I thought we would start off with a classic, and British Steel is definitely that. Judas Priest had already made a name for themselves, but it was with this 1980 release that they really made waves on this side of the Atlantic. The album had a decidedly more aggressive nature than previous albums, following a natural progression that led to their most famous release, 1981's Screaming For Vengeance. But you'd do well not to overlook this gem. There are some real killer tunes here, including a couple really underappreciated tracks from the Priest library. Sure you've got Breakin' The Law, Living After Midnight and Rapid Fire, but my favorites from this album have always been Grinder (I remember seeing Rob Halford join Pantera for a cover of this one on MuchMusic back in the Power 30 days...) and You Don't Have To Be Old To Wise. Halford has some great vocal moments here, and the twin axe attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing were really coming into their own. Thankfully the entire Priest back catalog was remastered a little while back, so you can enjoy these classics in a rich, full sound more deserving for such classic metal.
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