer returned in 2003.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos From Louder<\/p>\n

Since then, Priest\u2019s career hasn\u2019t been wobble-free: Downing departed before a planned farewell tour in 2010, after which the rest of the lineup abruptly decided against retirement. Plus, Tipton stepped away from the live lineup in 2018, following his diagnosis with Parkinson\u2019s disease. But, through such albums as Firepower and Invincible Shield<\/a>, they\u2019ve remained the last word in unabashed, old-school vigour. Following the release of their career retrospective The Best Of Judas Priest, here are their 19 records ranked from worst to best:<\/p>\n

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\"Metal\n<\/p>\n

19. Demolition (2001)<\/p>\n

A noble but flawed attempt to be all things to all metalheads, Demolition is no one\u2019s favourite Judas Priest album. A halfway house between the band\u2019s classic sound and the hybrid futurism of the \u201890s, it lacks any truly great songs and, despite Tim Owens\u2019 stunning vocal performance, served largely as confirmation that a reunion with Rob Halford was the only credible way forward.<\/p>\n

18. Rocka Rolla (1974)<\/p>\n

Judas Priest\u2019s debut album was more about hinting at their potential than clicking into the higher gear that the band would later use to conquer the world. Rocka Rolla is enjoyable enough, with its faint whiff of progressive hard rock<\/a> and its warm, analogue tones, but it\u2019s a patchy affair and never comes close to the grandeur and grit of the classics.<\/p>\n

17. Ram It Down (1988)<\/p>\n

Returning to their traditional sound after the electronic detours of Turbo, Judas Priest stuck to the basics on their 11th studio album. Unfortunately, with the exception of the title track and Blood Red Skies, Ram It Down is a largely forgettable collection of box-ticking stompers with a perfunctory version of Chuck Berry\u2019s<\/a> Johnny B. Goode thrown in for no apparent reason.<\/p>\n

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16. Nostradamus (2008)<\/p>\n

Judas Priest split opinion with this sumptuous conceptual effort, partly because it saw the band veer into symphonic metal<\/a> territory, replete with choirs and oceans of keyboards. For all its self-conscious bluster, Nostradamus does contain some killer tunes, however. Prophecy, the title track and Pestilence And Plague are all great, but the Priest boys couldn\u2019t quite sustain that quality for the album\u2019s daunting 102 minutes.<\/p>\n

15. Jugulator (1997)<\/p>\n

Rather than attempt to cajole cynical fans into embracing the start of the Tim Owens era by playing it safe, Jugulator declared that post-Halford Priest were in an unforgiving and furious mood. A vicious modern metal album that owed as much to Pantera and Slayer<\/a> as it did to the trad metal world, it failed to set the world on fire but thoroughly deserves to be reassessed now. If nothing else, the closing Cathedral Spires is an outright classic in Judas Priest’s canon.<\/p>\n

14. Redeemer Of Souls (2014)<\/p>\n

Not quite the sizzling return to form that many proclaimed it to be, Redeemer Of Souls<\/a> is simply a really good Judas Priest album. New guitarist Richie Faulkner acquits himself brilliantly throughout, the sound falls neatly between Painkiller and Angel Of Retribution and, on the stunning Crossfire, Priest prove that they are masters of metal and the blues.<\/p>\n

Judas Priest – Redeemer Of Souls | Full Song – YouTube
\n\"Judas<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a>
\n13. Point Of Entry (1981)<\/p>\n

Following the globe-conquering British Steel<\/a> was never going to be easy, and while Point Of Entry features a brace of platinum-plated Priest gems (Heading Out To The Highway and Desert Plains, since you ask), and both Solar Angels and Hot Rockin\u2019 have been welcome additions to live shows, it never quite hits the heights of its triumphant predecessor.<\/p>\n

12. Turbo (1986)<\/p>\n

Much-maligned at the time thanks to Judas Priest\u2019s decision to embrace the (then) mildly futuristic sounds of the synthesiser, Turbo is far, far better than you may have heard. The first four tracks offer an unstoppable barrage of driving riffs and thunderous beats and \u2013 despite a mild mid-album slump \u2013 the overall quality of the songs makes a mockery of the notion that an aesthetic side-step had diluted the band\u2019s metal spirit.<\/p>\n

11. Angel Of Retribution (2005)<\/p>\n

After the much-anticipated return of Rob Halford to the fold, the Brummie legends must have known instinctively that their next album had to be a cracker. And so it proved, with a batch of songs that skilfully updated the band\u2019s classic sound while also remembering to keep the heavy metal flag flying high. Judas Rising<\/a> is a superb opener, Angel is one of Priest\u2019s finest ever ballads and yes, preposterous 13-minute denouement Loch Ness fucking rules. Yes, it does.<\/p>\n

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\"Rob\n<\/p>\n

A recently reinstated Rob Halford onstage in 2005. (Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder\/Getty Images)10. Sin After Sin (1977)<\/p>\n

Routinely overshadowed by the previous year\u2019s Sad Wings Of Destiny, Sin After Sin was a transitional record that saw Judas Priest inch away from their moderately progressive roots and focus on the unbridled metal glory to come. Obvious highlights like Starbreaker and Dissident Aggressor (which was, of course, memorably covered by Slayer on South Of Heaven) are up there with the band\u2019s best tunes.<\/p>\n

9. Invincible Shield (2024)<\/p>\n

Priest\u2019s latter-career gold streak continued spectacularly with Invincible Shield, boasting another incredible production job from producer and live guitarist Andy Sneap. The likes of Panic Attack, The Serpent And The King, Sons Of Thunder and the title track are classic Priest rippers. Also, final number Giants In The Sky serves as a stirring tribute to the band\u2019s fellow metal icons who are no longer with us.<\/p>\n

8. Killing Machine (1978)<\/p>\n

Arguably the album that first showcased the classic Judas Priest sound, Killing Machine is rammed to the gills with bona fide anthems: Hell Bent For Leather, Running Wild, Rock Forever, Delivering The Goods, The Green Manalishi\u2026 they\u2019re all here and they all kick a vast amount of arse. Even the elegant ballad Before The Dawn crackles with electrified confidence. A game-changing ripsnorter, basically.<\/p>\n

7. Defenders Of The Faith (1984)<\/p>\n

Judas Priest\u2019s second creative peak arrived in the mid \u201980s, and Defenders Of The Faith was the result. Although lacking the chart hits of Screaming For Vengeance from two years earlier, there is real substance and power to the likes of Freewheel Burning and The Sentinel and an endearing frisson of censor-baiting sexuality to the menacing Eat Me Alive. All killer, no filler.<\/p>\n

Judas Priest – Freewheel Burning – YouTube
\n\"Judas<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a>
\n6. Firepower (2018)<\/p>\n

2018 was a year of upheaval for Judas Priest, long-time guitarist Glenn Tipton officially stepping away from tour duties as a result of his Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis. Tipton still put his magic touch to that year’s Firepower album however, while tour guitarist Andy Sneap took up production duties alongside Ram It Down producer Tom Allom. The result was among the fieriest Priest albums in years, hitting the ground running with the title track and not letting up for a moment from there on in, affirming that even as they approached half-a-century they were still heavy metal’s most ardent defenders.<\/p>\n

5. British Steel (1980)<\/p>\n

Many fans would doubtless put this album at the top of their own \u2018best of\u2019 Judas Priest lists, and there\u2019s no questioning British Steel\u2019s brilliance, or its huge influence on the entire world of metal. You simply can\u2019t argue with Breaking The Law, Metal Gods or Rapid Fire and Living After Midnight<\/a> is one of the ultimate party metal anthems. The rest is nearly as good, and that\u2019s pretty fucking good by anyone\u2019s standards.<\/p>\n

4. Painkiller (1990)<\/p>\n

The end of Rob Halford\u2019s first period as Judas Priest frontman arrived shortly after the release of one of their greatest albums. Painkiller rips from start to finish and single-handedly redefined the sound of traditional heavy metal in the process. There are literally hundreds of bands out there peddling this exact same sound, but no one will ever top the original. And that title track\u2026 holy fucking shit.<\/p>\n

3. Sad Wings Of Destiny (1976)<\/p>\n

Black Sabbath<\/a> may have inadvertently invented heavy metal, but Judas Priest defined it with their second album. Grandiloquent, adventurous and epic as all hell, Sad Wings\u2026 kicks off with Victim Of Changes \u2013 one of the greatest metal songs ever written, let\u2019s face it \u2013 and then sustains its air of supreme confidence and power for the duration. All metalheads need this album in their lives.<\/p>\n

2. Stained Class (1978)<\/p>\n

As the 70s drew to a close, Judas Priest were hitting their stride in no uncertain terms. Their fourth album exudes a ferocious energy, as songs like Exciter, Invader and the towering morbidity of Beyond The Realms Of Death upgraded the \u201870s hard rock template for a new decade. Even a cover of psychedelic rock mob Spooky Tooth\u2019s Better By You, Better Than Me slayed and flayed like a maniac. A true metal milestone.<\/p>\n

1. Screaming For Vengeance (1982)<\/p>\n

Judas Priest\u2019s biggest breakthrough, particularly in the US, came with this immaculate slab of none-more-metal bravado. Screaming For Vengeance<\/a> is an imperious display of heavy metal in its purest, most exhilarating form: from the ageless rush of Electric Eye and the world-dominating thud of You\u2019ve Got Another Thing Comin\u2019 through to the neck-wrenching attack of the title track and the fiery crunch of Devil\u2019s Child, it\u2019s a flawless encapsulation of everything that made metal such a global force during the \u201880s. And (almost) 40 years on, it\u2019s still exerting its influence over countless aspiring metal musicians around the globe. A steely masterpiece with a giant heart.<\/p>\n

Judas Priest\u2019s new compilation album, The Best Of Judas Priest, is out now via Sony. The band play London\u2019s Eventim Apollo tonight (September 21).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you love heavy metal, you love Judas Priest. The Birmingham five-piece haven\u2019t just been defending the faith…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":855494,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[88,216],"class_list":["post-855493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=855493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/855494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=855493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=855493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=855493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}