10 Best Metal Albums Of The 1990s - Ranked
3. Judas Priest – Painkiller
The heaviest of all of Judas Priest releases, Painkiller is speed metal personified, showing the full extents of the band’s talents. Overwhelmingly popular amongst the metal community, the album has a devout cult following, and is one of Priest’s most positively reviewed records.
Recorded just before singer Rob Halford left the group, Painkiller was the perfect send-off for the legend, who got show off his incredible vocal range one last time before his departure. While Halford is excellent on the album, praise must also be given to Glenn Tipton and KK Downing for their blistering quick guitar work, and to Scott Travis, for his balls-to-the-wall, louder than life drum work.
The title track, Painkiller, remains one of Judas Priest’s most technical singles, and is the stuff of metal legend, but other songs like Leather Rebel, and Metal Meltdown deserve recognition too, as they carry just as much technical prowess.