Exploring the large catalogue of Judas Priest takes time, especially if you didn't know it when you were younger. I went back through all the albums. There were some softer surprises in their early days, and then there were some synthesizer surprises in the late 80s. No one can doubt Rob Halford's amazing vocals. Some of the lyrics and subject matter get tiring, but there are some big rock anthems in their collection that'll always live on. The best thing I like about these guys is that they keep going and they don't care what people say. Rob and company are also very much in tune with acceptance and welcoming in of different kinds of people. He's talked about how metal is a common bond for people, and he emphasized peace and love. Not what many in the mainstream would've imagined a heavy metal singer saying, but he's more accepting than many of those critics.
That's what people don't get about metal music. They think it's a mantra for death and destruction, maybe that's because that's what those people are projecting. They feel that way, and so that's their intepretation of everything. Fast and loud is a healthy positive outlet; it doesn't equate criminal violence. Metal is actual progressive liberal, long before "progressive metal or rock." Really listen to the lyrics, and you'll hear warnings to society, you'll hear reflections of the past wrong doings, not celebrations of those evils.
Give the newer albums a chance too; it's some of their best material in terms of songwriting and guitar work. Richie Faulkner is a master player who brought a whole new element to the band.
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