Customer Rating:  
Summary: Hell Bent For Leather
Comment: Judas Priest-Hell Bent For Leather ****
The high points of Hell Bent For Leather are really, really high points. But the low points are unavoidable. This quite honestly could have been one of if not the very best Judas Priest album of all time had the boys wanted it to be. Released almost right after Stained Class, one of the bands top three albums of all time, and their best up to that point they had to way to top it. To follow up that album they would have either had to copy it or change their style totally. They did the later.
What you hear is closer to that of the sound and feel of Point of Entry. It is more of a hard rock sound rather than that of a metal record. Not a bad thing as I prefer that genre over metal but I digress.
I personally feel that this is one of Glen and K.K.'s best albums together. The playing may not be as flashy on their later albums but they play some of the best riffs and solos of their entire career here.
Only one true classic was born here and that was the fantastic title track. Easily among the best of Judas Priest all time best, and a personal favorite. But it is not the only great song here. 'Evening Star' features some killer vocals from Halford and a great deal of in you face bass lines, though the song does run a bit cheesy that's okay. 'Take On The World' feels like Queens 'We Will Rock You' but much better. Also Halfords vocals are a lot deeper here. 'Burning Up' and 'Evil Fantasies' are the last of the stand out tracks.
The rest of the album while good just doesn't really stand out or have the slightest bit of memorable in it. Also the rest of the album seems flat, both because of the weak production and because the band seems to not really be into the songs, thus resulting in a less than five star rating.
Had the boys really been into the music and it been produced better it might have received a better rating. But that shows how great of an album Hell Bent For Leather really is that the production is really the only complaint. Worth adding to any musical collection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: judas priest delivers the goods
Comment: judas priest breaks out the metal and leathers up on "hell bent for leather" priest had quietly built up a following here in america (they were huge in england)by the time this one came out. they debuted their heavy metal leather look on this album and tour. they kept "les binks" on to play drums on the album after having him do the previous tour. his style has best fit priest's music better than any drummer prior or since, (check out "unleashed in the east" priest fans). guitarist glen tipton does the bulk of the writting including the title track in a solo effort. ian hill is solid on bass as always. k.k. downing and rob halfard both are in their prime here as well. this album should be in any hard rock/metal head's collection. play it loud/play it proud/here the crowd
yell "priest, priest, priest". nuff said! check out these tracks and prepare to rock: "delivering the goods", "killing machine", "burnin' up".
until next time my friends, keep on rockin'.........JACK E. STRICKLIN
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Original Metal Gods
Comment: Judas Priest is one of the greatest rock band in the world and this album is the beginning of there upward rise to Metal God status. A must buy for any real rock lover.
Customer Rating:
Summary: At Times Astoundingly Great
Comment: I picked this remastered version up last week, after not having heard the album itself in almost twenty-five years. To put it simply, I was completely ROCKED by it. I had let Hell Bent For Leather get neglected in my beloved Judas Priest collection, mostly because I felt the recording had way too thin a sound and a weak production quality overall. The songs mostly sounded WAY better live.
My listening to the remaster completely changed my mind. From the quintessential Judas Priest ruckus of "Deliverin' The Goods", to the what-if-Led-Zeppelin-had-any-real-balls pound of "Evil Fantasies", this album wipes out most everything that existed for Rock and Metal at that time. Sure, "Highway To Hell" overall rocked harder, and Scorpions' "Lovedrive" had more than a couple of equally great songs; and it could be argued that Rainbow's Down To Earth perhaps better musicianship.
What this album has is the most vividly erotic music I've ever heard on a rock record. And you can include whomever you wish in opposition. It's interesting: a song like Burnin' Up was most probably written as a grinding, homoerotic mating track (given Rob Halford's orientation) , but (speaking as a male heterosexual), it ends up crossing any sexual orientation boundary by dint of its hugely rocking sound as well as Halford's outstanding vocal (one of his most personable ever).
Even the ballads are good here ("Before the Dawn" is notable mostly for its great guitar solo , I grant that).
Bottom line, this is the best thing Judas Priest would release until "Screaming For Vengeance" (and oh YES I'm including "British Steel" here). So don't hesitate in considering this purchase, EXCELLENT MUSIC!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Deliverin' The Goods
Comment: An absolute metal/hard rock classic. This was way hard in 78.
Another from the 70's. This record, British Steel and Unleashed In The East are absolute must owns.
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