It has already become my second favorite Priest album. Second only to Screaming for Vengeance. My third favorite Priest album is Firepower. I think they've released some of the best music of their career on these last two albums. It's just one banger after another.
This album is fucking amazing, the production is incredible, the guitar work. Not one bad song,but i would have to say As God Is My Witness is my favorite song from the album. Definitely top ten albums of the year for me
I totally agree with you. Painkiller was the 20th century album and Invincible Shield is the album of the 21st. Century. It's really like a if it was the great brother album to Painkiller!!
Fantastic album. Such a great songs. Rob Halford is so good at his age unbelievable. Guitarplaying also fantastic and the songs are so good ordered! This will be in my top 10 of the year.
Fantastic review. I agree it's an amazing album. Time passes so quickly listening to it. Definitely Ozzy reference and possible electronic manipulation but it's a great song. So proud to be a lifelong priest fan.
Absolutely amazing ! I’m not a fan of Priest my self but this record , the energy , the guitar attacks ! Shooting fire and burning and purifying our souls , unparalleled !
I think it will rank within my top 10 this year. Which is actually saying a lot as we still have new music from Hammerfall, Sabaton, and Nightwish coming later in the year. Plus the new Myrath and Bruce Dickinson are out now.
Nice review. I wouldnt go so far to say its my absolute favorite Priest album, but the fact its even in the top tier is an incredible feat. Also, I'd add Slayer's last album to your list of mediocre releases from legacy metal bands. Priest is DEFINITELY putting out the best stuff from these old bands.
I’m totally with you, what a feast they present to us here. I now ‘fear’ it might really be their last album, can this ever be topped? While Firepower was great , the consistency here is unbelievable! Any other album this year that wants to compete needs to break the Invisible Shield. And we already had a couple of good ones! Yeah, wow, just wow!
I have been a Priest fan since the 70's, but I will say some of their albums don't really measure up. I must say this one has blown me away with what they are still able to do at this stage in their career - just WOW level! I have just got mine, so it's WAY too soon for me to say exactly how it ranks in the catalog, but it is definitely top tier.
I like your fair review of this album from this Priest fan. While I haven't got the album yet, I have heard a few tracks. Some good some maybe I need to warm up to. I try to avoid watching too many videos of new releases, i.e. Metallica and 72 seasons. They generally are silly and in the case of 72 seasons, I literally had to stop watching the videos and enjoyed listening purely to the songs. Same with this and most other bands. Off topic, but my best album so far this year...Saxon Hell Fire and Damnation...another Sneap produced masterpiece in my humble opinion. Thanks for your review! I will be getting Invincible Shield at some point.
Love this review. Escape to reality, I actually had to check there wasn't a surprise guest appearance by Ozzy, he was being channelled that much. As for The Lodger, I actually love this song. Note - it's the only song not written by the band. Instead, written by Bob Halligan Jnr, who also wrote Take These Chains from Vengeance and Some Heads Are Gonna Roll on Defenders.
Im a huge Maiden fan, Senjitsu is a good album but as you say iits just too long and doesn't get to the point, and you give up on it. I wish they would go back to their roots as in their 80s albums which were their best. But this Priest album is a masterpiece, not one bad song, all rippers, its incredible with Rob Halfird at 72. I will have the pleasure of seeing them next week in Dublin with the mighty Saxon who seem to keep getting better as well with their bew album.. Good vid...
I'm a Maiden fan and Senjutsu sounds like a metal album for adults. This Priest album sounds like AI generated metal by the numbers. No nuances no dynamics. Just generic hooks and riffs.
I hope any Priest fan loves it, and by the recent reactions there are MANY. That said, I can only recall one song from Firepower, well two, including title track and Traitors Gate. Sadly, I predict not recalling any of these cuts. I am ok with calling Shueld the best of the New Priest/Sneap/Faulkner era.
I'm a priest fan but always maybe 3 songs of each record even Nostradamus I liked..devil in disguise and gates of hell are my top tracks here but overall great album I even like the lodger ..this may be the last but I hope there's one final swansong after this
Your right on the money . Halford is doing Ozzy on escape from reality and I believe he is paying homage to manowar on the end of giants in the sky . And maybe gnr on fight of your life and some of halford band fight on vicious circle ⭕ . The lodger was written by someone else, so I'm thinking it's in a vain of some band I don't know. Great review 👌
Completely agree. I am a massive fan, but tbh the last few releases have been very mid. Think this might be my favorite as well, as a whole. Top tier songs on many past albums, but as a whole they suffer. Even on the 3 or 4 songs I like least on this one there are still parts I like. And the production on this is so lush and tasty. Not saying Painkiller is the be all end all but this is their best since then by a wide margin and there's more bangers on this.
Why no clips of the music? Nice commentary, but not even one example of what's so great? Know the name of the band but it would have been "useful" to hear some music as you did with the Blackberry Smoke album review of Be Right Here. Best, Leigh.
The more I listen to it, the less I sadly like it. Seriously, I like about five songs (Gates of Hell, Crown of Horns, Giants in the Sky, Fight of Your Life and Vicious Circle) but the main issue is that it's really The Rob & Richie Show, take away the guitars and vocals...what's left, not much. Sonically, Ian's missing in action as usual and Scott's plodding along to the same beat somewhere underneath the screaming guitars. The Downing/Tipton duo is sorely missed. It's 'overproduced' in my opinion, that domineering loud production of most recordings today. There's an overall melodic sameness to the album, Priest songs in the (distant) past were varied you could tell them apart these you can't, the last album of theirs I truly enjoyed was Angel of Retribution and before that probably Turbo.
I 100% agree with you. Priest used to be unique. Twin axe duel, amazing solos. Now remove Rob's voice and it sounds like a thousand other band out there. Nothing special about it.
Best album by priest? Are you people insane? Snapped to the grid pro tools album? L8sten to Screaming For Vengance..listen to the trade off solos by Downing and Tipton. That was priest. This album is a shiny turd and about as cheesy as the cover.
