Judas Priest: Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals); Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing (guitar); Ian Hill (bass); Scott Travis (drums).
Recorded live in 1998. Includes liner notes by Jason Arnopp.
Personnel: Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing (guitar); Scott Travis (drums).
Audio Mixer: Sean Lynch.
Recording information: Jugulator World Tour (1998).
Photographers: George Chin; John Stone; Ross Halfin.
Judas Priest is the definitive heavy metal band, determined to keep the metal banner flying high. They have never conformed to a popular style, and have been bashing out metal anthems for over 20 years. After the departure of vocalist Rob Halford, the Priest enlisted Tim "Ripper" Owens to fill the slot. The resulting album was JUGULATOR; this live recording from that tour is a powerhouse of metal dynamite.
MELTDOWN covers the entire Priest spectrum, from "Diamonds & Rust" to "Electric Eye" to "Blood Stained." K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton's double guitar attack provide the classic riffage and solos, never slowing the pace. The axe-wielding duo sounds as tight as when they first began destroying British stages eons ago. But it is The Ripper who carries the this band into the new millennium with an incredible range. Working the crowd into a frenzy, Owens takes classics like "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" to previously unreachable heights. If you are a fan of heavy rock or the Priest, this album is strongly recommended. They continue to show every band that follows them how it's done. All hail the Priest! minimize