Judas Priest – Meltdown – Review

Judas Priest

Meltdown (CMC)
by Martin Popoff

Nothing less than a jaw-dropped love-in with the new guy, Meltdown is a Ripper-fest of inspiring metal proportions. Goddamn, 23 tracks sampling one of the world’s best catalogues, a new urgency to prove themselves, and like I say, this formidable weapon called Ripper. Minor complaints: Ripper’s in-between stage raps are dumbed down so far, you’d think this was pre-school, the mix suffers here and fro, especially with respect to Tipton’s guitar, which is too quiet, and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” kinda falls flat. But what a groove (remember, this is your first sermon with techno-whiz Scott Travis), what stake-through-the-heart metal fanaticism, and like I say, what songs (we’ll excuse the Jugulator material; I fully expect better next time, I really do). The crowds (these are all European tapes) are a gas, gas, gas, in their inimitable call, respond, and hooliganize Bruce Dickinson-trained glory, left in full-bore, pushing Ripper ever forward in his effortless quest to fill Rob’s walked-on-the-wild-side booties. Ponder this one: the mix sounds like Turbo. Now go live after midnight.
(5226 Greens Dairy Rd Raleigh, NC 27616)