12 Most Hated Hard Rock Songs (On Great Albums)

Everything that Judas Priest was doing throughout their 70's seemed to be leading up to British Steel. The record launched the band into the hard rock mainstream and made them champions of the British metal scene. There is a definite sonic presence to the songs, but the ballad of the record felt a bit forced by comparison.

Sure, the sentiment of the tune is absolutely impenetrable, with Rob Halford calling on the metal faithful to come together in support of this maniacal music. The lyrics of the tune work wonders, but this is the one instance where the actual music seems to fail the Priest. The syncopation of the guitars are certainly a different look, but the tempo doesn't really shift beyond a standard metallic lurch. Even the hook of the track seems to be a bit too forced, as if the band were trying to make a singalong chant while in the studio.

While it never reached its full potential in the studio, this song got a much better response when performed live. Instead of the plodding melody going across your eardrums, the chants of millions of metalheads standing in arms is what really gives the song its power. "United" may have not been a great standout on record, but the live stage adaptation helped save it from hard rock obscurity.