Judas Priest - Nostradamus Review
Thursday June 19, 2008
Nostradamus is an epic album, clocking it at 100 minutes and spread out over 2 CDs. It's definitely not the typical Priest album, and after the first listen I wasn't overly impressed. It seemed there was a lot of unnecessary interludes, and there were a lot of mid-tempo songs and only a few up tempo rockers. But after a few listens I began to absorb what Priest was trying to do, and began to appreciate it more and more.
The typical Judas Priest guitar attack is there, but it's fully unleashed only on a few songs. The rest of the time it's more subdued, with acoustic guitars and guitar synths taking front and center on many of the tracks. There are some very catchy songs on the CD. When taken in context with the epic album storyline, the orchestral elements and interludes fit in well. Judas Priest lyrics can be a bit cheesy, but Halford does a good job creating an interesting narrative about a very compelling historic figure.
Comments
Well i sure hope you’re right about this, cause this album is taking a beating from most places online i have read. Or some are calling it a masterpiece…since i havent heard it i cannot say, but it’s Judas Priest, you have to at least give it a try!
Keep up the good work.
I totally agree with this review. Having loved priest forever and hearing their ups and downs this is the album I have been waiting for. I love albums with songs the transition from one to the next and this is a complete symphony. Might I compare it to “The Wall” but a metal version.
The first time through I was a little lost, but now I’m lost in the music. Priest rules and this album will go down in metal history as probably the best ever!
This one really shocked me. With Judas Priest being one of my all-time top 5 bands, I was somewhat disappointed. I understand the whole concept deal, but many other bands have done the same sort of thing without moving away from their standard sound. Judas Priest did good on a few songs, but this album leaves me little to even play on the radio. Most of the album is good for relaxing to after a rough day, but from The Priest, I would rather prefer a hard kickin’ release. Otherwise it is a great album for your different moods, just not all for your heavy one.—-Moondoggie of KWCR’s Metal Shop
First, I have been a Priest fan since Hell Bent For Leather. Everything they have put out rocks. Until now. I wanted to like this CD. But after hearing it, all the songs sound the same and it is too slow and plodding. JP will win few new fans with this release.
I have being a Priest fan since the 1970’s and I appreciate this album very much. It shows the band stretching it musical limits. The album is a story and that is what you must understand in short this is a concept album. When I did fully finished listening to this album I got to learn more of the man Nostradamus. I did hear of him and read some of his writings but this album brings more to life. To in that case mission accomplished by Priest.
Great album get it!!!!
It is now my favorite album of all time after approximately 10 or 11 listens all the way through. Wow..what a journey they take the listener on here.
Ill put it this way man. Most of the people who write negative reviews are the newer brand of today’s metal head. A lot of people who listen to priest are into it because of the later stuff AKA painkiller, maybe as far back as screaming for vengeance if you are lucky. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but most people dont appreciate the beauty of albums like Sadwings of destiny or Satined class simply because A. they have never heard them, or they are so caught up in what they think is “Metull!!” that the only thing they consider is true is fast paced beats, heavy guitars, and guttural or shrieking roars. There is nothing wrong with that either, but people must realize just like the broad category that is imposed by the word “rock n’ roll” metal is a very divers genre with many different facets of musicality. Pioneers like the priest should not only be respected for bringing back their original sounds, but they should also be credited with constantly innovating a genre even in their old age. Painkiller SET the trend for speedmetal at the time it came out. When you set the bar as high up as it can go, why would you return to do the same thing and become stagnant. The priest is an evolving machine, and all I can see is that they successfully wrote the strongest and most epic symphonic metal album I have ever heard. This is not just metal, but a mastery of composition as a whole. The immature metal head or rather the “novice” metal head would not be able to understand this work of art, and I pity that his attention span is not large enough to sit down and enjoy metal mastery at its finest.
Eh. I couldn’t even get through the first listen. Maybe one and half-discs I just had to hit skip. Bored to tears. A few nice moments (I actually preferred parts most people don’t like…the long instrumental parts, that love song near the end of disc 1) but mostly the lyrics were embarrassing (forced rhyme extravaganza) and the melodies uninteresting. Now to put the overpriced box set I foolishly bought on the shelf. It IS pretty, after all.
By the way, for the record, I’ve been into metal since the early 80s and a long-time Priest fan.
As I am only 22 years ol, I haven’t been a Priest fan for that long. Probably five, six years or so. But I’ve been hooked ever since! Nostradamus is (in my view) one of the best, epic metal CD’s I have EVER heard. And, being also a symphonic metal fan, I have heard lots of wannabe epic albums. Very few bands succeed!
Nostradamus throws you right into history from the intro and doesn’t let go till the last note. But not everyone likes songs with deep meaning, and thats perfectly ok
I do hope evryone will at least try to see if they like the album. Cause to me, this is the ‘piece de resistance’ that makes JP into the metal gods they are!
I have been around long enough to have heard the old “classics” from JP like stained classa and others. For one thing I must say is that JP never does the same album twice. There is so many different records in their history. Compare Painkiller to Point of entry for example and you can see the diversity in their production.
For me this next chapter in their story is quite natural. They had not done a concept album before and now they have done it.
I agree that this is not a album for the short winded people. It takes few listens and understanding of the story. Most songs are medium tempo but the great solo’s and melodic choruses are there like always.
I myself liked this even it is a different than before but for JP this IS the standard.
Great effort for the old guys, indeed.
After listening to this recording a dozen or more times, I’m beginning to think it may be one of the best Priest albums ever. The songs Revelations, Alone, and Visions are very powerful. Powerful as in I’ve woken up with them in my head and during the day I’ll find myself unconsciously humming the melodies. I’m pleased with the discs and glad to see the guys experimenting and doing what they want. That’s right at the heart of metal, IMO.
In know all the JP music from their start and seeing several of their concerts. I really do like the Nostradamus theme and music.
I am however extremly dissapointed in the concert for the album. As much as I like the past concerts I was under the belief that this concert was to be a concept theatrical rock like opera stage show with only the music from the album to be played. Then at a later date for them to retour and play their old music.
Instead they played 2-3 songs from the album and the rest from the past…Not even an encore at the end..
I’ve been a Judas Priest fan since I first bought British Steel in 1980. I know all their material and have listened to it extensively. I’ve been listening to Nostradamus daily for over a week now and I love it.
It sounds particularly good over a large sound system that can enhance the low frequencies. I’m very wary now about people who give something a quick listen and then criticise at length. Someone told me once that “The Wall” by Pink Floyd was crap so I didn’t buy it for a couple of years. Now I know that the critic was an idiot.
I’m a long time fan of JP, first hooked on stained class many years ago and have followed them since. Its too bad that it seems many fans are staying away from the new album and tour. My first reaction to the new album was this is JP? After several listens, it seems to me to be their most mature and best album yet. I’m hooked. Looking forward to seeing them on tour again.
I’d put off buying this album fearing it would be spinal tap. Today I got a copy… The ballads are terrible, the rest mediocre. Best avoided….Doubt I’ll even keep it. Fingers crossed they do something else as this would be a terrible end to their recorded output.
Priest should be commended for attempting such an ambitious record, which never (well, almost never) sounds like it was created out of desperation. I didn’t like it on my first listen, but after seeing Priest open their show the other night with Prophecy, I decided to give it another try. I liked it on my second listen. And now that I’m on my third, I think I’m hooked.
A message to Kreed: don’t worry — this summer’s tour (Metal Masters) was never supposed to be a performance of the new album; rather, that’s what Priest will be doing for another tour later this year.
i agree with most of the comments,i was lost at first, but now i am not
This is one of those albums who requires you to listen to it carefully before it grows into you. When you are critic about an album you have to be critic about yourself first, because maybe its not the album that is not good, maybe it is you who only like “easy to ear – get me at once” music. Thats why i hate comments from people who think they are entitled to write a review after one or two spins of the album. In my opinion.. a masterpiece… go hear more “fast food music” if you need more “easy to chew” music
I bought this CD when I was travelling overseas and listened to it through earphones for a few weeks. I thought it was ok, but a bit dreary. When I got home and listened to it on a quality sound system with plenty of BASS, I heard a totally different sound. The low frequency elements in this music are just awesome.
This album grows on you. Each time I listen to it, I hear a bit more I didn’t hear on the previous hearing. Even my 13yr old daughter loves it now. Thanks Judas Priest for such a great double CD.