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A landmark early metal album that was hugely influential for the British NWOHM movement and development of trash/speed metal in the 80's. The vocal melody in the chorus is fantastic. A hugely influential drum beat from Binks that will be used later by many speed/trash metal bands like for example Anthrax. Great dual bass drumming from Binks playing a beat that later metal bands will speed up and use extensively.
Some atmospheric arpeggios and rhythm guitar playing accompanies Halford's singing and a repeating percussion pattern that was made with a drum machine instead of standard drums but the real gem here is the classical inspired solo from Tipton that uses both acoustic and electric guitars. Perhaps that was Hill's idea.The sixth track "Saints In Hell" is a doom and gloom number that has also a peculiarity: it lacks a solo and as a result, it has a songwriting approach more in common with a more modern metal style with heavy riffs but no solos. You should definitely give this LP a spin if you are interested in the genre's roots.Thanks for taking the time to read.Later. Great lead guitar work that ranges from aggressive to almost a neo-classical feel. A different producer was used for this track: James Guthrie.The title track is a monster composition starting with a lead guitar pattern that eventually settle into a triplet rhythm attack that will later be used by bands like Iron Maiden in for example their song "Sun And Steel".
To finish up comes "Heroe's End" with lyrics that has been said to talk about three famous people who died young: James Dean, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Eight out of the nine tracks included were produced by the band themselves with help from Dennis Mackay.The band couldn't have chosen a better track than "Exciter" to open the album. Their revival of the Spooky Tooth composition "Better By You, Better Than Me" follows with great singing, killer riffs, and a part with a minor key simple arpeggio. The personnel involved includes four members responsible for keeping the group alive still today: Rob Halford on vocals, the amazing guitar team of KK Downing/Glenn Tipton, and Ian Hill on bass while the LP marked underrated drummer Les Binks studio debut. Of course, Halford's excellent high octave singing is unforgettable.The riffing at the beginning of the Tipton written "White Heat, Red Hot" has a notable Budgie influence in it.
Judas Priest's "Stained Class" was a landmark album for the development of heavy metal. The highlight comes in the middle with Halford singing "We are saints.in hell." over a gloomy riff. Tipton plays one of his best ever solos that was ranked #97 in Guitar World magazine's top 100 best solos of all time list. This could be considered as one of the earliest examples of speed metal. There's another connection to Iron Maiden in "Savage" with its lyrics that talk about the injustices of conquerors against Indians, similar to Maiden's "Run To The Hills". The ending features a Hendrix "Machine Gun" inspired solo with tremolo arm usage that makes up for an explosive finale to the LP.Bonus Tracks:The live take of "Better By You, Better Than Me" was recorded during the band's 1990 US tour and features Scott Travis on drums.
It came out in 1978 and it was recorded between October/November of the previous year using many different studios. My favorite part is the one that goes "If You gaze across timeless years." with Halford adding a vocal overdub sung in different tones separated by a cool, heavy riff. A killer riff is used for the verses while the chorus has a Sabbath feel. Musically it consists of quiet arpeggio-laden verses and then switching to heavy rhythm for the chorus. Continuing down the line comes the album's epic: "Beyond The Realms of Death" written by Halford with help from Binks: a song about somebody who commits suicide. The chorus is reminiscent of the Iron Maiden song of the same name from the "Number Of The Beast".
Excellent solo."Stained Class" was a defining moment in Judas Priest's career.
It is an excellent composition with a more commercial feel.
A proto-industrial type of thing."Invader" is a song about an alien invasion that comes complete with an intro where the guitar mimics the sound of a spacecraft.
It is a good version but not as good as the original while "Fire Down Below" was recorded during the "Turbo" or "Ram it Down" sessions.
Binks' dual bass drumming starts and soon a fast riff joins.
Both Metallica and Megadeth will later write songs with similar lyrical themes: "Fade To Black" and "In My Darkest Hour".
It is bassist Hill's sole songwriting contribution to the album and it is notable for an unusual solo that utilizes a major scale based melody, definitely something atypical for Judas Priest.
Pay attention to the dual bass drumming near the end on the part where Halford sings the title many times.
Awesome solo in the middle but the best part is at the end when Halford sings "stained class kiiiiiing." while the guitars have a special effect added that make them sound like a machine or something.
Their best effort.Arguably one of the best metal recordings ever.If you can, try to find the original CD release on Columbia.Re-masters are nice but there are some recordings you just can't improve on.As a classic/blues/progressive ROCK kinda guy, I don't have much metal in my cd collection.This is one that I listen to all the time.Awesome.
saints in hell is a sick sick sick song it really shows the range of halfords voice this song is worth the price of the album alone. Link tkdmateo. I would use extreme caution while listening too this album. Halfords voice is amazing on this song very creepy and erie song.
I'm not a big judas priest fan I think this is the first album I bought from them and I was blown away. all the other songs rock too except exciter. If I would have to pick A weak song A would skip exciter and start listen from the second song. I bought all there albums after that but ended up selling most of them or simply returning them.
the hole album is very powerful and emotional.the album will hypnotist you from the guitars too robs voice. I own around 1,000 cds from iggy pop to elvis and everything in between and this is deffently top ten. Nothing compares to staind class.I would not listen to some of the reviews from other people especialy M.B. Saints in hell is one of the greatest songs any one has ever made.
And it sure does, almost all the way throughout it's heavy, fast, and aggressive. I'll keep this short but sweet. You won't be dissapointed. Buy it if you love Judas Priest, or just great speed metal. Out of all the Judas Priest albums from the 70's, this is the heaviest and fastest. After songs on the previous album Sin After Sin, like Sinner and Dissident Aggressor, it would only make sense to expand on that sound.
Even the title track is an iPod addition for me, despite not necessarily being a "metal head." It's a transitional album for Priest, and possibly one of the most underrated metal or hard rock albums of all-time.And of course if you really like 70's Sabbath during the Ozzy years, you would likely dig 70's Priest. I've always had a soft spot for Stained Class, an album you didn't really tell your friends you liked so much, no one else seemed to be into it.This album is Priest's finest moment in the 70's, until their sound took a new direction with "Hell Bent For Leather."There is not a bad song on this one, and even more unknown songs like "Savage," "Hero's End" and "Invader" have stood the test of time, and are some of Priest's finest.
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