{"id":1512,"date":"2020-04-14T03:55:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T03:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kkdowning.net\/steelmill\/?post_type=thefuelofthefurnace&p=1512"},"modified":"2024-09-06T09:36:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T09:36:51","slug":"steeler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kkdowning.net\/steelmill\/steeler\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fuel Of The Furnace pt. 4: The 40th Anniversary of “Steeler”"},"content":{"rendered":"

[three_fourth]\u201dWaiting Like Jackals To Sneak Up And Trick You…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Origins<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the 1980\u2019s dawned there was a rumble in the jungle as punk gave away to a new ferocious movement hailing from United Kingdom. New Wave Of British Heavy Metal stepped up to take the crown. Hundreds of bands had already made their stance at stardom and while most of them would not make it past endless pub circuits and (if they were lucky) their first albums, groups like Def Leppard<\/strong>, Iron Maiden<\/strong>, Saxon<\/strong> and Samson<\/strong> would go on to achieve great success.<\/p>\n

The older guard however, faced the challenge head on. Black Sabbath<\/strong> released \u201cHeaven And Hell,<\/strong>\u201d one of their finest records and resurrection of their career. Mot\u00f6rhead<\/strong> scored gold with their fourth album \u201cAce Of Spades,<\/strong>\u201d still a landmark release. And then of course Judas Priest<\/strong> delivered \u201cBritish Steel<\/strong>\u201d in April 1980. Although by that time Priest had been around in some form or other for almost 10 years. \u201cBritish Steel\u201d still remains the greatest NWOBHM-album ever released, in just 40 minutes it captured everything that was essential in the movement. It was sharp, it was steel, it was tight, focused and packed with awesome power. Still today 40 years after its release, it is the sound of the legends.<\/p>\n

Nowadays the album is sometimes rather unfairly packed in the same league with follow-up \u201cPoint Of Entry\u201d<\/strong> and in lesser context \u201cTurbo\u201d<\/strong> as commercial, more mainstream effort. You could discuss in length about the two latter albums and their relation to bigger musical climate, and that indeed has been discussed elsewhere. As for \u201cBritish Steel\u201d it was simply one part of the palette the album created, there was plenty more going on within its structure.<\/p>\n

Certainly songs like \u201cUnited\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cLiving After Midnight\u201d<\/strong> brought the band success on the single\u2019s chart and they were commercially more accessible than most of Priest\u2019s previous output. But the main thread throughout \u201cBritish Steel\u201d is its versatility, as is the case with most of Priest\u2019s albums. Just think about it for a second: who else could combine the catchy attack of \u201cBreaking The Law\u201d<\/strong> with early speed metal throttle of \u201cRapid Fire\u201d, <\/strong>reggae of \u201cThe Rage\u201d, <\/strong>anthemic \u201cUnited\u201d and indeed more commercial \u201cLiving After Midnight\u201d together on the same album? And then there were songs like \u201cSteeler\u201d<\/strong> that simply were essential Judas Priest.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Fin Costello\/Redferns<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the production side of things, the group ventured onto new era as Tom Allom<\/strong> took over the reins for the first time proper after overseeing the \u201cUnleashed In The East\u201d<\/strong> -opus the year before. What Allom brought to the table became obvious right from the beginning, listen to the opening guitar riff on \u201cRapid Fire\u201d or the merciless cold as steel sound of \u201cBreaking The Law\u201d \u2013 his production truly revealed the soul of Judas Priest. To this writer\u2019s ears \u201cBritish Steel\u201d remains one of the greatest productions in the heavy metal field. And remember, this was achieved 40 years ago, with two guitars, voice, drums, bass and stack of Marshall amps. Pieces of cutlery represented studio trickery. Sonically there was no doubt this was Priest\u2019s finest hour.<\/p>\n

Furthermore this was drummer Dave Holland<\/strong>\u2019s first studio work with the band and like his successor Scott Travis<\/strong> with \u201cPainkiller\u201d<\/strong> 10 years later, drums are extremely important instrument in the whole album and particularly in \u201cSteeler.\u201d They drive the song along and work as catalyst for different emotions, like guitars they are telling the story with vocalist, sometimes filling in the gaps, sometimes strengthening the statement.<\/p>\n

The message \u201cSteeler\u201d carries is made clear right from the start. Guitars kick off the song in furious style, with fast riff sounding exceptionally sharp and heavy here, clearly very different to the last studio album. Holland\u2019s machine gun-like drum attack soon takes over and the song settles into its groove. There\u2019s actually only one word proper enough to describe it: metal. The energy level right from the beginning is incredible, the song seems to be stampeding on a tight leash, ready to snap and break free at any second. What comes across instantly is the impressively tight bass line, the playing of Ian Hill<\/strong> being woven into the song, you might not give it much attention during the first listen, but you would definitely notice were it to be extracted away from the song. It is nothing flashy, simply supporting the track giving it extra heavy power. Through the album it is obvious the songs come first before individual performances. Yet there is much to talk about on that front as well.<\/p>\n

Rob Halford<\/strong> begins singing in powerful commanding fashion, he stays in mid-range throughout like on the most of the album. Again this was a different approach but worked incredibly well. Halford\u2019s voice always had depth far beyond his amazing high register. During first verse\u2019s \u201cfor attack\u201d<\/em> and second verse\u2019s \u201cspider like\u201d<\/em>– phrases, he goes low and sounds truly sinister. Guitars answer it with short riffs before tempo picks up again. There is no doubt the threat is real, the enemy preys upon and could strike at any minute.<\/p>\n

At the end of second verse (from 1:09 onwards) K.K. Downing<\/strong> plays an excellent 15-second solo. It first rounds up energy and then delivers several tasteful licks going up and down the scale before giving way to another twin guitar riff (this song is one hell of a rhythm guitar machine, counted at least 5 different ones throughout!). Dave pounds the drums on top of it from one speaker to another nicely creating tension that erupts to a power chord and faster tempo again. At 1:41 Rob comes back in with different vocal melody first singing two lines and guitars answering with more power chords. Notice how the axe-sound gets considerably louder here and drums perfectly enhance the heaviness with cymbal hits.<\/p>\n

Rob goes slightly higher on \u201clurking in shadows they pounce least expected\u201d<\/em> and the effect that follows (guitars just a little bit higher as well) conjures up an instant image of a prowler striking its victim. At 2:16 drums explode and the song returns to its original tempo and the first guitar riff gets repeated. As Halford sings the final line bringing his voice down to almost a growl, it transcends a feeling the character has given his all. The alert has been given, there\u2019s nothing more to say. Guitars assume control, in this song on more than one occasion I felt guitars were representing the powers of the oppression if you want to call it; and fighting on with the character on the lyrics. Again a power chord is left ringing while the drums keep on charging on. The utterly amazing new riff begins at 2:54, one of the heaviest moments on the album is right here.<\/p>\n

The song rocks on for another minute or so, the tempo seemingly getting tighter every second. In the beginning there\u2019s only one guitar carrying the rhythm but at 3:21 second one joins in to add extra blast of heaviness. The end lead breaks are split in four parts and the first one albeit lasting only for few seconds is enough to create a clear image of – to quote another song – \u201cdeadly as the viper.\u201d<\/em> Rhythm guitars keep the riff going between solos as the mood grows heavier, faster and menacing, danger is approaching rapidly. Second solo is basically a long bend with whammy bar ending to something resembling a sound of thunder.<\/p>\n

Again notice Dave Holland\u2019s drumming during this part, it is exceptional with several supporting cymbal hits driving the song along. Furthermore check out his fills at 3:38 and 3:56; tempo if only slightly speeds up a notch every time, simply essential magic in the music of Judas Priest! Third solo by K.K. is reaching back to his classic work in \u201cSinner\u201d<\/strong> and the echoing sounds perfectly lead to final howling guitar part drifting from one speaker to another, almost out there to wound the listener. In the most positive way of course. These solos work exceptionally well in the context. They seem to spin alongside the track\u2019s pounding rhythm, stalking like vultures executing the attacking we clearly got warned about just few moments earlier.<\/p>\n

At 4:06 the drums start to gather up power, now there almost seem to be four different guitar tracks here compared to one that kicked off the riffs a little over minute earlier. The final stop and chord left slowly fading away bring to mind another evil enemy attack. It completes the record in style.<\/p>\n

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Lyrically there\u2019s also much more going on within \u201cBritish Steel\u201d than first meets the eye. In fact we could be talking in terms of concept album about the strength of individual here! Virtually every song makes a strong statement about self-awareness and emerging from under oppression. It is the same character in \u201cBreaking The Law\u201d who\u2019s putting the action into his life and later needing room to breathe in \u201cGrinder.\u201d<\/strong> Elsewhere it\u2019s either machines representing the oppression (\u201cBetter be the slaves to their wicked ways\u201d<\/em>) or the power of unity (\u201cThey can try but they never get near\u201d<\/em>) or someone having had enough of being told what to do and how to live (\u201cI\u2019ll choose my fate\u201d \u201cAlone a free man, I got a world of my own\u201d<\/em>). Towards the end in \u201cThe Rage\u201d this character has reached the limit as \u201cdeep inside our blood begins to boil\u201d<\/em> And then topping it off the album is concluded with \u201cSteeler\u201d – practically a clarion call for arms.<\/p>\n

Rob Halford described the attitude and content of \u201cSteeler\u201d in 2010:<\/p>\n

Lyrically it\u2019s a statement. All these different phrases. The essence of that song is to become metalized, that\u2019s what heavy metal and \u201cBritish Steel\u201d will do. It will make you a resilient person. It\u2019s relentless, \u201cbelieve in who you are\u201d, \u201cdon\u2019t push me around\u201d -type of song.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the first verse, one is advised not to let \u201cchances pass you by.\u201d<\/em> As the song progresses it becomes more of a warning to check for decoys and staying sharp edged. By the end the announcement is stated coldly; they are \u201call the same.\u201d<\/em> Again this speaks for everything that has gone on before. The vicious attack of the machines in \u201cMetal Gods,\u201d the tyranny represented in \u201cUnited\u201d and the anger and frustration of the individual going through terror and turmoil in \u201cThe Rage\u201d and \u201cBreaking The Law.\u201d At the end the story is left hanging as we picture a \u201cmasquerader in his lair.\u201d<\/em> Through the final moments, it transforms in to a game of hide and seek. A battle for control, to which no winner is ever formally declared. There was no need for it really, as the prize had already been reclaimed and Judas Priest in \u201cBritish Steel\u201d had the ultimate victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cSteeler\u201d Live<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is interesting to waffle through band\u2019s first set-list on the \u201cBritish Steel\u201d- tour in the summer of 1980. While they added four songs from their brand new album, apart from the latest single \u201cLiving After Midnight,\u201d looking back these weren\u2019t exactly the most obvious choices: \u201cGrinder,\u201d \u201cYou Don\u2019t Have To Be Old To Be Wise\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cSteeler.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that time \u201cBreaking The Law\u201d was still \u201cjust\u201d the shortest, catchiest number on the album and quite amazingly that tune and \u201cMetal Gods\u201d<\/strong> – one of band\u2019s most loved live renditions were played for the first time in the following year\u2019s tour in support of \u201cPoint Of Entry.\u201d In the meantime, the third single from the album \u201cUnited\u201d was first introduced during \u201cDemolition\u201d- World Tour in 2001, although it did get (playback) airing on TV\u2019s Top Of The Pops- program in 1980.<\/p>\n

However, back to \u201cSteeler\u201d judging from few informal recordings, was a killer live track filled with passion and energy. The powerful feedback from the audience was also notable during this one. It was played fairly close to studio version, which was still pretty fast. The tempo even proved problematic for Halford who during a New York performance sang: \u201cWhen you come through you have gone right through you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n