Coming in for the kill 5 Out of 5 Stars
Judas Priest was on a creative and commercial stride when "Screaming for Vengeance" arrived in 1982. So was Heavy Metal, for that matter. Ronnie James Dio had given new life to Black Sabbath, AC/DC was riding high with "For Those About To Rock" and even the Scorpions were breaking with their classic "Blackout." Priest had already come off a couple of highly acclaimed albums, "Hellbent For Leather," "British Steel" and "Point of Entry." 1982 was their time.
"Screaming for Vengeance" delivered. "The Hellion/Electric Eye" swooped down like the metallic falcon of the LP's cover and cast Rob Halford as the world's overseer. The title track unleashed the twin guitars if Glen Tipton and KK Downing while Halford let loose with operatic wails above the roar. Most importantly, "You've Got Another This Coming" gave the band a rare chart single, and became an anthem for sports arenas across the globe. The album itself peaked at 17 on Billboard, a high-water mark only eclipsed by "Angel of Retribution" and "Nostradamus" over 20 years later.
As iconic heavy metal albums go, "Screaming for Vengeance" is comparable to "Back In Black" or "Heaven and Hell" from the same period. While I'd personally put "British Steel" above this as my favorite Judas Priest album, punch for punch, "Screaming for Vengeance" is among the band's most fully consistent.
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