10 Greatest Metal Anthems Of All Time

Judas Priest are the ones who arguable taught all metalheads how to write anthemic metal tunes. By the time the band had hit their stride in the late 70's, the band had the ability of making hooky metal tracks almost instinctually. Though songs like "Breaking the Law" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin" are mandatory listening for metal, there is one Priest track that outshined even those masterpieces.

As the 90's began, classic metal was awaiting in one of its darkest periods. The hair metal scene was falling apart and the traditional metal tunes were starting to sound dated. With "Painkiller," Priest blew away their competition by growing with the times in the best way possible. Instead of the steady chugging riffs, the fretboard fireworks coming from Tipton and Downing owe a lot to the speed-metal movement that was reaching its commercial peak.

However, the standout of any Priest record is Rob Halford, who growls like an evil witch as he shrieks of raining fire and doom upon anyone in his path. From the earth-shattering drums to the unstoppable tempo, "Painkiller" showed that Priest could change with the times and thrive as the permanent kings of metal.