KK'S PRIEST
KK’S PRIEST “The Sinner Rides Again”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Mr. Downing is surely not one to let us forget he was in JUDAS PRIEST. There are so many callbacks to classic PRIEST songs and concepts here that the record is practically drowning in them. Starting with the album title, for example. There are times when it’s a little overbearing and one could wish that K.K. would try for his own identity a bit more, but let’s face it, this guy was in JUDAS PRIEST back when Woodstock was a new thing and nobody outside of the actual band has earned more of a right to mine the PRIEST legacy.
Although the songwriting is very familiar, the energy of it breaks through any chance of a cringe factor. Lyrically, it’s a different story, but I’ll focus on the music now. The album scorches like hellfire on the first three tracks, which are all fast burners like those PRIEST proto-thrashers of old. “Sons of the Sentinel”, “Strike of the Viper” and “Reap The Whirlwind” all crackle with that fire and the dueling guitars of K.K. and A.J. Mills are a joy to hear for any classic metal fan. The band sure hit the jackpot with Mills, who matches up with Downing at least as well as Tipton did and that’s something I’d never thought I’d ever say. The guitar work is the chief asset of this album. As for Ripper Owens’ vocals, well, we all know Ripper can scream with the best of them. There are times when he lays it on pretty thick and the wailing is overdone, but the screams are just as much a part of the PRIEST legacy as the guitar duels.
The album breaks into 3 groups of 3 songs. The first three are fast scorchers, the second three slow things down slightly and add more melody. “One Shot At Glory”, “Hymn 66” and the title track all fall in this latter pattern. They are good straight metal headbangers. The last three tracks seem to be trying to reach back to days of “Sin After Sin” with Gothic choirs, melancholy melodies and tons of twin harmony soloing. These last three are a little overdone for my taste, especially “Wash Away Your Sins” with cartoony evil voices and a general feeling of pomposity. But oh, those KK/AJ guitar duels still kill!
It’s a strong album if you love classic PRIEST and you’re not concerned with “progression” or strong lyrics. The lyrics seem to be written by a fifth grader and are often eye-rollingly corny. But even that has it’s place, I guess, and KK’S PRIEST certainly have staked out their ground as torch-carriers for the JUDAS PRIEST legacy.