Sony Music - 2014
7/10
It can be a difficult task to assess something without allowing nostalgia to paint an unfair picture of how great something is, but equally often retrospect and surrounding releases make that veneer easier to break. Marking exactly forty years of Judas Priest releasing full-length records, Redeemer Of Souls dropped in 2014, being the first "new" album by the British masterminds for yours truly since discovering them. Place it after an overblown and often considered faulty experiment in Nostradamus, marked by the fact that its release followed my high school graduation, and you've got the greatest vacuum for fond memories to my eighteen year-old self. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20, and while it may still be a bit fuzzy, it can be less forgiving.
Let us not get ahead of ourselves too early, though. Redeemer Of Souls rightfully gets lots of criticism, however I'd love first to highlight its strengths, as there are more than most will lend credit to. For one, "Halls Of Valhalla" is one of the heaviest tunes in the band's career, with one of my favorite suspense builds in guitar riffing, utilizing tough stomps and vocal outbursts. Similarly, the title track before it represents this in a warmer tone, cranking out beefy chops with equally crushing drum-kicks, and I even like the catchy albeit corny opener "Dragonaught." Similarly, "Crossfire" in the second half almost predicts the doomier numbers Halford and co. would perfect on the following Firepower, and even the soft closer "Beginning Of The End" seemed a soothing way to go out.
All sounds well and good, until you realize that these highlights comprise less than half of the album, with my single issue on their 2018 effort being ever-more present four years prior. I would be hard pressed to call anything bad, but there's little clarity in many tracks that could reveal songwriting with actual personality. Even as catchy as licks in the likes of "March Of The Damned" may feel, there's a missing oomph that normally makes the band's formula work, and some of that is likely due to the other main issue, its production. Again, I'm a sucker for rough production, but when the drums borderline dominate, the bass is unfelt (save for "Hell & Back" another one with potential that feels flat), and the lead guitars feel compromised, it's tough to get with what they're doing. Actually, I'd say most of these songs show potential that simply isn't quite realized.
Regardless, I will fully admit to having a soft spot for Judas Priest's attempt at painting over their previous mistake. It's simultaneously too long but somehow also unfinished, resulting in a handful of worthwhile numbers to walk away with at the expense of having to look for them. Trimming a few tracks off and touching others up would have done wonders, and perhaps would have shot it up to the way I regard the classic records; but like I said, hindsight is 20/20. Redeemer Of Souls certainly isn't bad, but I wouldn't call it much more than decent either, especially when removing my nostalgia goggles.
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