I think thats why it gets talked about so much, though the ripper years kept the rest of the band going during Robs absence, it wasnt really priest. When ever i hear those songs from those years no matter how good it was, it was still like listening to a really really good cover band. Very few bands can continue on with as much fan base as they used to after getting a new singer. I know alot of fans just looked the other way after Painkiller, and thats probably why they keep comparing other albums to it. The idea now that there is a Painkiller like song on each new album is even now a give in. AOR- Hellrider, Nostradamus- Nostradamus. Everyone is still wanting that insanly heavy fast painkiller-like sound, even though you look at Priest over the last almost 4 decades and you can't find an album that sounds like the one before it. Iron Maiden is one of my favourite bands, but their sound since Dickinson has come back has been locked in this "new maiden" sound. I still really like the new albums, but each sounds very similar like they've got the one direction they're heading in. Priest has always been all over the place with their sound but always keeping a HEAVY metal twist on it. In other words it still feels like Maiden wants to keep holding on to the Brave New World style they're in while Priest is happy doing what they've always done, breaking borders.
[Show/Hide Quoted Message] (Quoting Message by ronhartsell from Sunday, June 14, 2009 11:45:48 PM)| |  | ronhartsell wrote: | | | I must admit that I find it ridiculous that Painkiller seems to be the bar that all Priest releases are compared to, as if Painkiller is Priest's crowning achievement, which I don't believe it is. Not taking anything away from it, but it's not even in their top 5 in record sales. I think that Painkiller is what a lot of fans hang their hat on because of the last several releases prior to Painkiller. I mean, let's face it, Turbo, Priest Live and Ram it Down were hardly (IMO) setting the Metal world on fire. Then comes Painkiller, a wonderful album that put Priest right back in the realm of relevancy once again, then Halford leaves. In most fans opinion, Painkiller was the last true Priest release until AoR, so Painkiller was all there was for 15-16 years, that's a long time for any band. In a way, I think that's why SFV was as great as it was. After British Steel we had POE and a lot of us thought that was disappointing and caused the band to lose a little momentum (even though it performed well in sales, but I think that was an after effect of BS), then Defenders in '84 in which it would be 6 more years 'til the great Painkiller. I will say this about Painkiller though, it's very rare that an album receives such high praise from the public being the 12th studio release, most bands aren't around for 12 albums. Painkiller should have came after Defenders and they could have skipped over Turbo and RID...but history is what it is. Painkiller, from 1984 to 2005 is the only great Priest effort (IMO), and that is why it gets the attention it does. |
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