Rocka Rolla

Rocka Rolla

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Reissued 1974 album. The Birmingham Metal gods' debut LP, originally released in 1974 by Guil Records, now has the addition of the 'Diamonds And Rust' single as a bonus track to give a total of 11 cuts that show the early years of this internationally successful five piece. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

One for the Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run of the Mill
Dying to Meet You
Caviar and Meths
Diamonds & Rust

Album Description

Reissued 1974 album. The Birmingham Metal gods' debut LP, originally released in 1974 by Guil Records, now has the addition of the 'Diamonds And Rust' single as a bonus track to give a total of 11 cuts that show the early years of this internationally successful five piece.

Customer Reviews:

Greatness starts somewhere!.......2006-06-30

First of all, don't believe it when someone says "Rocka Rolla" sounds nothing like Judas Priest. It does. It sounds like Judas Priest sounded AT THAT TIME. Rob Halford's vocals are instantly recognisable and the two-guitar team of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton are there from the outset.

It does reflect its era, though, and listening to this you get a bit of Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and Cream - but what's wrong with that?

One amusing aside is our Halfie's take on male/female relationships in "Rocka Rolla" and "Cheater". Gotta give the guy credit for trying.

I'd draw some direct comparisons with the Scorpions' "Lonesome Crow" and the first Black Sabbath album.

In retrospect, I'd rather listen to this than "Turbo" (their lowest point) any day!

Introducing Judas Priest! ! !.......2005-12-20

Best Songs are, One For the Road, Rocka Rolla, Winter/Deep Freeze, and Run To The Mills! The REST are good! If they werent the best, I would never say they were nor never get into to them!

Solid debut by the best metal band thhat ever lived!.......2005-11-23

Frankly, I don't bloody care if the production was bad. Does not mean that the record was "poor". Neverless, it was a great debut by our homeland's Gods, Judas Priest! From the brilliant "One For The Road" to the sepctactular instrumental "Caviar And Meths", it is a "wild ride", as I've heard Americans say!

Formed by Guitarist KK Downing and MY metal hero, Ian Hill, the Gods gave them the magic of metal! Also known for using various drummers, famous lead guitarist Glen Tipton and the bloody brilliant screecher, Rob Halford.

I admit that the production was bad, but that is the producer's fault. They'd be rockin' and rollin' anyway.

My favorites are "One For The Road", "Rocka Rolla" and "Never Satisfied".

To all the great fans who abandoned Priest because of Angel Of Retribution, Farewell and a glaring old Aye to ye!

"Barroom fighter, ten pint a-nighter, Definite 99".......2005-06-14

Rocka Rolla was Judas Priest's debut LP released in 1974. It features the mainstays of the band Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, and, of course, the legendary Rob Halford on vocals (he is credited as "Bob" Halford on the packaging for this release). It was John Hinch's turn on the musical drummer stools for this one. For fans of 1980s Priest, Rock Rolla is a mixed bag of classic rockers, soft ballads, catchy radio tracks, experimental riffs, long epic anthems, and short songs that run together. The overall sound demonstrates a definite Black Sabbath influence with darkness and depth. Rocka Rolla rocks, but it rocks in the classic 1970s hard rock sense, not in the adrenaline-pumping aggression of 1980s Priest masterpieces like Defenders of the Faith.

The debut begins with "One for the Road," a quintessential Black Sabbath style opener. It has a plodding beat but does pick up the tempo. "Rocka Rolla" is the most recognizable track on this album. A television performance for this song can be found on the DVD Electric Eye. "Rocka Rolla" is "hella killa" from the cool opening guitar riff to the addictive chorus. The next three tracks run together to give the impression of a long, epic piece. "Winter" (1:41) offers a quiet background intro that builds up into a dark, very Black Sabbath sounding track. At the drum solo it switches to "Deep Freeze" (1:20) so that, unless you are watching the CD track counter, you may not even realize the song has changed. It then moves into "Winter Retreat" (3:27) that begins with distorted, experimental guitar sounds with strange, dark sound effects (very Black Sabbath-like) then becomes a very pleasant song for the last minute. It is a laid-back relaxing number that is all too brief.

"Cheater" is a driving, classic rocker with harmonica provided by Halford. The guitar riff sounds like "My Sharona" by the Knack. The lyrics are about a man finding his girl in bed with another man. "Never Satisfied" is a classic, raw, stripped-down rocker. It is one of my favorites. Offering a change of pace is "Run of the Mill," a soft epic number running 8:30. The powerful ending with the beautiful keyboards really enhances this piece. "Dying to Meet You" (6:15) is another slow track but picks up around the 4:00 mark and offers Halford's signature wails and breakneck speed vocals. The album ends with a 2:00 instrumental "Caviar and Meths." This track was the concert finale used in the early years of Priest when Al Atkins was the vocalist. It was cut on this album. The entire piece is available on Atkins' solo project Victim of Changes and it is difficult to tell they are the same track because Atkins' version is a 7:00 rocker with vocals.

As a whole, Rocka Rolla is an excellent debut and this version has the bottlecap cover which is much cooler than the cover they have for the remastered version. It has a lot to offer; something for everyone. Fans of 1980s Judas Priest should give it a try and fans of 1970s classic rock should definitely pick it up.

Classic.......2005-05-11

An incredible record, even more so being a debut. This release shows more breadth of style than any other from JP. Very heavy at times, and very melodic (more so than any later release) at others. Rocka Rolla is steeped in the psychadelic 60s, while at the same time foreshadowing the modern heavy metal era. If I could have one JP record, this would be it.

Average customer rating:

"Where do we go from here? There must be something near."
1 star for kosh records re-issue
Not the Priest we know and love, but still a great record
"Barroom fighter, ten pint a-nighter, Definite 99"
Weird...

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Sad Wings of Destiny
Sin After Sin
Ram It Down
Hell Bent for Leather
Stained Class

ASIN: B00003TFN5
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

One For The Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run Of The Mill
Dying To Meet You
Caviar And Meths
Diamonds And Rust

Customer Reviews:

"Where do we go from here? There must be something near.".......2006-05-29

I'm going to review the 12 Judas Priest CDs from 1974-1990 except the two live CDs first. I am a huge Priest fan. I first got into Judas Priest 20 years ago and have stayed loyal to them ever since. This may limit my objectivity since these reviews will really be comparing the different CDs to one another not to other bands. There is no bad Judas Priest CD, only less consistent ones. Judas Priest is a band that have repeatedly experimented stylistically. Some of these experiments were more successful than others. There are CDs that are much heavier than others. I will try and bring all these factors into my reviews as well as attempting to summarize the general consensus among hardcore Priest fans about each individual release.

Judas Priest are possibly the most important act in metal history and they are certainly metal's most unwavering proponents. They helped invent heavy metal music, helped refine and perfect it, helped popularize it and have remained "defenders of the faith" during metal's darkest hours, while other "metal" acts ran for the hills. They are a legendary band whose role in popular music can not be overstated. If a metal band was not heavily influenced by Judas Priest directly, then they were heavily influenced by another band that was. Their reach is inescapable.

Judas Priest are led by Rob Halford, one of metal's most recognizable icons and possibly the greatest vocalist the genre has ever known. Halford's unearthly delivery and range are as responsible as anything else for Judas Priest's signature sound.

Judas Priest were not the first band to employ the services of two lead guitarists but they were certainly the first to fully implement them. Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing are both phenomenal lead soloists but it's their riffs and songwriting that have made Judas Priest one of the greatest guitar bands of all time. Both are criminally underrated in the guitar world but Downing is even underrated among Priest fans.

Bassist Ian Hill rounds out the band. A founding member along with Downing, Hill is responsible for keeping the rhythm section humming along through Priest's many drummer changes. Hill is not a flashy player but is certainly competent and on the rare occasions the band's songwriting allows him to shine, he never disappoints.

If this is the worst CD Judas Priest ever recorded with the first Halford/Tipton/Downing/Hill (and it may be) then that's quite a compliment because this is a stellar debut.

Clearly, Judas Priest were still experimenting with their sound and trying to find their direction with this release. That being said, you can already hear the genesis of a fantastic songwriting collaboration which would make magic for the next three decades and counting. Tipton and Downing were already experimenting with integrating two guitars and their accompanying parts into a song.

"Rocka Rolla" is probably their least heavy CD. It is also like many other Judas Priest CDs in that it has it's own fairly unique sound in their catalogue. Overall, you will often find yourself asking whether this is truly a metal CD at all. In my opinion, this is the only Judas Priest CD that is true of. Some of the best tracks off their second CD, "Sad Wings of Destiny" were reportedly left off this CD and that, combined with the mediocre production quality, makes you wonder how truly great this could have been.

Track listing -

"One For The Road" - This slower-paced blues rocker starts off the album on a poor note. It certainly isn't a bad song. It's just a little uninspired and it probably is the worst song offered here. It almost certainly was a poor choice to lead off the album.

"Rocka Rolla" - Right off the bat, track 2 on their debut album, this is probably one of Judas Priest's all-time great songs. This is a fine, early example of a Judas Priest trademark, where each guitar and the bass are all playing their own riff. The magical combination of the galloping rhythm section, the sinister guitar lines and Halford's vocals really crystallizes here. There is perfectly placed harmonica at the close of the bridge section at the end of the guitar solo. This is a fantastic song, perhaps only slightly hampered by lukewarm lyrics.

"Winter - Deep Freeze - Winter Retreat" - I consider these three songs to actually be one continuous song and I consider "Cheater" to be seperate altogether. If nothing else, these songs are connected thematically while not being bound by musical motif. "Winter" starts things off well, immediately suggesting the chill of Autumn's demise with a grinding guitar sound effect and echoing, ethereal vocals by Halford. Pretty good. Fairly heavy. This part comprises the bulk of the trilogy, both being longest in duration and carrying the most emotional impact. "Deep Freeze" is Downing (not Tipton as another reviewer suggested) playing some tremolo lines through distorted sound effects. Downing himself has said he doesn't like this but I do. It does what it's supposed to, suggesting a chill so cold that words can't describe. It effectively makes the transition from "Winter" to "Winter Retreat". Even if you don't like it, it doesn't last too long. Admittedly, a LOT of people seem to dislike it. "Winter Retreat" is a very light, short song. Halford's voice is literally beautiful here and the lyrics suggest the time for optimism has arrived. Which of course is why it makes no real sense (possible irony?) to connect this with...

"Cheater" - Great blues-metal riff opens this song about revenge against a woman who has done our narrator wrong (and the guy she did it with too...). Perhaps the dark lyrical tone of this song would suggest to the observant the heavy musical days to come. A fantastic song overall with more strangely perfect harmonica work by Halford and highlighted by a fantastic guitar solo. I can't be sure but I believe the solo is Downing. Glenn would go on to play too many of the solos later in the band's career and this solo would appear to be evidence of that. Tipton seems to be a technically superior player and certainly tends to play faster solos, highlighted by a lot of pentatonics, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and finger tapping. Downing often plays a more soulful solo and he tends to use way more tremolo than Tipton. Of course, they're at their best when they trade off and play off of one another, highlighting each other's strengths.

"Never Satisfied" - Pretty good song featuring more phenomenal vocals by Halford, especially the final wail. Unfortunately, it's a weak spot, both because of the fairly lame lyrics and because the main riff, already used too repetitively, sounds too similar to the bridge. Al Atkins removal from the band seems to have benefitted Judas Priest in two ways. Halford sings circles around him and his removal as a lyricist had to have helped that area as well.

"Run of the Mill" - Clocking in at 8:33, one of Judas Priest's longest songs. One of their least metal. Also, definitely one of the most interesting lyrically of their entire career. The song deals with a person who has failed to reach their potential and has become a failure. This is a great song with some very soulful guitar work. Superlatives escape me to describe Halford's devastatingly poignant vocals. Listen closely to hear a great bass line hiding under all that guitar.

"Dying To Meet You" - Schizophrenic song that starts off with a rare bass intro from Ian Hill and a slower pace overall. The song tells the story of a soldier preparing for battle and then entering combat. Halford's vocal range is put to the test here as he sings the first part of the song about as low and deep as you'll ever hear him. About midway through the songs picks up speed, the guitars take center stage and Halford's vocal delivery gets much higher pitched. Lyrically, this is the part of the song where the fighting starts. The tone of the song seems a little derisive of the soldier himself, perhaps topically reflecting many people's attitudes about the Vietnam conflict, which of course was winding down at the time. Personally, I disagree with this view but Judas Priest are almost entirely an apolitical band for better or for worse so I can forgive these very trivial differences of opinion.

"Caviar And Meths" - A two minute instrumental closes the CD out. I think it's fantastic. Wordlessly sad. It's a tragedy that this was originally an eight minute long song with lyrics. I'd love to hear the full version but it's probably lost forever.

I don't consider "Diamonds And Rust", Priest's cover of the Joan Baez masterpiece a song from this CD. I consider it a part of "Sin After Sin", their third CD and will talk about it there.
I believe the two versions of the song to be the same version with each being produced differently.

Amazon users consider this 10th out of 12 of Judas Priest's 1974-1990 CDs. I consider it dead last. That being said, it's still a great album. It's just not a great introduction to the band as a whole and a lot of fans of the heavier side of Priest may not like this album. Curious listeners should get "Screaming For Vengeance". It's not Priest's best but it's their best selling and possibly their most generally accessible and most indicative of what Priest generally sound like.

1 star for kosh records re-issue.......2006-04-15

If you are going to get the Kosh Records re-issue then you should just get the album Hero Hero, because with that album you also get the songs from Sad Wings Of Destiny for the same price with the same sound quality.

Not the Priest we know and love, but still a great record.......2005-10-23

I'd seen many of the reviews for this album before I got it, and was expecting something terrible. I recently picked it up, simply to add on the my near-complete Priest collection, and I was pleasantly surprised.

No, this is DEFINITELY not Sad Wings-style epic metal, and no, this is definitely not British Steel-style mainstream rock, but it IS nonetheless a great 70's rock album. Before the first two songs were over, I was already tingling because of the 'Black Sabbath-ness' of the album (The opening riff of "Winter, Deepfreeze" sounds remarkably similar to the mid-section of Sabbath's classic, "Iron Man"). It's good old-fashioned classic rock, and that's all there is to it.

Like an earlier reviewer said, I believe that when you put this in, forget about the name across the top, and any expectations attached to it, and simply listen with an open mind. I promise, you'll like it. Not what you'd expect from the 'Metal Gods', but a great album nonetheless.

This is chapter one in the epic story of one of metal's greatest bands. Pick it up as soon as possible.

"Barroom fighter, ten pint a-nighter, Definite 99".......2005-06-14

Rocka Rolla was Judas Priest's debut LP released in 1974. It features the mainstays of the band Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, and, of course, the legendary Rob Halford on vocals (he is credited as "Bob" Halford on the packaging for this release). It was John Hinch's turn on the musical drummer stools for this one. For fans of 1980s Priest, Rock Rolla is a mixed bag of classic rockers, soft ballads, catchy radio tracks, experimental riffs, long epic anthems, and short songs that run together. The overall sound demonstrates a definite Black Sabbath influence with darkness and depth. Rocka Rolla rocks, but it rocks in the classic 1970s hard rock sense, not in the adrenaline-pumping aggression of 1980s Priest masterpieces like Defenders of the Faith.

The debut begins with "One for the Road," a quintessential Black Sabbath style opener. It has a plodding beat but does pick up the tempo. "Rocka Rolla" is the most recognizable track on this album. A television performance for this song can be found on the DVD Electric Eye. "Rocka Rolla" is "hella killa" from the cool opening guitar riff to the addictive chorus. The next three tracks run together to give the impression of a long, epic piece. "Winter" (1:41) offers a quiet background intro that builds up into a dark, very Black Sabbath sounding track. At the drum solo it switches to "Deep Freeze" (1:20) so that, unless you are watching the CD track counter, you may not even realize the song has changed. It then moves into "Winter Retreat" (3:27) that begins with distorted, experimental guitar sounds with strange, dark sound effects (very Black Sabbath-like) then becomes a very pleasant song for the last minute. It is a laid-back relaxing number that is all too brief.

"Cheater" is a driving, classic rocker with harmonica provided by Halford. The guitar riff sounds like "My Sharona" by the Knack. The lyrics are about a man finding his girl in bed with another man. "Never Satisfied" is a classic, raw, stripped-down rocker. It is one of my favorites. Offering a change of pace is "Run of the Mill," a soft epic number running 8:30. The powerful ending with the beautiful keyboards really enhances this piece. "Dying to Meet You" (6:15) is another slow track but picks up around the 4:00 mark and offers Halford's signature wails and breakneck speed vocals. The album ends with a 2:00 instrumental "Caviar and Meths." This track was the concert finale used in the early years of Priest when Al Atkins was the vocalist. It was cut on this album. The entire piece is available on Atkins' solo project Victim of Changes and it is difficult to tell they are the same track because Atkins' version is a 7:00 rocker with vocals.

If you do not have the remake of "Diamonds and Rust" off Sin After Sin this will be an amazing bonus track for you. It is as good as "Better By You Better Than Me" and "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise," maybe better! Actually, I'd buy Sin After Sin for that track (and more!) and find the Rocka Rolla CD with the bottlecap cover as the cover to this version is hideous. As a whole, Rocka Rolla is an excellent debut. It has a lot to offer; something for everyone. Fans of 1980s Judas Priest should give it a try and fans of 1970s classic rock should definitely pick it up.

Weird..........2005-05-10

Judas Preist's 1974 debut album.

This is simpley weird, i could see why the band hates this album so much...simpley becuase it is so uneven and utterly sloppy and the production sounds like they recorded it in BFI dumpster. When i first got this, i was like "What the Hell?", granted, debut albums are far from perfect, but this was just downright miserable. This sounds like a combination of Pink Floyd,Rush,Black Sabbath and Cream on an acid trip. The song ROCKA ROLLA was OK and so was ONE FOR THE ROAD, but the rest of the material was abismal. SAD WINGS OF DESTINY was such an improvment from this mess! The coolest thing about this album is the weird scrapping guitar effects Tipton makes on one of the songs! I'm surprised that this was even issued on a CD, the band doesn't even acknowlege the existance of this album and i can see why! Fortuanatly they prooved to be so much more then what this platter of stange noises provided us with. I know that there are some that like this, but not me! It is very blues based in some songs, and the most annoying thing is that some of these numbers will put you to sleep. Any one expecting a rocking metal album from the Preist will be let down by this.

Average customer rating:

I wish KK. downing could read this..
Vintage Priest Rules!

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sad Wings of Destiny
Sad Wings of Destiny

ASIN: B00005V2TM
Release Date: 2002-02-06

Tracks:

One for the Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run of the Mill
Dying to Meet You
Caviar and Meths
Diamonds & Rust

Album Description

2002 Japanese remastered 20 bit K2 pressing. EMI.

Album Details

20 bit K2 digitally remastered.

Customer Reviews:

I wish KK. downing could read this.........2005-12-14

well, all the new priest fans go to bed now & lets the 'old school' fans take the floor..LOL! and, hush..I saw you snicker..LOL!

this is where it all began.The debut recording..a young, eager K.K. downing & troops dying to put thoughts onto vinyl.I laugh at the negative reviews by newer fans who weren't "there" for the early vibe..& mindset/style of vintage priest. a band in the shadows of their heros like the scorpions, zep. ufo & sabbath etc.Its clear that glen & K.K. were huge schenker & scorpion fans.this will fall on deaf ears to those 10 + younger than me. I'm now 42..bought this when I was in 9th grade? But, in those days a great rhythum guitar line ( like on intrance by scorps)or, guitar affect made an album in ways..it was kool. I rarely hear anything these days that sounds "kool" or, makes me smile..a hot solo..or, something creative.Many bands back then were boring..radio format & here comes priest.This album is out of focus & uneven for a reason..it breaks the boring song structure rules forced fed by the industry so you get winter retreat..deep freeze etc.and, yes, I love these short, creative bursts of music & ideas..wishing there were many more to follow...such as the song: 'here comes the tears' on sin after sin. I also like the fact that rob is quieter..more creative, can go from soft, sensitive & with feeling to something that rocks.This was more of a K.K. downing offering. anyone who has written a song/music can tell lots of hrs. were put into this..endless going over the songs & looking for the right tone..guitar affect..into or, beginning.Priest use to be big on this but, got lazy I feel..too comfortable..too rich..LOL I'd love to see priest back in jeans & out of leather..too predictable /sellout otherwise.Maybe, do I quiet set in a small pub..of songs I select..LOL the metal machine they became I'd destroy for it ruined the band & made them predictable for the newer fans who expect the same ole style & bashing & too 'in your face' music that annoys more than anything else.I want to hear the band & robs wonderful voice mixed with a warmer guitar tone . Again, go back to dreamer deceiver, here come the tears . this is the voice I want to hear.This cd hits a soft spot with me..part of my childhood. a sign of the times.
A time when priest had a mystique about them...lasting through british steel days.I love the whole cd for one reason or, another..to the quarky guitar hooks on rocka rolla..to the grittiness & harmonica on cheater..as One song carefully blends into another such as deep freeze..leading to a quiet passage..likely due to K.K. carving out these songs.I was a little bored with priest after 'hell bent for leather' album which was too commercial but, good & flashy.So, finding this album a few yrs. later was a treasure for me..bringing me back to the sad wing days..& where it all began. I wish I could add input to priest members & wish they would write songs that I can actually want to listen to from start to finnish. If, you're a newer fan..this will go over your head..you "
weren't "there"..so missed out on the vibe of it all & the type of music that was out there so..this was different & interesting/creative. Thanks K.K. and gang..I still respect & love this cd!

Vintage Priest Rules!.......2003-05-01

I you are sick of detuned farty "metal", then set the Way Back Machine for 1974 and this classic gem by Judas Priest. This album is somewhere between Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult, without the sludge of Sabbath, but with a little more anger than BOC could muster up. The production is a little thin, but Halford shines (as always!) on what is a ripping, sparse-sounding album. The guitars sound a little thin, but there definitely some cool moments.

In Rocka Rolla, the repetitive rumbling riff gives way to cool, more delicate parts, and Priest shows some old-fashioned rock sensibility with one For The Road. Never Satisfied is probably the biggest highlight on this album, with Halford's trademark vocals.

I enjoyed this album immensely, and it offers a refreshing departure from the slick productions of the eighties. With this album, heavy metal crawls from the primordial sludge of Sabbath up onto dry land...

Note: For real irony, listen to Cheater. Is Halford angry with the guy or the girl? Who cares? Cheating, drinking, and homicide! What a great track.

Rocka Rolla
Average customer rating:

Greatness starts somewhere!

Introducing Judas Priest! ! !

Solid debut by the best metal band thhat ever lived!

"Barroom fighter, ten pint a-nighter, Definite 99"

Classic

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: Transluxe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sad Wings of Destiny

Sin After Sin

Stained Class

Hell Bent for Leather

Ram It Down

ASIN: B000005T6E
Release Date: 1995-10-12

Tracks:

One For The Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run Of The Mill
Dying To Meet You
Caviar And Meths

Album Description

Customer Reviews:

Greatness starts somewhere!.......2006-06-30

Introducing Judas Priest! ! !.......2005-12-20

Best Songs are, One For the Road, Rocka Rolla, Winter/Deep Freeze, and Run To The Mills! The REST are good! If they werent the best, I would never say they were nor never get into to them!

Solid debut by the best metal band thhat ever lived!.......2005-11-23

"Barroom fighter, ten pint a-nighter, Definite 99".......2005-06-14

Classic.......2005-05-11

Average customer rating:

A nice start...
Judas Priest
Priest classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love this cd
Their Most Under-Rated Album

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: Original Masters UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000G6LW
Release Date: 1998-11-15

Tracks:

One for the Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run of the Mill
Dying to Meet You
Caviar and Meths
Diamonds & Rust

Album Description

Reissue of the debut album these Kings of British metal,first released on the Gull label in 1974. Features theircover of Joan Baez's 'Diamonds And Rust' as a bonus track,plus the original cover art and all 10 of the originalcuts. 1998 Snapper release.

Album Details

The Original Classic Reissued and Digitally Remastered. The Faithful Will Need It.

Customer Reviews:

A nice start..........2005-03-05

A good and interesting album, but probably not for the casual fan; certainly not for a fan of the band they would later become.

This is definitely not a heavy metal album. Most songs here are blues based with a tinge of psychedelic, Hendrix-inspired whammy bar thrown in for good measure on a song or two.

The first couple songs don't break new ground, but the third song, "Winter", is atmospheric and blends into the next three songs, "Deep Freeze", "Winter Retreat", "Cheater". Other than title, it's not clear they have anything, thematically, to do with each other, but that's how they play out. "Deep Freeze" is a Jimi Hendrix whammy-bar fantasy which dissolves nicely into "Winter Retreat". "Cheater", the last song in the group, is a song in which the protagonist finds his woman and another man in bed. Angry and powerful.

"Never Satisfied" is not a bad song and the last line really sums up most people's nature.

"Run of the Mill" is, in my opinion, one of the best songs Judas Priest has ever recorded. It starts off very quietly and slowly and builds into a blues number that keeps the listener riveted to the restrained, tasteful guitar playing of KK Downing. The song builds to a haunting, sad, desperate ending and Rob's vocals have rarely been this dramatic. The ending crescendo rises, floats, and slowly fades out. 8 minutes of restrained greatness.

"Dying to Meet You" is a slow, plodding number that picks up about half way through the song. Interesting topic matter, but not a stand out track.

"Caviar and Meths" is a curious instrumental snippet from a song that was never released in its entirety. This two minute gem is all they released from that performance and shows a softer side the band didn't often reveal.

While I wouldn't recommend this as the first purchase for someone casually interested in the band, it is certainly a worthy addition for the variety it contains and serves to illustrate the contrast that exists between this, their first album, and their much heavier, nearly perfect, second album: Sad Wings of Destiny.

Judas Priest.......2005-01-29

Dont listen to the naysayers about this album.This is Judas Priest 1st album and it is a hard rocking album.They were just beginning to come to the greatness that everyone was going to hear in a few short years.This is Metal in the early stages of the band Judas Priest.

Priest classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-12-05

This is defintely an underrated Priest album. I had read several reviews that said it was a great start for JP but nothing memerable on it. I have to disagree. Every song on this is great. Although it isn't as heavy as their later albums, you've got to remember....it was 1974. Thrash metal came a little later.
This album has some great elements in it. There's some pink floyd moments, led zeppelin, and definately some black sabbath. Although they came out a little later than sabbath, zeppelin, and maiden, JP has become a HUGE influence on the direction metal took and I wouldn't hesitate to say they are in the top 5 hard rock/metal bands of all time.
No metal collection should be considered complete without Rocka Rolla.

i love this cd.......2003-07-13

even though judas priest first album may not be thier heaviest it's by no means thier worst.this is a definite overlooked classic by judas priest fans.every song is great except for caviar and meths which is a plain boring instrumental.tracks such as rocka rolla,one for the road and cheater are great rockin tunes.dying to meet you and run of the mill along side rocka rolla are my favorite tracks on the album.dying to meet you and run of the mill are unlike anything the band ever recorded again.the other tracks are never satisfied which is a great song and winter which is not quite as good as the other songs but it is a decent song even though it kind of drags out.all in all this is a great album.a must have for priest fans and for fans of good 70's hard rock.

Their Most Under-Rated Album.......2001-12-12

Their 1974 debut album reamins an under-rated masterpiece in my opinion. No, it may not be the break-neck speed Judas Priest that we would know them for on later albums, but there are plenty of good progressive metal and blues-rock driven tunes that make this album great in my opinion.

The album kicks off with "One For The Road" and tells of the good and bad things of being out on tour for a long time, a good hard rocking tune in a Grand Funk Railroad way. "Rocka Rolla" is one of their most interesting tunes, kind of a dance-blues hybrid if you can imagine that!!! "Winter" , "Deep Freeze" and "Winter Retreat" all go together well, the most epic tunes on this album, telling of living in a remote area up north and being away from someone you love. Musically its almost doomy, then takes a turn for twisted guitar feedback and effects that make you feel as if your trapped in the midst of a blizzard. Then it all ends with a very melodic piece to end "Winter Retreat" signaling everything may one day be alright. "Cheater" is one of my favorites here, a great hard rocking main riff and very angry lyrics when a guy comes home late from work to find his woman in bed with a stranger, and how they plead forgivness and as he is looking to a loaded 44, decides they are not worthy of it!!! "Never Satisfied" is about never being happy as a musician, no matter how big you might make it, always feeling like you can better yourself, and how hard it is to keep a band together in the early struggling days. A good solid doom style song. Next up is "Run Of The Mill" and is the longest, most progressive song here at eight and a half minutes, questioning at the end of your life if you got to achieve everything you wanted or if you just followed everyone else. "Dying To Meet You" is my favorite here, starting out melodic and progressive then quickly shifting into a doom filled rocker, this one would have been great live, even today. Lyrically it seems to be about someone who died and came back to life early one morning, at least in spirit, only they don't know they died, as in the line "Picking Out Landmarks, That Said I Was Dead." It seems he is dying to meet someone who was close to him to in fact find out who he was, very deep lyrics. The album closed with the brief instrumental "Caviar And Meths" but this re-issue contains an early recording of "Diamond And Rust" which they would later record on the "Sin After Sin" album and the best version is on "Unleashed In The East". I wish they would bring back these classic forgotten songs, or at least re-record them and give them the production they deserve, I bet then the band and everyone would have a very different opinion of them, they are all very good.

Macadam
Average customer rating:
Macadam

Manufacturer: Rocka Rolla
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAD04G
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Am Tot Ce Vrei
Mai Mult
Un Lucru
Macadam
Faptele
Noi Aducem Caldura
Cina
De Partea Ta
Piersicoaso
Urma
Urma live 2002
Urma video

Average customer rating:

First album from Judas Priest

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000086EOC
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Tracks:

One for the Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter/Deep Freeze/Winter Retreat/Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run of the Mill
Dying to Meet You
Caviar and Meths
Diamonds & Rust

Album Description

2003 reissue of 1974 album, packaged in a digipak. Snapper.

Customer Reviews:

First album from Judas Priest.......2005-06-23

Rocka Rolla (1974.) Judas Priest's first album.

In 1974, many classic hard rock legends released their debut albums - Among them was the mighty Judas Priest. However, the band in question hadn't quite found the sound that would make them legendary yet. Would this make for a masterpiece of a debut that featured unrivaled sound quality, or a weak album that pales in comparison to their later stuff? Read on for my review of Rocka Rolla.

To put it simply, this is much weaker than all other Halford-era entires in the Judas Priest catalogue, and it's definitely more an aquired taste than the later albums with him. That said, let's get onto the tracklist. The opener, One For The Road. It sounds like a southern rocker like you'd hear from a number of American bands in the seventies, though this one has a "harder edge" to it. The title track is a classic hard rocker that sounds like a cross between ACDC and Ted Nugent. It's an excellent song that shouldn't be overlooked. Winter is part one of four in the medley. This one's hard, slow, and gloomy. The track has been compared to Black Sabbath several times - and with good reason. Overall a good track. Deep Freeze is part two of four in the medley. This is easily the weakest track on the album just because it's so weird! You've got eerie noises with a guitar riff every now and again... Too bad this one got sandwiched in the middle of the otherwise good medley. Winter Retreat is part three of four in the medley. A much slower and, for the most part, softer track than anything previously heard on the album. This one's an underrated gem. Cheater finishes off the medley. THIS IS MY FAVORITE TRACK ON THIS ALBUM. Here the band uses a bluesy hard rock/metal style very similar to the one Black Sabbath used on their first album. Never Satisfied is mid-paced melodic hard rock that doesn't seem like the kind of track you'd expect to hear from Judas Priest. It's still a good song, though! Don't skip it! The next song may be called Run Of The Mill, but it's anything but! In this one, the band uses an ultra slow and melodic style, throwing in an awesome guitar pattern at what I guess you'd call the "chorus". Another underrated gem. Dying To Meet You isn't bad by any means, but it sounds almost nothing like the Judas Priest the average person knows and loves (apart from Halford's vocals). Again, you could call this one "southern hard rock." Yet another underrated gem (This album's got a lot of 'em!). Caviar And Meths, the closer, is a melodic instrumental only lasting two minutes. Not a bad song, but definitely a wasted opportinuty. I, like so many other fans, would have preferred a "full-blown" instrumental.

There are two editions of this album on CD - Edition One features a creature laying out missiles on the cover. This edition has the medley as one big long track, and the bonus track, Diamonds And Rust (A Joen Baez cover - NOT the same version from Sin After Sin.) Edition Two has a bottle cap on the cover. I recommend edition two, since it's got the medley split up.

Judas Priest's debut isn't a bad album by any means, but it's definitely not the type of album that a fan new to the album should start with. Since this and the follow-up, Sad Wings Of Destiny, weren't released on a major label, they didn't get the remastering treatment every album from Sin After Sin to Painkiller got, sadly. You're gonna have to look a little harder if you want to find these two. They were recently rereleased in a two-disc set called Genocide (odd assuming they'll both fit on one CD if you omit the bonus track.) Overall, Rocka Rolla is a good, solid hard rock album that is often overlooked by casual and die-hard fans alike. If you're anything above a casual fan, don't overlook this little gem. But if you a casual fan or anything less, don't even bother.

Average customer rating:

Rocka Rolla +1
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000A2PGY8
Release Date: 1996-11-21

Average customer rating:

Rocka Rolla
Judas Priest
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005NJVZ
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Tracks:

One for the Road
Rocka Rolla
Winter
Deep Freeze
Winter Retreat
Cheater
Never Satisfied
Run of the Mill
Dying to Meet You
Caviar and Meths
Diamonds and Rust [#]

Album Description

Japanese limited edition reissue of 1974 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve.

Album Details

Japanese Version featuring an LP Style Clipcase.

Sin After Sin / Genocide [import] "Rocka Rolla, Sad Wings Of Destiny" {{{3 CDs}}}

Average customer rating:

Sin After Sin / Genocide [import] "Rocka Rolla, Sad Wings Of Destiny" {{{3 CDs}}}

Manufacturer: cbs / smd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000FWE324

Product Description

SIN AFTER SIN... 1. Sinner 2. Diamonds & Rust 3. Starbreaker 4. Last Rose Of Summer 5. Let Us Prey 6. Call For The Priest/Raw Deal 7. Here Come The Tears 8. Dissident Aggressor .......... GENOCIDE (2 cds) 1. One For The Road 2. Rocka Rolla 3. Winter 4. Deep Freeze 5. Winter Retreat 6. Cheater 7. Never Satisfied 8. Run Of The Mill 9. Dying To Meet You 10. Caviar And Meths 11. Diamonds And Rust 12. Victim Of Changes 13. The Ripper 14. Dreamer Deceiver 15. Deceiver 16. Prelude 17. Tyrant 18. Genocide 19. Epitaph 20. Island Of Domination

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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