JUDAS PRIEST: Point of Entry

Produced by Tom Allom

Released: 1981

Some people would suggest that I review Judas Priest a bit too much on this blog, but I love heavy metal and if it weren't for Priest, metal wouldn't exist. It took me more years than it perhaps should have to appreciate this particular truth however because the first of their albums that I ever heard was this, and it didn't really leave me with a great impression. In the 25 or so years since then I've had plenty of time to re-evaluate both Point of Entry and Judas Priest, but even so this still ranks as one of their weakest albums.

As always, there are some great tracks on here. Priest never fails at this, which is why even their most hit-and-miss releases -- like this one -- are worthwhile. Sometimes their albums tend to sag toward the middle before a couple of great tracks pick things up again, but on Point of Entry this isn't the case: the last half of this is utterly forgettable, meaning that you will lose nothing by turning it off after "Solar Angels" except the experience of hearing Judas Priest at their blandest and most mediocre. Up until then, of course, this isn't too bad but still a long way from British Steel or even Screaming for Vengeance, the two albums this bridges. "Heading Out to the Highway" is awesome, as virtually every opening track this band writes is, and was still being used as a set opener the first and only time I saw them live. "Don't Go" is the obvious radio single (but not obvious enough for Australian radio programming, of course) and not too bad as such things go. Next is "Hot Rockin'", undeniably one of the most ridiculous of all Judas Priest songs but one so catchy and fun it's impossible to resist, including the guitar solo that sounds, as a friend of mine once remarked "like the speakers are going to blow". "Desert Plains" and "Solar Angels" are also rather cool, hinting at the band's earlier sound particularly in regards to the psychedelic feel and the latter has Rob Halford's best vocal of the whole album.

After this, Point of Entry is just a waste of time, with the rest of the material coming across as if it were just thrown together to make up the playing-time. For this reason, this probably isn't the ideal place to develop a real appreciation for the might of Judas Priest and still notches up the lowest score I have given them so far.

1. Heading Out to the Highway
2. Don't Go
3. Hot Rockin'
4. Turning Circles
5. Desert Plains
6. Solar Angels
7. You Say Yes
8. All the Way
9. Troubleshooter
10. On the Run

Rating: 60%