Judas Priest’s Defenders Of The Religion: The album title that turned heavy metallic’s definitive assertion of intent

In January 1984, Judas Priest unveiled their ninth album, Defenders Of The Religion; lengthy since acknowledged as a heavy metallic traditional, however on the time, judged a relative failure. 

Two years earlier, its predecessor, Screaming For Vengeance, had reworked the Brummie quintet into superstars, particularly throughout the Atlantic the place US audiences couldn’t get sufficient of their marauding, twin guitar-embellished anthems, voiced by the banshee-like Rob Halford, and a leather-based, studs, whips and chains picture that – similar to their music – can be copied and copied.