Review - "Battle Cry" Judas Priest (Epic 2016)

This one was actually on my list of metal DVDs to purchase and it was even on my Amazon wish list so it was nice when the DVD version of this showed up in the post courtesy of a very cool PR guy.
Having seen this tour live when they passed through town I was very much looking forward to revisiting a great concert experience albeit on a much larger scale. I was not disappointed.

First off the sound mixes on this are awesome. The 5:1 mix is truly ball rattling and the Dolby surround mix ups the ante even more. The one dig I'll give on the mix is that Rob's vocals are a bit buried. I mean you can hear them but damn it's the metal god those pipes should be front and center.
What was front and center was Richie Faulkner. This DVD really shows off how well this guy has fit in with the band and also the energy he brings live. This is exactly what we experienced when we saw them live as well. Richie is just having a blast and it's obvious that Glenn is more than happy to hang back a bit and let him shine.

The tracklist on this is flawless. The Priest always make sure to feature new stuff live and this tour didn't let up on that. The show recorded live at Wacken in August of 2015 features five tracks off of Redeemer of Souls. Add to that all the classics (ok not all of them this is Priest) and you have a killer ninety plus minutes of pure metal. They also throw in three bonus tracks from a show in Poland. So a total of twenty most excellent Priest performances.

There's a spot towards the end of the show where there's a teenage fan right at the rail and he's just bawling his eyes out. This kid is just overwhelmed with the emotions of seeing Priest live. That about sums up this DVD. We are really in a great time for metal DVDs and this is another great one. Just crank this up and be overwhelmed by the majesty that is Judas Priest. Considering that most of those guys are getting up there in years its amazing to watch BLAZE through Painkiller and still come back and finish with Living After Midnight.

Do yourself and your metal ear and eye holes a favor and get yourself a copy of "Battle Cry".

JUDAS PRIEST LIVE CD/DVD/BLU-RAY TITLED BATTLE CRY HAS BEEN RELEASED

Friday, March 25th, 2016 marked the release of the new live set from legendary Judas Priest, Battle Cry, via Epic Records. Recorded live on August 1st, 2015 at Germany's Wacken Festival in front of an audience of 85,000, Battle Cry is available on a 15-track CD, with the entire show on Blu-ray and DVD (running over 94 minutes), as well as digital audio and video formats. The DVD and Blu-ray also contains 3 bonus tracks shot in Poland on December 10th, 2015 at The Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Poland. Amazon links: http://smarturl.it/BattleCryAmzn   iTunes links:   http://smarturl.it/iTunes.BattleCry What makes the show's track listing so appealing is it balances new classics ("Dragonaut," "Halls of Valhalla," "Redeemer of Souls") along with headbanging classics ("Metal Gods," "Electric Eye," "You've Got Another Thing Coming"), as well as key album tracks from yesteryear ("Devil's Child," "Beyond the Realms of Death," "Jawbreaker").  Originally formed during the early '70s in Birmingham, England, Priest is responsible for offering metal fans worldwide some of the genre's most influential and landmark albums (1980's 'British Steel,' 1982's 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 1990's 'Painkiller,' etc.), while helping spread metal music to audiences not normally associated with the genre (Live Aid in 1985, and a surprise appearance on American Idol in 2011), and helping popularize the now instantly recognizable "denim and leather" look. For decades, Judas Priest has been one of the greatest live bands in the entire heavy metal genre. And as evidenced by Battle Cry, Priest rock harder and more ferociously than ever. Battle Cry CD sequence: 1.     (Intro) Battle Cry 2.     Dragonaut 3.     Metal Gods 4.     Devil’s Child 5.     Victim of Changes 6.     Halls of Valhalla 7.     Redeemer of Souls 8.     Beyond the Realms of Death 9.     Jawbreaker 10.   Breaking the Law 11.   Hell Bent For Leather 12.   The Hellion 13.   Electric Eye 14.   You’ve Got Another Thing Coming 15.   Painkiller Battle Cry DVD/Blu-ray sequence: 1. (Intro) Battle Cry  2. Dragonaut 3. Metal Gods 4. Devil’s Child 5. Victim of Changes 6. Halls of Valhalla 7. Turbo Lover 8. Redeemer of Souls 9. Beyond the Realms of Death 10. Jawbreaker 11. Breaking the Law 12. Hell Bent For Leather 13. The Hellion 14. Electric Eye 15. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming 16. Painkiller 17. Living After Midnight Recorded live on August 1st, 2015 at Wacken Festival, Germany. BONUS TRACKS 18. Screaming for Vengeance 19. The Rage 20. Desert Plains Recorded live on December 10th, 2015 at The Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Poland.

JUDAS PRIEST UNLEASH NEW LIVE CD/DVD/BLU-RAY TITLED BATTLE CRY IN LATE MARCH

Judas Priest's tour in support of their 17th studio album overall, Redeemer of Souls, was one of the most extensive of the group's entire career - consisting of 130 shows in 33 countries, and offering a setlist that touched upon selections from nearly all of their classic albums. And now, fans can relive the live Priest experience once more, with the release of the new CD/DVD/Blu-ray, Battle Cry, on March 25th, 2016, via Epic Records (preview available for viewing here http://smarturl.it/JudasPriestDVD

Recorded live on August 1st, 2015 at Germany's Wacken Festival in front of an audience of 85,000, Battle Cry is available on a 15-track CD, with the entire show on Blu-ray and DVD (running over 94 minutes), as well as digital audio and video formats. The DVD and Blu-ray also contains 3 bonus tracks shot in Poland on December 10th, 2015 at The Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Poland. 

What makes the show's track listing so appealing is it balances new classics ("Dragonaut," "Halls of Valhalla," "Redeemer of Souls") along with headbanging classics ("Metal Gods," "Electric Eye," "You've Got Another Thing Coming"), as well as key album tracks from yesteryear ("Devil's Child," "Beyond the Realms of Death," "Jawbreaker"). 

Originally formed during the early '70s in Birmingham, England, Priest is responsible for offering metal fans worldwide some of the genre's most influential and landmark albums (1980's 'British Steel,' 1982's 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 1990's 'Painkiller,' etc.), while helping spread metal music to audiences not normally associated with the genre (Live Aid in 1985, and a surprise appearance on American Idol in 2011), and helping popularize the now instantly recognizable "denim and leather" look.

For decades, Judas Priest has been one of the greatest live bands in the entire heavy metal genre. And as evidenced by Battle Cry, Priest rock harder and more ferociously than ever.

Battle Cry CD sequence:

1.     (Intro) Battle Cry

2.     Dragonaut

3.     Metal Gods

4.     Devil’s Child

5.     Victim of Changes

6.     Halls of Valhalla

7.     Redeemer of Souls

8.     Beyond the Realms of Death

9.     Jawbreaker

10.  Breaking the Law

11.  Hell Bent For Leather

12.  The Hellion

13.  Electric Eye

14.  You’ve Got Another Thing Coming

15.   Painkiller

Battle Cry DVD/Blu-ray sequence:

1. (Intro) Battle Cry 

2. Dragonaut

3. Metal Gods

4. Devil’s Child

5. Victim of Changes

6. Halls of Valhalla

7. Turbo Lover

8. Redeemer of Souls

9. Beyond the Realms of Death

10. Jawbreaker

11. Breaking the Law

12. Hell Bent For Leather

13. The Hellion

14. Electric Eye

15. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming

16. Painkiller

17. Living After Midnight

Recorded live on August 1st, 2015 at Wacken Festival, Germany.

BONUS TRACKS

18. Screaming for Vengeance

19. The Rage

20. Desert Plains

Recorded live on December 10th, 2015 at The Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Poland.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:

www.judaspriest.com