It was the 12th studio album by Judas Priest, and the original LP, cassette and CD versions were released on 3 September 1990. “Painkiller” was the first record with drummer Scott Travis, who was recruited from the band Saints Or Sinners and replaced Dave Holland who was behind the drum kit for two decades since 1979 and also it was the last record with founder member and lead singer Rob Halford who after the end of the Painkiller tour in 1991 left the band and to form the group named Fight under the heavy influence of bands such as Pantera and the new metal subgenre: groove metal. Scott Travis became drummer both for Judas Priest and Fight and Priest bring to the microphone the talented young American singer Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens for the following two albums “Jugulator” (1997) and “Demolition” (2001). Judas Priest and Rob Halford announced they would reunite in July 2003 and a new studio album, Angel of Retribution, was released on 1 March 2005.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM__lPTWThU&w=540&h=435]
If the turn of the decade in 1980 was marked by Judas Priest with a revolutionary – and killer – album as “British Steel” was, once again, in 1990 Judas Priest marked the turn of the decade with another powerful album. Judas Priest always managed to refresh their music and delivered new approaches, but staying always true to heavy metal. While other leading bands of the genre generally preferred to remains in their own patters and cliches, Priest always was on a conquest for new, managed to born again exploring new sounds and new directions.
“Painkiller” probably is one of their last classic heavy metal albums filled with powerful, modern grooves and 10 absolutely killer tracks.
The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance in 1991 and a re-mastered CD was released in May 2001. The Leather Rebel had all his guns blazing.
Track list:
01. “Painkiller” 6:06
02. “Hell Patrol” 3:35
03. “All Guns Blazing” 3:56
04. “Leather Rebel” 3:34
05. “Metal Meltdown” 4:46
06. “Night Crawler” 5:44
07. “Between the Hammer & the Anvil” 4:47
08. “A Touch of Evil” 5:42
09. “Battle Hymn” 0:56
10. “One Shot at Glory” 6:46
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW-6FKFnHx8&w=540&h=435]
