British Steel | 
 enlarge | Artist: Judas Priest
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $11.98
Buy New: $5.37
You Save: $6.61 (55%)
New (41) Used (16) from $4.97
Rating:  96 reviews
Sales Rank: 4207
Format: Extra Tracks, Original Recording Reissued, Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 85752
UPC: 696998575226
EAN: 0696998575226
ASIN: B00005K9LN
Release Date: May 29, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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| Tracks:
| • | Rapid Fire | | • | Metal Gods | | • | Breaking the Law | | • | Grinder | | • | United | | • | Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise | | • | Living After Midnight | | • | The Rage | | • | Steeler | | • | Red, White & Blue | | • | Grinder (live) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The guitar riff from "Breaking the Law" is one of the most recognizable from early 1980s heavy metal. Though British Steel sounds dated these days, it's also a classic slice of metal, one of the best from a band that defined the genre in the late '70s and early '80s. Everything that ultimately became characteristic of heavy metal is here, from the lightning-fast riffs on "Rapid Fire," the anthemic "Metal Gods," and "United" to the obligatory party song "Living After Midnight" to the equally obligatory youth-rebellion song, "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise." British Steel is unquestionably Priest at their peak. The 2001 remastered reissue includes two bonus tracks--a previously unavailable studio selection called "Red, White & Blue" and a live take on "Grinder." --Genevieve Williams
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| Customer Reviews:
 One of the most overrated metal albums! October 15, 2008
C. Duchesne (Quebec, Canada)
Judas Priest is one of the most famous metal bands, a lot of people consider it to be one of the best metal bands ever... Are they right? Of course! British Steel is one of the most famous metal albums, a lot of people consider it to be one of the best metal albums ever... Are they right? In my opinion, they aren't. Personally, I consider this album to be one of Priest's worst and one of the weakest famous metal albums. Besides, I don't really consider it to be a metal album, it sounds more like hard rock to say the truth.
This album is extremely overrated. I can't believe that Priest went from awesome albums like Stained Class to this only 2 years later... They went from awesome metal songs with great riffs to simple hard rock songs with average riffs. I fail to understand why so many people consider it to be Priest's best album. My guess is that most of those people prefer 80's mainstream hard rock over 80's metal.
The bad:
The songs on this album are so ridiculously simple... Most of them have only 4 riffs in total and those riffs are nothing special compared to most of Priest's riffs from the 70's. Ok, there's nothing wrong with simple songs, but the songs aren't only simple, they're also nothing special or in other words, they aren't like most of Priest songs from the 70's. Breaking The Law is so overrated, I used to like it, but I got bored of it fast... Some people think that it has an awesome chorus, but what's so awesome about it exactly? Its one of the least melodic choruses ever! Just say 'breaking the law' 8 times and you have the chorus. Living After Midnight is pretty catchy, but its just a generic and cheesy rock song... Ok, I guess that it wasn't generic in the 80's, but its just a very average song. United has a catchy chorus, but that's it. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise and Steeler are extremely forgettable.
Did I mention that this album has some of Priest's weakest solos? Now I did. I guess that I should also mention that its one of their least melodic albums.
The good:
The best song on the album is definitely The Rage. Its actually a great song, it has a cool intro, a great main riff (the best riff on the album) and the verses are pretty catchy (the best verses on the album). Rapid Fire, Metal Gods and Grinder aren't bad either, but damn, they're really nothing special, they're really simple, there's nothing really original about them and they aren't anywhere near as good as most of Priest's songs from the 70's. I know that I'm repetitive with that, but it has to be said.
So, its 50/50, half of the album is very average and the other half is just good. There's nothing really bad on this album, but there's nothing awesome either, its just very average overall.
Now, I have a question... How can anyone prefer songs like Breaking The Law and Living After Midnight over songs like Exciter, Beyond The Realms Of Death, Victim Of Changes, Sinner, Starbreaker... ? Ok, I understand if you're a fan of 80's mainstream hard rock, but otherwise I don't.
This album was nothing more than an attempt at becoming more famous. Thank god that Priest redeemed themselves with Screaming For Vengeance. Even Turbo is better than this album.
Do I recommend it? Well, I guess that most of the people who look at this site have already heard it, but if you haven't, I don't recommend it, but I can't really tell you to avoid it because a lot of people like it, so maybe you'll like it.
 28 years later and they're still living after midnight! September 20, 2008
William Dorfer
"British Steel" is an important part of Judas Priest's career, because it marked an obvious change in their sound, and even image. Don't get me wrong, though, their '70s output was awesome, with such classics as "Stained Class", "Sin After Sin" and "Hellbent For Leather". But "British Steel" was the album where Priest put a new spin on their sound. As opposed to the bluesier, more psychedelic/acid-rock sound of their '70s classics, "British Steel" was a pure metal release, and you can hear this album's influence in such bands as Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.
Here's a list of the songs and how I feel about them:
"Rapid Fire": A fast, chugging riff and a great drum intro kick off this speed-metal masterpiece. Lots of epic, action-based lyrics and some great guitar trade-offs between Glenn Tipton and KK Downing. One of my favorite songs on the album.
"Metal Gods": More great, heavy riffs, a passionate guitar solo and a great combo of Rob's phenomonal vocals and sci-fi lyrics.
"Breaking The Law": A legendary riff and sing-a-long chorus, this is a song that broke Judas Priest into the Top 40. Still a classic after repeated listens.
"Grinder": A slower and heavier song with sleazier, in a good way, lyrics, and another staple of the album.
"United": An uplifting, shout-a-long anthem, one of the best rock/ metal anthems ever written.
"You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise": An underrated, introspective song.
"Living After Midnight": A catchy, three-and-a-half minute fist pumper with awesome riffs, verses and an extremely cool guitar solo.
"The Rage": The complete opposite feel of the last song, this one does contain a cool bassline and some experimental textures. Although this song is one I wouldn't listen to when I'm feeling good, it does show Judas Priest maturing in their songwriting talent.
"Steeler": An adrenaline-pumping, fast-paced classic with more classic guitar work, singing and lyrics. An excellent way to close the album.
The remastered album also contains "Red White and Blue", a power ballad that I personally love, though think it's ironic that Judas Priest, a British band, would write a song about American pride. Oh well, no harm done. There's also a live version of "Grinder".
Overall:
"British Steel" is an undisputable metal classic that marked an important spot in Judas Priest's history. Some may not like this album as much as others, but all the same, this is one of the best albums in metal. I highly recommend it, as well as the rest of Judas Priest's catalogue, as they are one of my all-time favorite metal bands. Well, that about wraps up this review! Thanks for the time, and peace.
 this is the album that took them off August 4, 2008
Nathanial Price (Deerfield Beach FL)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
this was the album that they started wearing leather it's funny now thinking back on it and rob halford got the leather from gay shops in alley ways in england it's from the gay lifestyle no metal head new back than and wore the studs and the leather great tunes on this one the newly remastered one has red, white, and blue as an extra track which is a patrioc song for england yes their flag is red white and blue also.
Pounding the World.... July 29, 2008
Gary A. Brigham (Cadillac, Michigan)
Judas Priest is my 2nd favorite band, and this is my favorite release of theirs. Don't listen to people who say this album is a sell out! Sure, Breaking the Law, Living after Midnite & United have commercial appeal, but the former two are two of their best songs. And can anyone honestly tell me that ANY of the other songs on this album are radio friendly? Rapid Fire? Grinder? Metal Gods? These songs are pure metal Heaven! The Rage is the closest thing to a ballad, and it still rocks! And I'm sorry, but after 4 studio LP's that didn't exactly light the world on fire (sales wise), can you blame them for wanting to record some material that might gain them some attention? Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe the record company may have given up on the band if they didn't have a breakout hit? Quit griping! This album kicks from beginning to end! It's not a coincidence that this ablum was picked for VH1's classic albums series, and anyone on the fence for buying this should check out that show!
Priest's Best in the 80s September 2, 2007
Joseph Adams (Stockholm, Sweden, EUR)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Well they made this album before I was born but I became a fan with Ram it Down and Killer, and this is better than Screaming fior Vengeance, making it their best from their 80s arena rock period. Contains a number of classic tracks like Metal Gods, Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight and Rapid Fire. The punk influence shows here before they brought out the ball and chain with Screaming for Vengeance. I can tolerate that Rob Halord is gay, he didn't flaunt it, but these interviewers that's all they talked about, not their agressive music. If they thought they would bring in more fans that way, they didn't- Painkiller went gold years later when the rumors first came up their rococco outfits. The other 90s albums- Fight Two and Jugulator even with Angel of REtribution wouldn't total one gold album sales wise. It's pretty obvious they sold out, if only to detract attention away from the suicide court case. But their music will continue influence new generations of rockers, their futuristic approach to it.
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