Judas Priest’s name, well known to metal lovers, was taken from Bob Dylan’s song “The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest”.
They debuted in 1974 with their album Rocka Rolla, and from there they have shaped a career full of reference works for which they have gained enormous status in heavy metal.
Judas Priest is undoubtedly the band that has influenced the genre most musically and culturally, being also the root of NWOBHM (new way of British heavy metal).
This first album that sounded similar to the early works of Black Sabbath, but incorporating more elements of progressive rock, blues and garage British rock. And for 1976 when Black Sabbath was plunging into a period of decline, Judas Priest released his second studio album “Sad Wings of Destiny.” (their second album in 1976)
Along with that release, an underground scene was brewing in culture, a new sound characterized by accelerating the musical beat and making a higher amount of noise, mainly saturating the amplifiers.
Following the trend established by the band The Stooges Since 1969, this speed-filled, anger-laden sound would be known as “Punk”. It would reach international fame in 1976 when the Ramones and their Blitzkrieg Bop came to light.
Their third album “Sin after sin”, released in 1977, pushed the limits to guide the heavy metal music into the ’80s, considered to be the golden age for many people.
One of the best things this album offers if the superb performance of the young Simon Phillips, especially in “sinner” and “victim of changes”.