Judas Priest
Battle Cry DVD
Review by Gary Hill
I admit it, I’m a huge Judas Priest fan. I’ve seen them live many times. I know a lot of people have wanted to dismiss them as a band since the departure of K.K. Downing. Well, I’ve yet to see them in person since that lineup change. That said, with their previous live DVD and this one as evidence, I can honestly say people feeling that way are very wrong. They are also missing out on some great music. This live show from 2015’s Wacken Open Air Festival makes it very clear that Judas Priest still delivers the goods. The band is still vital and they prove it with a great set that includes both several new songs and a lot of classics. The video and audio are both great, too. The problem I have is this. I’ve got an advance screener copy. Normally, our rule at MSJ is we don’t review anything except a copy that’s the same as the one that goes to the consumer. It’s pretty much a hard-wired rule. There’s a reason, too. If I don’t see the product the public gets, how can I comment on it. Well, there are a few bands I’ll make an exception for – and by a few I mean probably three or four. Judas Priest is one of them. So, let me say this. I can’t comment on the menu navigation because I haven’t seen it. I can’t comment on the bonus tracks that are supposedly included because I haven’t seen them. All I can talk about is the main concert itself. Of that, I’ll say, if you’ve ever been a Priest fan, give this a try. You’ll thank me for that bit of advice.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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